Personal Mobility

Japanese society is rapidly aging and the birth rate falling faster than any other countries in
the world. Therefore, it is important to create a universal society in Japan. The ministry of
Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) is trying to develop the free mobility
system that is intended to remove any restrictions on the mobility of all people by applying
advanced information or communication technologies such as IC tags. In order to develop
general purpose equipment for free mobility of visually impaired people, experimental studies
on the radio marker system that is available for many types of users were carried out. The
test results reveal some technical requirements for practical use of this system. In this report,
fundamental concept and structure of the free mobility system and the result of the
experimental studies are described.

Public Works Research Institute

National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, Japan

Presented at the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, November 16-20, 2008, New York, New York

This paper will review the migration to standardized smart-cards on buses for concessionary
travel in Wales, UK.  Through  the scheme, people over 60 and disabled passengers  have  free access to travel at any time of the day across the bus network, with smart-cards enabling a quick and  convenient  method of boarding.  The re issue of standardized s mart-cards and the implementation of an integrated  and centralized system will also provide efficiencies in data capture and analysis, accurate revenue payments to operators, a reduction in fraud, and statistics that will inform future policy and funding.   Smartcards will also establish a method for
improving public service delivery to the citizens of Wales as the technology will be extended to additional modes of transport and wider citizen applications, thereby  making a  positive  step
towards an accessible fully- integrated public transportation system for the country.

South Wales Traffic Management Centre

Welsh Assembly Government

Presented at the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, November 16-20, 2008, New York, New York

SRF Consulting Group, Inc., in cooperation with Scott County, designed a transit station that
provides Scott County residents with a new commuting option to downtown Minneapolis.
Working with Scott County and other local agencies, SRF designed the bus park-and-ride
station to sensitively fit into a developing commercial and residential area. 
 
Located near TH 169 and CSAH 18, the station is comprised of several main functions: a bus
turn-around and drop-off area, a passenger waiting area with shelters, a 550-car surface
parking lot, and an access road with walks. 
 
The ITS elements of this project include:
 
·  A traveler information system designed to continuously count the lot capacity and inform
approaching vehicles of parking space availability in the lot with real- time information. 
·  A wireless telemetry system.
·  Changeable message signs incorporated into decorative landscape monuments.
·  A six-camera security system with on-site digital video recording.
 
The project was awarded “2007 Project of the Year” by the Association of Minnesota
Counties.

SRF Consulting Group, Inc.

Scott County

Presented at the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, November 16-20, 2008, New York, New York

 This paper documents how U.S. transit agencies have, and have not, participated in the 511 traveler information telephone systems that are operational throughout the United States. This project investigated the reasons for the lack of more pervasive and meaningful participation by transit in 511 systems, dispelled the myth that 511 participation will place significant financial or other burdens on most individual participating transit agencies, and concluded that 511 participation is a highly cost-effective strategy for most transit agencies.  The project is approximately 75 percent complete.  Remaining activities include developing a check list of considerations that individual transit agencies can use in deciding whether, and how, to participate in 511 systems; interviewing 511 system administrators to understand why they have or have not included transit in their systems; and conducting a focus group with transit riders to understand their perspectives on 511.  Key words:  public transportation, traveler information, 511.

Battelle

Presented at the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, November 16-20, 2008, New York, New York

Greater Stockholm Public Transport Authority (SL) has conducted several customer surveys to determine which traffic information the customer wants and what they think of the existing
traffic information. Both qualitative and quantitative methods have been used. In the
quantitative method 4400 customers were asked about their level of satisfaction regard to
SL’s public transport information. SL found that customers are very satisfied with the digital
information in carriages, vehicles and at stops and stations. They are not, however, satisfied
with the information on disruptions or deviations to the schedule. The customers think that
SL’s permanent information on public transport, for example the information on the digital
displays is nice to know and they are satisfied with it in all respects. However, what they
really need to know is what is going to happen when services are disrupted. To ensure greater
customer satisfaction with public transport information at an overall level, SL must work on
the following issues in the following order of priority: information on disruptions, digital
information and finally, printed permanent information. 

SL – Greater Stockholm Public Transport Authority

Presented at the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, November 16-20, 2008, New York, New York