Public transport (PT) information allows travellers to plan their trips in advance or “on the go”. In many cities, PT information – including routes and timetables – is freely available through online services. Real-time travel information is increasingly commonplace and is based on vehicle-tracking devices that transmit their positioning data – typically via GPS – to a central server. Estimates of the vehicles’ arrival times at transport stops are available at stations, on websites and via phone applications. This information can greatly improve the efficiency and quality of PT services.
Increases of between 1% and 3% in public transport use can occur from implementing advanced traveller-information systems. The CO2 emission impacts of such mode shifts will depend on what alternative modes of transport are avoided (if any) thanks to the increased public transport ridership.
Implementation costs for a PT information system in Ireland were around EUR 2 200 per public transport stop, and around EUR 6 200 per vehicle.
Costs for operating information systems arise mainly from labour-intensive monitoring of data flows for accuracy, and from maintaining data interfaces from the PT agency's platforms on a variety of mobile platforms.
Depending on the impact on PT use of the improved information systems, the cost break-even point is estimated to occur after 12 years in the case of a 0.5% increase of revenues/ridership, or in less than four years in the case of a 1.5% increase in revenues.
The main benefits of PT information are increased passenger satisfaction, increased reliability of services and savings on journey times, which can all result in increased PT use and a modal shift away from more-polluting transport modes.
Benefits for operators include increased operating efficiency through the provision of the same service with fewer vehicles.
Advanced PT information systems increase dependency on information systems and rely on consumers to have access to such information.
Caulfield, B. and O'Mahony, M. (2003) Real time passenger information – the benefits and costs. European Transport Conference, Strasbourg, Sept, 2003, http://hdl.handle.net/2262/79614
Higginson, M. (1999) Public Transport Passenger Information. Network Management notes.
Monzon, A., Hernandez, S. and Cascajo, R (2012) Real Rime Passenger Information systems and quality of bus services, http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.1090.6918&rep=rep1&type=pdf
National Center for Transit Research, Center for Urban Transportation Research, University of South Florida (2005) Enhancing the Rider Experience: The Impact of Real-Time Information On Transit Ridership.
Oded, C. and Jenelius, E. (2014) Dynamic Vulnerability Analysis of Public Transport Networks: Mitigation Effects of Real-Time Information, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11067-014-9237-7
Schweiger, C. (2010) Use and Deployment of Mobile Device Technology for Real-Time Transit Information.
TRL (2003) Bus real-time passenger information business case research, https://trimis.ec.europa.eu/entityprint/node/3317
Links
[1] https://www.itf-oecd.org/policy/public-transport-information
[2] https://www.itf-oecd.org/node/25156
[3] https://www.itf-oecd.org/node/25124
[4] https://www.itf-oecd.org/node/25174