OPTIMUM multimodal route-planning app

Summary

The EU project OPTIMUM developed and offers free of charge a multimodal route-planning application (app) that features smart notifications and proactive recommendations to encourage “greener” transport behaviour.

The app supports multimodal route planning in three major European cities: Birmingham (UK), Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Vienna (Austria). All available information on complex urban transportation networks has been integrated in these three cities, including public means of transport -  trains, metros, buses, taxis, shared bicycles, shared cars and electric vehicles.

The OPTIMUM app includes a personal profile that can be enabled to give greener transport recommendations. Based on start location and destination inputs, the app can plan routes to meet specific individual needs - e.g. time and date of arrival or departure, transport modes or vehicle locations.

Users can also add “via points” along the route proposed by the application. In addition, the app can suggest alternative routes, along with information on modes of transport, time of travel and CO₂ emissions for each trip alternative. Routing optimisation can then be personalised to fit the user’s travel profile.

Persuasive messaging accompanies each specific alternative to steer the user towards greener transportation choices (i.e. walking, cycling, public transport). Later versions of the app will integrate a crediting system that rewards greener transportation choices. The app supports the storage of current and future trip itineraries, allows quick access to planned trips and informs the user about potentially relevant incidents (e.g. congestion, accidents, road works).  

The user’s local surroundings are shown as a map, which allows the user to locate a potential destination or identify points of interest (POIs). These POIs can be filtered through categories and be included in route requests. Finally, feedback functionality is very important, as it allows the user to communicate easily with the OPTIMUM project, which in turn allows the user to rate the app and provide feedback.

The app can be downloaded for free from Google Play Store.