Sustainable transport is an important aspect which many transit agencies are focusing on today.
As such, many agencies are choosing to implement intelligent transportation systems (ITS) as a means of encouraging sustainability.
Sustainable transport revolves around a cleaner and more effective way of helping the environment through your transportation services.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a typical passenger vehicle emits around 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, which highlights the impact that car transportation can have on the environment.
Therefore, choosing transit agency services – buses, trams, trains – over their own personal vehicles, would be a more sustainable form of transport for passengers.
However, if you want to encourage more riders to opt for sustainable transport, then they need to be able to benefit from highly efficient, reliable, and effective services.
This is where ITS are essential. By improving several areas of operations with intelligent systems, more passengers will see the benefit of choosing your services over individual vehicles.
There are, of course, many ways ITS can help you achieve this.
Reliable and uninterrupted services
With ITS in place, you can run a more reliable service with minimal disruptions to journeys. The software can help mitigate issues which could arise in your operations, such as delays, transportation gaps, and even broken equipment.
With expert insights, you can quickly address the issues to avoid any major disruptions to the journey e.g., sending a replacement ticket machine for the broken one.
Also, with pre-emptive suggestions, you can effectively resolve an issue before it fully emerges, such as shifting around routes if delays are predicted.
A reliable and effective service is a great way to encourage riders to choose a more sustainable mode of transport.
Real-time passenger information
Another way to increase the likelihood of passengers choosing sustainable transport is to offer them real-time passenger information.
ITS allow you to provide accurate information on the arrival times of vehicles at each stop, and the specific routes they’re taking.
This information changes as the predicted times change, so riders are always kept in the loop. This will further encourage them to ride with a service that lets them plan out their journeys more precisely.
Additionally, this information can be shown on the street, in vehicles, and on platforms, through solar-powered displays – another way to promote sustainability.
Increased journey efficiency
Finally, many riders might choose the less sustainable option of a car, since it could potentially get them to their destination faster.
However, with ITS you can ensure your vehicles are taking the most efficient routes with every journey, using real-time insights that factor in traffic, distance, vehicle position, and more.
As such, transit agencies can always have the most effective routes for their transport network.
Riders can rest assured that their chosen service will provide the best journeys they can – in terms of efficiency and sustainability.
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Are you looking for new ways to boost sustainability within you your transit agency, and pave the way for a more sustainable future of transportation?
If so, consider the vast importance of ITS in your transport network and how it can help you achieve this.
The post Sustainable transport: The importance of intelligent transport systems first appeared on BusinessMole.
