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General Overview

Type of stakeholder

EICS Framework

Region of Reference

Africa
Asia
Australia
Europe
North-America
South-America
World

Description

This intervention refers to the digitisation of paratransit to operate through electronic transport platforms. Paratransit refers to transport services that supplement the larger public transport system, and transport services that generally don’t have fixed routes or timetables (e.g., minibus taxis in South Africa). The digitisation of these services will enable users to know when and where services will operate to and from, as well as to know information about their driver.

This aims to improve the safety and security of passengers, as they will no longer have to wait large amounts of time for the service to arrive if they know what the schedule is, and will be able to ensure that they only use safe routes.

Facts/Illustrations/Case studies

Image showing an example of an electronic public transport platform in Germany. Source: https://www.altexsoft.com/blog/engineering/public-transportation-apps-apis-and-platforms-maps-scheduling-trip-planning-and-mobile-ticketing/

Types of Impact

To/from the stop/station/rank✓
Waiting for train/bus/paratransit✓
In the vehicle✓
At interchanges✓

This intervention would impact areas in the vehicle, at interchanges, and/or waiting for paratransit.

Day-time travel✓
Night-time travel✓
Peak-time travel✓
Off peak-time travel✓

All travel time categories could be positively impacted by this intervention.

Bus✕
Train✕
Rideshare✓
4 wheelers informal✓
3 wheelers informal✓
2 wheelers informal✓
Cycling✕
Walking✕

This intervention could impact all modes of paratransit, including walking and cycling as modes used to access paratransit.

Girls✓
Boys✓
Adult Women✓
Men✓
Elderly Women✓
LGBTQI+✓

All public transport users could be positively impacted by this intervention. However, literature shows that women experience sexual harassment more than men, so more women are likely to need to benefit from this intervention. [1,2] Additionally, the elderly may be less likely to benefit as the use of technology might be a barrier to them.

Resources

Monetary Resource Requirements
The capital cost for this intervention is moderate. Skilled personnel will be needed to develop the electronic platform, collect the data, and digitise the information. The operational cost is slightly lower. It includes the updating of the electronic platform and maintenance of the platform. Cost is dependent on scale of implementation: the more routes and services are digitised, the higher the costs.
Capital Cost Requirements Operational Cost Requirements
Non-Monetary Resource Requirements
This intervention requires skilled personnel to implement, specifically relating to design of the electronic platform and digitisation of the information. This will take a significant amount of time. Political support will also be needed, as some paratransit operators may not want their services digitised.
Skills Time Political Will

SWOT Analysis

Allows passengers to plan their trips in a way that ensures their safety.
Scalable to suit budget and need

As soon as implementation stops, the benefits stop
Not effective in parts of the transport system where the intervention is not present
Information might be unreliable due to the ad hoc nature of paratransit and non-conformance by operators

To improve the passenger's overall safety when travelling using paratransit.
Improving the level of service offered by paratransit

Informal paratransit operators might be reluctant to digitise their information.
Data on informal paratransit may be hard to find in some countries.
Paratransit could lose some of its flexibility which is a key attribute of the mode

Effectiveness

Passengers, especially females, feel safer when they don’t have to wait long times for public transport to arrive, and can plan when and where they need to go to wait for the service. Additionally, passengers appreciate the extra information given to them through this platform, which is a benefit. As there is little literature to support this, confidence in these ratings is weak.

Perception by (female) passengers
Perception by governing bodies
Level of confidence in these ratings

Implementation

This intervention takes a while to implement, as the electronic platform needs to be developed and the data collected. Benefits begin to ensue once the platform has been finished and passengers become aware of it. The data needs to be updated frequently to ensure accuracy and usefulness.

Implementation timeframe

0-1 year✓
1-3 years✓
>3 years✕

Timeframe to realise benefits

0-1 year✕
1-3 years✓
>3 years✓

Scale of Implementation

This intervention can be implemented at a local or city level.

National

Regional

City

Station or
Suburb

Ease of Implementation

This intervention is relatively easy to implement.

List of References

Europe

1. Gekoski, A., Gray, J., Horvath, M.A.H., Edwards, S., Emirali, A. & Adler, J.R. 2015. What works’ in reducing sexual harassment and sexual offences on public transport nationally and internationally: a rapid evidence assessment. [2022, January 11].

North America

2. Kearl, H. 2018. A National Study on Sexual Harassment and Assault. Virginia, United States.

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