Shared Elba Mobility Agency

Summary

One of Elba's most important measures is a multifunctional mobility information platform improving the travel experience of both tourists and residents. The aim is to create a smart and accessible means of obtaining information about mobility and help meet user demand.

Implementing sustainable mobility

The Shared Elba Use Mobility Agency (SUMA) is the structure dedicated to planning, managing and coordinating the different ride-sharing services, mobility information services for users, and other types of mobility planning support available on the island.

SUMA is composed by an ICT platform that aggregates data coming from different sources/systems/services to provide multimodal info mobility services (journey planner and payment), coordinating different rental operators and providing ridesharing services.

The related App (available in Italian, English, German and France language) developed for Android and iOS is available for citizens and tourists who need to reach the island or move around it.

The platform is the Agency’s ICT backbone and it helps to achieve the objective of improving service accessibility and transport information for both final users and citizens.

The technological platform’s structure has the following components:

• Elba Open Data Layer
• Elba Operators Networking (CSBB) and mobility support
• Mobility Information Services management
• Ride-Sharing Services management (notice board), which is the key component of SUMA, allowing users to share rides (trip request and offer)

Elba Open Data Layer

The Elba mobility Open Data Layer is dedicated to the collection, aggregation and provision of mobility and service data and information. Through a dedicated set of adapting interfaces, the layer collects available data in different formats from IT systems and data sources of a wide range of mobility services operated or planned in the short term on the island (e.g., public transport, traffic, parking, EV recharge points, rental services providers).

Elba Operators Networking (CSBB) and mobility support

This component aims to increase the accessibility and attractiveness of Elba Island for tourists by coordinating the already existing rental services (cars, scooters, bikes, boats, etc.). This should reduce the use of private vehicles and resultant congestion and emissions.

This component has specific features for networking and displaying the services of the different existing mobility operators (including the rental of cars, scooters, bicycles and boats - CSBB - Car / Scooter / Bike / Boat) and services of interest for mobility (for example, private parking areas), aiming to coordinate certain key elements of the rental service, such as information and booking.

Mobility Information Services

This component provides multimodal mobility information services through the management of data communication with the Elba Open Data Layer component and the elaboration of the collected data.

One of the services to be provided at this level is the multimodal journey planner, which will include information on the arrival times of public transport services.

Ride Sharing Services

This component is dedicated to managing specific services based on the “ride-sharing scheme” and the principle “share the same trip”. This component works through a specific app, helping to connect users and satisfy their collective mobility needs.

Progress

After the design which is fully detailed and described in the booklet “Shared use Mobility Agency: The MaaS approach implemented in Elba island”, and the procurement phase, was coordinated by MemEx. The contract with the software provider was signed in September 2018.

The Agency concept was promoted during international events such as the CIVITAS Forum 2018 in Umeå, Sweden, and during the DESTINATIONS project meeting held in April 2019 in Portoferraio, Elba.

The SUMA platform and the related App were put into service in June 2020. Unfortunately, with the COVID 19 emergency there was a notable reluctance to share a ride with other people. The SUMA was used only for checking the timetables of transport services, for travel planner and for the car/bike rental availability

The final test of the SUMA was completed in the spring of 2021 and the software will be further fine-tuned by the supplier company in the coming months.

If restrictions due to pandemic allow, the promotion of the Sharing Agency (web and app) will be pursued by the Elba Municipalities, hoping to increase the number of users during the summer season of 2021 and beyond.

Outcomes

The measure’s outcome is the Shared Use Mobility Agency (SUMA) platform and related App in operation.

With the SUMA it is possible to plan, book, coordinate, and control different ride sharing services integrated with conventional public transport. With SUMA, on the one hand, the users can get all information on the mobility services active in Elba island through the cooperation and networking among the transport service providers.

On the other hand, SUMA allows users to become potential mobility service providers of shared trips. Indeed, the key component of SUMA, the notice board, allows users to share rides (trip request and offer).

All the technical documents produced for the procurement/call for tender process and for the implementation phase are available in Italian language (full version) with a summary in English - see the document below.