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Helsinki mobile phone app for public transport on demand - would work everywhere

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  • 18-05-2014 4:05pm
    #1
    Impetus
    Registered Users Posts: 1,667 ✭✭✭


    Kutsuplus is a mobile phone app that allows you to put in a call for a minibus to pick you up at an address or bus stop number, on a shared ride basis, to get to a specific destination. An on demand bus service.

    The server assigns a vehicle to the task, based on its location and the planned route for its current passenger load. Cost 3,50 € + 45c/km. The system is a hybrid between the bus (which is like legacy TV - you have to be at the right time on the required channel to see your programme) and a taxi (eg video on demand).

    There is no reason why this idea is not fine-tuned to large scale urban public transport needs. Or public transport needs in a rural area. The earlier people reserve for their travel requirements in advance the better the system will operate. Add pricing flexibility to it (like airline seat yield management systems use) and one might visualise a minibus in a rural area providing a service to bring people to the nearest big town to shop during the day or to a restaurant or pub at night. eg if you want to go to restaurant X at 18:00 it will cost 7€50 but at 20h00 it will be 9€00 or whatever.

    Public transport fine tuned to respond to peoples' needs using a mobile phone app or web interface.

    https://kutsuplus.fi/home


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    #2
    The Corinthian
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,777 ✭✭✭✭The Corinthian


    Impetus wrote: »
    There is no reason why this idea is not fine-tuned to large scale urban public transport needs. Or public transport needs in a rural area.
    Sure there is. Plenty or reasons.

    To begin with Dublin, or Cork, are not Helsinki and the demographics may not be compatible with what is essentially a 'car pooling' system. Even more so in rural areas - is a minibus going to go around an entire county picking up one passenger from each town? Or is a minibus going to do a trip for a total of two passengers?

    Then, of course, there's the reason why it wouldn't work in Ireland anyway, even if logistically it were viable - CIE. Once the various companies would stop squabbling over who's going to have ownership of this, you're still talking about one of the most underfunded, over-unionised and mismanaged organizations in Europe. The group that took 20 years to phase out conductors on buses.

    Of course, you could do a Luas and outsource it, but you still would have to make a case for the logistical issues above. My feeling is that it might work for Dublin and maybe Cork, but anywhere else, no.


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