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Facing the challenges of megacity transport
Urban transportation systems are difficult to model as they lack integration , involving various public and private operators , while struggling to provide intermodal solutions . This issue stems from the decentralized nature of responsibilities across multiple jurisdictions . Toll roads , transportation networks , and parking operations , among other components , are seldom managed by a unified agency . Each entity operates with individual goals driven by policy and financial considerations , responding to different and unrelated leadership .
Compounding this problem is the historical emphasis on the front end in the development of highway , transportation , and tolling technology . The primary focus has consistently been on aspects such as detection , toll tags , transportation tokens , or payment methods . However , focusing too much on these front-end development outcomes results in hardcoded inflexible legacy back-office systems - which makes changes such as price increases or new business rules both expensive and time-consuming to implement .
These factors significantly limit managers ’ ability to optimize the travel experience for both citizens and visitors while efficiently balancing the demand on the infrastructure network across various modes . The challenge is that upgrades need to happen across systems in the complex multimodal environment , creating duplication of effort .
The benefits of transport modelling technology
Therefore , a new vision is required to ensure city management and growing transport demand is met . This unified vision requires an integrated approach to supply ( transport operations ) and demand ( customer experience ), with feedback mechanisms between them to help keep people moving and make sure the system is as efficient as possible .
Firstly , agencies need a flexible , scalable back office that can accommodate any payment type and from which operators can use that information for operations and planning . This modern IT solution not only creates seamless connection to widely used third-party applications such as Trainline and Uber but will also result in a flexible yet highly secure solution that represents the future of transportation payment and enables accurate real-time demand modelling .
This innovative approach facilitates the integration of payments and information management across various operators or agencies within a city , region , or state . The system is designed to support all modes of transportation , empowering managers to plan and optimize the entire travel experience and infrastructure usage across a comprehensive mobility network , irrespective of the mode of transportation .
Currently , there ’ s an increased prevalence of shared services , including paid options like car share , rideshare , and bike share , each utilizing different payment mechanisms . Creating interoperability between different modes and accounts ensures payment is simple for users - allowing them to seamlessly connect the dots of all their transportation system uses . Operators are able to share data from a larger customer database for communication and marketing purposes , while communicating rewards and nudges for riders .
A pathway to the future
Over the last few years , the transport landscape has changed . Consumers now expect a more seamless , connected travel experience , forcing operators to think about their long-term futures . With an increased amount of jurisdictions and shared services , creating a unified transport experience has become the name of the game . Managing demand requires flexible transport systems that support seamless rider experience and real-time data for operations and planning ,
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