Title: Interoperability and Accessibility of Transport Modes
Abstract: The purpose of this research was to find methods to improve the interoperability and accessibility of transport chains and, thus, to promote possibilities for independent travel for people with reduced mobility or function i.e. the disabled and elderly. In order to achieve the targets, different recommendations have been made for getting information, personal service, physical accessibility and means of payment. In transmitting information, the central problem is to provide the whole travel chain with uniform and uninterrupted information. There is satisfyingly information available about separate transport modes, but it is difficult to ascertain the timetables of all transport modes or the accessibility of the travel chain in advance, at least from the same data source. The needs for information of people differ, depending on if the passenger is the regular or occasional user of public transport. Information is needed e.g. about timetables, suitable transport modes and routes, transfer connections, physical accessibility as well as possible changes and disturbances. Improving the accessibility of travel chains requires wide cooperation between service providers, operators, parties responsible for infrastructure and associations for disabled persons. In transmitting information, the possibilities of internet, wap and text message services should be utilised. In developing the travel reservation systems and information, the needs and requirements of special groups should be taken into consideration already at the moment of reserving the journey. The availability of individual help shall be ensured for the whole travel chain e.g. by providing the public transport interchanges and the most important terminals with the assisting personnel, whose task is to distribute information, guide people to right places, help them to move, step on and out from a means of transport and carry their luggage. In developing the means of payment, special attention shall be paid to smart cards common for different transport modes. From the viewpoint of accessibility, the technique shall be improved so, that the system recognizes the means of payment automatically, for example when the passenger passes the identification machine. In this research following developing proposals are presented: fully-accessible tourist centres (for example Saariselka), the uniform presentation and contents of information between different transport modes, the creation of a country-wide public transport terminal network, the consideration of accessibility matters, the use of the assisting personnel in public transport interchanges, increase in cooperation between travel combination centres and the training of public transport staff. This report is available at http://www.mintc.fi
Publication Year: 2001
Publication Date: 2001-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot