Agora Guide: Better Rural Mobility On-Demand
App-based bookable shared rides with minibuses have the potential to improve mobility options in rural areas and reduce dependency on private cars. This is the conclusion of a publication by the Berlin-based think tank Agora Verkehrswende, which was developed in collaboration with the telematics specialist PTV Transport Consult. According to the authors, on-demand services can especially complement the limited public transport (ÖPNV) services in rural regions. Their guide explains under which conditions such demand-responsive transport services are sensible and how they can be successfully integrated into the public transportation system. The publication was also created in collaboration with the German County Association, the German Association of Cities and Municipalities (DStGB), and the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV).
In sparsely populated areas, traditional bus and rail lines run less frequently and the network of stops is limited. Demand-responsive transport offers individual departure times on request (on demand) at additional, virtually determined stops. According to Agora, this could increase the quality of life, especially for people without access to a car. It also supports the German government's goal of establishing accessibility standards for rural areas and improving mobility options.
"In many rural regions, there is hardly any way around owning a car. Flexible minibuses can supplement traditional bus and rail services there to ensure mobility and social participation. For people without a car, this would be a huge benefit – and for everyone else, it would be a way to leave the car at home more often or do without a second car. Counties and transport companies should seize this opportunity to give more momentum to the transportation transition in rural areas," advocates Wiebke Zimmer, Deputy Director of Agora Verkehrswende.
Recommendations for various settlement structures
For successful and efficient use of demand-responsive transport services, experts recommend planning and operating these services in conjunction with the fixed lines and schedules of conventional public transport (ÖPNV). Operational simulations for various example regions showed that their design should be oriented to the settlement structure. Demand-responsive services could specifically cover smaller or poorly connected districts and regions, fulfill feeder and distributor functions to train stations, or supplement overloaded buses or trains during peak times. For connections with high passenger demand, such as in the centers of rural regions, conventional line services are still better suited, the authors advise.
Integration into general ticket systems
They recommend integrating demand-responsive services into existing tariff, ticket, and information systems. By distributing stops and allowing permissible detour lengths, it will be ensured that travel times are similar to or shorter than conventional public transport. Additionally, the kilometers traveled should be ecologically and economically related to the passenger-kilometers provided. If the minibuses serve as feeders to conventional public transport, priority should be given to ensuring connections are met, according to the judgment.
"In rural areas, demand-responsive transport is key to ensuring good public transport accessibility. The federal government has already stipulated in the coalition agreement that it wants to define quality standards for accessibility in the city and countryside. That is an important step. Furthermore, local authorities need long-term commitments from federal and state governments to receive additional funding for the establishment of demand-responsive transport," appeals Philipp Kosok, Project Manager for Public Transport at Agora Verkehrswende.
For the largest possible shift away from car use, the think tank also recommends, in addition to improving public transport, reducing privileges associated with car use.
Half of the population is poorly connected to public transport
According to the Public Transport Atlas by Agora Verkehrswende, half of Germany's population is poorly or not at all served by buses and trains. In rural areas, more than 80 percent of kilometers traveled are covered by private cars. Shrinking services to meet basic needs such as supermarkets, doctor's offices, or schools lead to increasingly longer distances. The lower the population density, the harder it is to bundle passenger transport along fixed lines and stops. On-demand transport could cover the first and last mile and make public transport accessible by foot from morning to evening everywhere.
Since the latest amendment to the German Passenger Transportation Act (PBefG) in August 2021, municipalities have improved legal options through the newly created "demand-responsive transport" to introduce flexible minibuses as part of public transportation. They do not follow fixed routes but must comply with the usual public transport regulations and obligations, such as accessibility. In return, the provider of demand-responsive transport can receive subsidies from the county. The publication titled "Mobilitätsoffensive für das Land" was created to guide this effort.
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