Flexible transport services for elderly people: a solution against social exclusion.

1. Flexible transport services for elderly people: a solution against social exclusion. Dora Ramazzotti1, Athanasios Lois2 1SRM – Reti e Mobilità, Public Transport Authority of Bologna, Italy. 2Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece. OASIS 1° International Conference–November 4 -5, 2009 – Florence, Italy

2. SRM is the authority formobility and public transport in the province of Bologna. The city of Bologna has 374.000 inhabitants, the province of Bologna has 944.000 inhabitants. • Bologna public transport system: • - 37,1 M km = 80,2 M Euro; • - 106 M passengers = 44,2 M Euro; • - 22.000 annual ticket holders; • - 1.200 drivers; 900 buses; • 188 service lines. • On-demandexistingservices: • 1,2 M km per year • 140 K passengers per year OASIS 1° International Conference–November 4 -5, 2009 – Florence, Italy

3. EU actions “Action : prepare for the introduction of cooperative systems, to enable co-modal transport solutions and to connect peripheral regions and outermost regions with the mainland; ensure a balanced approach to land use planning.” Keep Europe moving - Sustainable mobility for our continent - Mid-term review of the European Commission’s 2001 Transport White Paper This EU-funded project investigates on experience exchange, good practices and profitable co-operation on FTS - Flexible Transport Services in relation to mobility in cities, rural areas and small towns. This EU-funded project has as overall aim to assist communities with development and deployment of customized transport system solutions for their local problems. OASIS 1° International Conference–November 4 -5, 2009 – Florence, Italy

4. “An individual is socially excluded if (a) he or she is geographically resident in a society and (b) he or she does not participate in the normal activities of citizens in that society”. OASIS 1° International Conference–November 4 -5, 2009 – Florence, Italy

5. Sustainability UITP: adapted from Ralph Hall, Introducing the Concept of Sustainable Transport. OASIS 1° International Conference–November 4 -5, 2009 – Florence, Italy

6. Flexible transport FTS are complementary to the conventional passenger transport: • alternative to regular public transport (traditional) in order to rationalise the use of the resources and consequently reduce pollution and the costs by adapting the service to the real needs of the users; integrated with regular transport service, fitting in a presumably higher quality range and guaranteeing furthermore an extra/distribution function to back-up the leading service. OASIS 1° International Conference–November 4 -5, 2009 – Florence, Italy

7. Our approach OASIS 1° International Conference–November 4 -5, 2009 – Florence, Italy

8. The main phases to create a new transport service, flexible and innovative, are: Step 1 : service identification (survey); Step 2 : service setting up defining network, fares, vehicles, timetables, quality standards; Step 3 : service awarding, tendering if needed, and contractual matter including: regulations, accessibility, vehicles, fares, penalty (quality); Step 4 : evaluation of service with qualitative and quantitative measurement, including controls on operators activities; Step 5 : PTA contribution to the service for a first year of exploitation with own funds; Step 6 : IT platform availability – SRM solution. OASIS 1° International Conference–November 4 -5, 2009 – Florence, Italy

9. Case Studies – Economic point of view • Purbach (AUSTRIA): • The data collected from the average 100 passengers a day demonstrate that over 50% of them are over 65 and that the bus is used for leisure, services and to reach health and public services. The importance in the issue of fighting against social exclusion is confirmed in these first data. • Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary (IRELAND): • In Ireland the Ring a Link (RAL) company was founded in 2001 as a voluntary “Non for Profit” company with Charitable status. In year 2007 the service was used by 38.700 passengers. On average 50% of passengers are over 65 years old. Several local bodies contribute to the service. • Budrio – Bologna (ITALY): • Feasibility study at its first step. Survey done. Evaluation phase. Possible contribution from PTA for the first year of exploitation . • Kastoria (GREECE): • Feasibility study at its first step.

10. Public Transport Authority support SRM, supported by its owners (Municipality and Province of Bologna), decided to assign specific contribution to pilot experiences of FTS. A dedicated fund of 125.000 euro was created in 2007 and increased till half million euro in 2008. The interested municipalities of the provincial area can ask for Authority’s support in all the preliminary phases and also for the first year of experimental exploitation taking in charge the obligation to continue the service if the evaluation after a year will be positive. OASIS 1° International Conference–November 4 -5, 2009 – Florence, Italy

11. Conclusions • Social exclusion is often due to a physical impossibility to take part in social life; • Citizens that live in weak demand areas and disabled people have mobility needs that remain often unsatisfied by existing transport • FTS is able to answer real needs increasing therefore efficiency, efficacy and customer satisfaction; • FTS are often sustainable from economic and environmental point of view but especially taking into account non-monetary benefits they produce positive return; • The use of IT tools allows the management of a service granting optimization at all levels, including use of resources and costs; • The support, also economical, of PTAs can strongly encourage the diffusion of flexible transport systems that are a real step ahead in the fight against social exclusion. OASIS 1° International Conference–November 4 -5, 2009 – Florence, Italy

12.  thanks for your attention,  dora.ramazzotti@srmbologna.it OASIS 1° International Conference–November 4 -5, 2009 – Florence, Italy