Exploitable results
The domain of flexible transport services (FTS) covers a broad range of mobility products usually - but not necessarily - operated by moderate and/or small capacity vehicles. The distinguishing feature of FTS is that one or more of the dimensions of the service can be adjusted to meet the actual needs of the users. This means that the route can be designed for the specific requests of the users for that specific trip, the time of departure or arrival could be brought forward or delayed to suit the customers, a bigger or smaller vehicle could be used depending on the number of passengers, and a specifically equipped vehicle or trained driver could be assigned if a customer has special needs.
Throughout Europe, a wide range of FTS has now been established, including:
- demand responsive transport (DRT) services for general use in rural areas;
- DRT services for general use in peri-urban and suburban areas;
- dedicated services for users who face difficulties using regular public transport (e.g. the elderly and disabled);
- flexible services to replace fixed-line services at evenings and weekends;
- flexible services serving destinations of special demand, e.g. airports, shopping precincts.
However, such transport services to date do not yet exploit the true potential of flexible collective mobility and further work is required on the knowledge acquisition, analysis and dispatching functions of the intermediate transport solutions that are required in the pursuit of sustainable mobility.
The main objectives of Connect project were:
- - to set up a continuously updated web-based 'virtual library';
- to support the development of skills and best practice in the field of FTS;
- to provide guidelines and recommendations for supporting business development of FTS;
- to organise thematic workshops for relevant user communities covering systems and operations, technologies, vehicles and vehicle technologies, and FTS businesses;
- to increase the awareness of Connect among a broader audience.
The Connect project has established a continuously updated web-based virtual library on the domain of FTS. This covers on-going research, state-of-the art, and good practices in FTS. It is publicly available and designed as a resource to assist practitioners. The project has also supported knowledge transfer and training by developing materials for training courses on FTS, based on a modular approach; organising study tours; identification and promotion of good practice.
Connect has also researched current practice of FTS in Europe, with special focus on business models, institutional and organisational frameworks, and legal and regulatory frameworks. Furthermore, it has developed methods and resources for developing and assessing options for business models for FTS. This is original work of the Connect project and is very promising.
It has also organised three thematic workshops on FTS, covering ITS and ICT tools; concepts, operations and business models; vehicles and vehicle technologies. Knowledge has been disseminated and exchanged, making information publicly available and presenting findings at a wide range of international and local conferences and workshops.
The Connect virtual library contains documents, reports and presentations on many different aspects of flexible transport.
Connect has set up a common information system, which gathers and manages information about on-going research, the state-of-the-art and good practices in flexible transport and its supporting technologies. The virtual library contains currently over 300 different documents on FTS.
The virtual library has a matrix structure classified according to passenger transport, freight transport, urban transport, rural transport. Documents are characterised by meta data to improve searching. The documents in the library can be browsed, according to the areas covered by the document, or text and metadata can be used to search in the library.
The Connect virtual library is continuously under development, and material is continuously integrated. No registration is required to access the more than 200 public documents in the Connect library.
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