Presentation on "Shared Mobility & BRT" at Bus Rapid Transit and Private Transit Symposium, sponsored by the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations, at UC Berkeley in October 2015
Start by talking about macro trends impacting multi-modal choices (e.g., demographic trends, new modal options, growth of smartphone apps, Internet, and real-time features.
Introduce the concept of mobility hubs. Specifically, pairing shared mobility with BRT. Provide challenges, opportunities, and examples of best practices from around the globe.
Discuss the ways shared mobility can both compete and complement BRT and public transportation.
Convergence between public and private transportation options.
- Discuss the opportunities and challenges with scaling sustainable transportation. Excerpt text from the blog with the figure below:
In terms of the number of cities where implemented, the graph shows that carsharing and bikesharing are the fastest growing sustainable transport solutions. However, the impact of both measures is still relatively modest: carsharing schemes operate in more than 1,000 cities, but global membership is only about 5 million. By contrast, high impact solutions usually face larger obstacles to adoption. Metro rail and congestion pricing, for example, require greater institutional capacity and financial resources. Identifying and scaling the smart solutions – those with both high impact and relatively low strain on institutional and financial resources – is the key to achieving widespread implementation of sustainable transport measures.
http://thecityfix.com/blog/on-the-move-advancing-sustainable-transport-getting-from-here-to-there-holger-dalkmann/
- Urban locations with significant multi-modal connections and public transit access. Best mobility hubs have good urban design, highly walkable, with very limited adjacent parking.
BRT is good for mobility hubs because it offers some of “rail-like” features without many of the challenges associated with heavy rail (higher cost, grade crossings that interrupt walkability etc.)
Goal is to increase the number of modes and access without increasing the space allocated to infrastructure.
- BRT is also ideal because it most often uses existing roadway rights-of-way.
- Image from Boulder, CO depicting ideal mobility hubs.
Multi-modal options using existing rights-of-way
Real-time information included in the concept
Similar concept from Tim P. of SFMTA
Depicting a user accessing a smartphone app and trip planning their route, distance, time and cost.
User can select from a variety of modes depending on distance and time required to get to their destination.
About:
- The second-largest city in Colombia and the capital of the department of Antioquia. It is located in the Aburrá Valley, a central region of the Andes Mountains in South America. According to the National Administrative Department of Statistics, the city has an estimated population of 2.44 million as of 2014.[1] With its surrounding area that includes nine other cities, the metropolitan area of Medellín is the second-largest urban agglomeration in Colombia in terms of population and economy, with more than 3.5 million people.
Note the density is comparable to San Francisco
Impressive 4th generation bikesharing system
Kiosks are located at rail, BRT and cable car public transit stops
Bicycles can be accessed free of charge for up to 1 hour using the transit fare card.
Additional usage billed to the fare card.
Bicycles are secured (from theft) based on the fare card. If a bicycle is stolen, it can be tracked to the person’s fare card that checked it out. Fare card is basically enabling a “free bikes” system, while imposing user accountability.
About:
The capital and largest city of Guangdong province in South China. Located approximate 75 miles NW of Hong Kong. Guangzhou serves as an important national transportation hub and trading port. Guangzhou is the third largest Chinese city and the largest city in South Central China. In 2014 the city's administrative area was estimated to have a population of 13,080,500.
- However the density is quite a bit lower than Medellin. Average density (people/per sq mi) is only slightly higher than Portland, OR.
- Guangzhou has one of the most extensive BRT systems in the world with 800,000 daily riders. Like Medellin, several BRT and metro stations have bikesharing kiosks.
For more information, please see:
https://youtu.be/mo50OvHvt1g
About:
The capital and largest city of Gansu Province in Northwest China. Lanzhou is home to 3,616,163 inhabitants at the 2010 census.
The Lanzhou Bus Company operates both BRT and the city’s bikesharing system.
Like Medellin, the smart cards can be used to access and pay for local buses, BRT and bikesharing.
In Denver, the city has set aside money in the 2016 budget to plan a BRT line between Denver and Aurora.
The bus corridor is the city’s busiest with approximately 22,000 daily riders.
The bus corridor will align closely with existing modal options in Denver, particularly carsharing services offered by local provider e-Go. (See map on the next slide).
Note, if built, the BRT line will be within walking distance of numerous e-Go carsharing locations.
http://denver.streetsblog.org/2015/10/05/hancock-makes-room-for-colfax-brt-in-2016-budget/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20StreetsblogDenver%20%28Streetsblog%20Denver%29
In August 2015, Metro Transit (Twin Cities) made a major announcement that they will be partnering with Hourcar to allow transit riders to access carsharing with their transit passes. Although additional details haven’t been released, it is believed the card will provide similar services and functions as Chicago’s old joint fare card.
http://finance-commerce.com/transit/2015/08/17/metro-transit-partnering-with-hourcar-car-sharing-service/
Increasing number of private sector transportation options
May augment public transportation providing first/last mile connectivity, mobility insurance, additional options; or may compete
One way these services can complement public transportation is through first/last mile connectivity and by increasing capacity at peak times
Transit operators may not be able to manage peak capacity; private sector solutions may help alleviate transit congestion during these times
Note, Lyft bus wrap. Competition or complementarity – unsure. “Use your own mode” – could be interpreted by some to use Lyft instead of transit. Others may interpret it as providing a link to transit.
SF Ridesourcing study – 4% identified a transit station as either their origin or desintation. 28% of trips began or ended within ¼ mile of rail transit; 85% within 1/8th mile of a bus stop.
People increasingly using the commute for more than getting from Point A to Point B. Amenities such as plugs, WiFi, even coffee/beverages are becoming increasingly important. May want to discuss Leap (depicted above) now defunct due to CPUC cease and desist order.
A number of “e” features are complementing BRT, and public transportation.
This includes joint fare payments (previously discussed) as well as contactless payment such as Visa PayWave, Apple Pay and other solutions
Real-time data support via internet, smartphone apps, and information screens such as TransitScreen (pictured) and Nextbus
Growth in trip planning apps and mobility aggreators