TRANSPORT RESEARCH INSTITUTE CONSORTIUM AWARDED £380,000
The Transport Research Institute (TRI) has been awarded a significant project by the Technology Strategy Board and EPSRC to undertake a review of rural transport systems.
TRI, in a consortium with the University of Aberdeen, Mobisoft and Quotient Associates, has been awarded £380,000 to develop a Demand Responsive Transport Management Portal. The funding was awarded as part of the Strategy Board’s Informed Personal Travel Competition, which aims to develop innovative solutions for providing reliable, accurate and credible information for people to manage journeys. Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) is the use of shared door to door public transport, such as buses and taxis, where service provision is influenced by user demand. DRT is especially valuable for people living in rural areas or for those with disabilities; who have little or no access to fixed public transport.
Dr James Cooper, TRI Knowledge Transfer Coordinator said: “The DRT sector isn’t sufficiently serviced by transport planning and information tools. At best a passenger will receive information on where services exist, but this falls far short of actually offering real time booking of trips. In addition any technology that is in use is only available to large operators and varies across the UK, making it incredibly difficult for passengers to plan and book their trips”.
The proposal developed between TRI and its consortium recognises the opportunity to match transport provision with passenger need in a seamless manner. The DRT Management Portal will provide transport operators with access to modern digital map based planning and dispatching tools not previously available. This in turn will open up new markets, increasing profitability for operators and boosting the overall economy. Such a system will be of particular benefit to those living in rural areas where there is a strong need for more flexible transport solutions to fill gaps in provision.
“From a passenger perspective the benefits of our approach include access to a wide variety of flexible, low cost, shared transport, giving them a real alternative to their cars. The advantages of such a system are numerous, ranging from financial to environmental” said James.
The proposal for this funding was developed with assistance from 2kT who provide academic staff with advice and guidance on aspects of knowledge transfer such as the current market, developing a business case and satisfying funder requirements. The Transport Research Institute has an established and growing record in delivering timely research as part of its Knowledge Transfer activities.
For further information contact the TRI KT Coordinator:
Tel: +44 (0)131 208 1055