Rural Demand Responsive Transport

Current Developments and Analysis of a Case Study in an Italian Inner Area

Author: Tiziano Pavanini

Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland

Book Series : SpringerBriefs in Operations Management

Part of: Springer Professional "Business + Economics & Engineering + Technology" , Springer Professional "Engineering + Technology" , Springer Professional "Business + Economics"

Table of Contents

About this book

This book analyzes the transport situation in so-called low-demand areas, i.e., rural areas where traditional public transport is often poor and inefficient. Though rural transport has largely been neglected in the literature in favor of more urbanized contexts, it is often the only mobility option for the many citizens who still live in these areas. This book aims to fill the gap in the literature by providing further insights into rural transport research, in particular by presenting a valid solution: Demand Responsive Transport (DRT). This widespread technology allows public transport authorities to make their journeys more efficient by maximizing the load factor of vehicles, while helping citizens meet their mobility needs.

The book addresses key research questions concerning the strengths and weaknesses of deploying Demand-Responsive Transport (DRT) in rural areas; mayors’ perceptions regarding the transport characteristics of their regions; and the evaluation of a DRT pilot project. These aspects are explored through a case study of DRT implementation in two rural areas near the Ligurian cities of Chiavari and Genoa.

Frontmatter

Chapter 1. Introduction

Abstract

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the transport sector—particularly urban mobility—was facing some complicated challenges: constantly increasing traffic, limited green spaces available to citizens and the massive use of private vehicles over public and sustainable modes of transport. The advent of aforementioned contagion has, in fact, prompted local administrations to rethink their urban public transport system. While the negative externalities of this contingency are well known, during this historical period, many growth opportunities have also arisen that policymakers and institutions should seize.

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Chapter 2. Demand Responsive Transport: Characteristics and Historic Evolution

Abstract

The objective of this inquiry, as specified in the introduction, is the study of the characteristics of on-demand transport service in rural areas: before delving into its dynamics, however, it is first necessary to describe all alternative options to fixed transit operating worldwide in order to better understand their potential and operating mechanisms.

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Chapter 3. Demand Responsive Transport: A Short Review

Abstract

This chapter intends to answer the following research question:

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Chapter 4. Italian “National Strategy for Inner Areas” and Analysis of Antola-Tigullio Case Study

Abstract

This chapter discusses the distinctive characteristics of inner areas and the National Strategy for Inner Areas (SNAI), the Italian government’s plan to address the depopulation issue of these regions and social isolation of residents. The socio-demographic and mobility characteristics of the people living in the Antola-Tigullio inner area are also presented in this section.

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Chapter 5. Results of the Survey of Mayors Conducted in Antola-Tigullio Inner Area

Abstract

This chapter describes the process that led to the experimental implementation of on-call transport in some selected municipalities of the Antola-Tigullio Valleys. It uses a survey, conducted through a questionnaire addressed to all the municipalities’ mayors, as a first element useful for planning a DRT service as close as possible to the real needs of users.

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Chapter 6. Ex-Post Evaluation of Val Graveglia DRT Pilot Results

Abstract

AMT has recently launched several on-call transport services (“Chiama il bus”) in various territories, some belonging to the inner areas identified by SNAI, such as the one in Val Graveglia (Ne municipality), in the Bargagli and Davagna area and in the territory of Borzonasca (Fig. 6.1), and others external to this initiative, such as the DRT service operating in Val Brevenna, Recco, Casarza Ligure and Cogorno.

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Chapter 7. Conclusions, Research Limitations and Future Agenda

Abstract

Starting from the assumption that the characteristics of DRT in rural areas have received little attention in the academic literature, this work seeks to make multiple contributions to the research in this area by examining the global context and analysing the efficiency of a specific Italian case study. The study employed three different methodologies to achieve these goals: international academic literature analysis; distribution of a survey to the mayors of the municipalities of two Ligurian inner areas; and data analysis of DRT pilot results in such regions.

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Backmatter

Title: Rural Demand Responsive Transport
Author: Tiziano Pavanini
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-031-91395-2
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-91394-5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-91395-2