Page 47 - TT Magazine Aug-Sep 2018

MOBILITY

Over the last decade,
India has established

itself as one of
the forerunners of
innovation in the
mobility ecosystem.
However, while

quite a few of
these solutions
have shown great

potential to support
and transform our
public bus systems,
for London (TfL) estimates that the only help agencies cater to various
city’s transit planning apps such as strata of the population but also would there is a lack of
CityMapper have resulted in an annual promote data driven-decision making opportunity for
value of time saving for commuters within the transit agency itself. This
amounting to £116 million. will in turn lead to optimized routes, entrepreneurs to
improved scheduling and fleet and crew
Leveraging the potential of management. engage with transit
new services models agencies.
With the world investing in our
Currently in India, 140,000 state mobility ecosystem, it is in the best
owned buses cater to the needs of 70 interest of our bus agencies to keep
million passengers every day. With the an eye on the innovations that emerge
growing mobility demand, the country and imbibe these as a step towards
will require an additional 460,000 transforming our public bus systems. challenge, the Better Bus Bootcamp,
buses at the existing ridership by 2031. It is in this context that WRI India, brought together representatives from
While the government is doing a lot supported by FedEx, launched the Better nine transit agencies from across the
to invest in and increase capacity of Bus Challenge in April 2018. Using the country to work with the Better Bus
public transit (metro and bus systems) Challenge as a platform, the Better Bus Cohort to customize their solutions
across the country, significant physical Initiative attracted over 75 solutions to specific needs of their cities. Three
infrastructure is required to meet the from across the globe that focussed of the best proposals have now been
growing demand and achieve global on improving the efficiency and quality selected to piloted over the course of
standards of commute. of public bus services. Twelve of these the next year and establish a proof of
Based on WRI India’s research, transit were selected to be a part of the Better concept in collaboration with three
agencies have the potential to improve Bus Cohort, including data analytics and transit agencies.
their efficiency by embracing new optimization tools, smart information There is a need for our public transit
business models provided by private and ticketing systems and shared and system to look beyond traditional
on-demand players in the city. The electric mobility service models. models of public private engagement
different models of engagement allow It is crucial for innovators to work and build systems wherein innovative
transit agencies to go asset-light by with transit agencies to develop technology can be tested and proof
adopting licencing and leasing models solutions that target the on-ground of concepts established, in order to
of vehicles and software, thereby needs of the city. However, there assess their true potential with regard
eliminating the cost of ownership, has been a lack of opportunities for to improving efficiency and quality of
operation and maintenance of the entrepreneurs to engage with transit commute and extend services to those
system. Such engagements would not agencies. Aimed at tackling this unable to access the system.

www.trafficinfratech-com-500653.hostingersite.com August-September ’18 / TrafficInfraTech 47