Integrated Public Transport Fare System

Summary

Bologna is working on developing a truly intermodal network with an integrated payment system to make sustainable travel choices a convenient and attractive option.

Implementing sustainable mobility

The metropolitan area of Bologna is planning to introduce an integrated public transport fare system for trains and buses called STIMER/ MI MUOVO. The system will include public bike and car sharing, as well as the Park and Ride service.

The main objectives of the measure are to:

• Improve the public transport offer; and
• Increase usage of public transport and other sustainable mobility means in the metropolitan area of Bologna.

The integrated payment system will permit passengers to use different modes of public transport with the same electronic ticket, either a contactless card or a card with a magnetic stripe. The new system will not only make payment easier and offer a discount to season ticket holders but will also allow the city to monitor passenger flows. This information will help to better organise the public transport network according to users’ needs.

Progress

The new fare and ticketing system was launched in January 2010.. New validating devices have been installed onboard buses and dissemination activities in 2010 spread the word of MI MUOVO. The information campaign focused on the new fare system and its calculation by the number of zones that are crossed rather than the distance covered. Another aspect the campaign highlighted was the validating system of the electronic tickets. During the campaign, 300,000 folders with information materials have been handed out at public transport information centres, the Municipal information office and at points where tickets are sold. Flyers were disseminated on buses and at bus stops. In addition, the city ran spots on radio and local TV. It also promoted the new system on the public transport website and through newspaper articles. Specific information initiatives were carried out by the Emilia-Romagna Region to promote both the new integrated annual season tickets (train+bus) “MI MUOVO CITY PIÙ”, allowing users to use train and buses to/from some railway stations located in the Bologna hinterland (Casalecchio and San Lazzaro), and also the monthly ticket MI MUOVO MESE. Furthermore, a customer satisfaction survey was conducted during the last week of May 2012,, sampling over 800 bus and/or train users, to evaluate the knowledge and acceptance of the new electronic ticketing system and to get to know the users’ opinion on the fare and ticketing integration between train and bus. Citizens were interviewed at main bus stops in Bologna city center, at the railway station, at the bus station and at main bus stops in the two major Municipalities close to Bologna (Casalecchio and San Lazzaro), thus ensuring contact with users of all PT services (urban, suburban and extra-urban bus services and train). The survey was used as a key element to evaluate the measure results. The main survey outcomes were:

• System acceptance: the results of the user survey demonstrated the success of the new ticketing system; in particular the users expressed a very positive feedback on the integration of services (bus and train)
• Transport use:  the results of the user survey demonstrated that the integrated ticket for bus and train encourages use of public transport. This is also reflected in revenues: the increase of season tickets sold is also a result of the interoperability between bus and train

This outcomes are also reflected in the revenue trend: the season ticket sale has increased thanks also to the interoperability between bus and train.

Outcomes

When the measure was designed, it was aimed to Develop the supporting activities to improve acceptance and awareness of the new integrated electronic ticketing system that allowed to create a real intermodal network with bus and train modes.

The survey was the main element together with the trend of revenues in order to evaluate the measure results. A users survey was indeed realized with the aim of evaluating the knowledge and acceptance of the new electronic ticketing system and to understand the opinion of users concerning the fare and ticketing integration between train and bus. The survey was done in May 2012 sampling more than 800 bus and/or train users. The interviews were done at some of main bus stops in Bologna city centre, at the railway station, at the bus station and at main bus stops of the two main municipalities around Bologna ( Casalecchio di Reno and San Lazzaro di Savena). Main outcomes were: • System acceptance: the results of the user survey demonstrated the success of the new ticketing system ; in particular the users expressed a very positive feedback on the integration of services (bus and train). • Transport use: the results of the user survey demonstrated that the integrated ticket for bus and train encourages use of public transport.

The target was achieved because today the system is in general well known by users and they evaluate it as a positive innovation that facilitates the access to public transport services and as a consequence increases their use of it.