Business district shuttle bus
Summary
Private cars with low occupancy rates going to business districts are one of the main contributors to congestion problems. A business district shuttle bus is an efficient way to cater for the specific needs of commuters and reduce traffic.
Implementing sustainable mobility
Commuters using their own car to work rarely bring other passengers, increasing traffic. In addition daytime parking occupies valuable urban space and makes it more difficult for visitors and customers to find parking. A business district shuttle bus is a cost efficient way to cater for the needs of commuters rather than expanding existing bus services. The measure is intended to help develop an economically viable transport solution to serve commuters travelling to the area, reducing car use.
Progress
Iasi called PTI to operate a bus shuttle service that will serve a business district. Two contracts were signed between the Public Transport Company and CET and METRO. Every day, buses transports the workers of these 2 companies, according to a certain time schedule.
Outcomes
Surveys have been carried out among employees of these two companies. Even though awareness and acceptance levels registered decreased values in 2010, with 47% respectively 45%, compared to those in 2009, 67% and 66%, in 2011 they increased again to 72% and 70%. The surveys revealed also, an increased percentage of workers’ positive opinions, regarding the quality of shuttle bus service from 29% in 2009, to 53% in 2011. Modal split indicator assessment, showed the employees’ tendency to use more and more public transport vehicles as a mean of transportation. The percentage of workers who have chosen to travel to work with public transport vehicles increased from 71% in 2009, to 87% in 2011, while the percentage of P.C. users decreased to 11% in 2011, compared to 26% registered in 2009. This changing in travel behavior has been revealed also, by the effective number of cars and carried persons, counted in companies’ parking places. Number of personal cars decreased to 59 in 2011, compared to 2009, over 42%, and the number of carried persons, also decreased, as expected, to 90 in 2011, compared to 2009, over 45%. The number of employees using shuttle bus service to go to work, average occupancy indicator, was counted. The results reveal that this indicator increased over 14%, to 679 in 2011, compared to 2010.
