NICHES+ Champion City Trondheim

Implementing mobile travel information services for the public

NICHES+ is a Coordination Action funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme for R&D, Sustainable Surface Transport

Traffic Management Centres

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The City and NICHES+

The project

NICHES+ is a FP7 co-ordinationaction aiming to network key actorsactively engaged in developinginnovative urban transportconcepts and to facilitate the co-ordination of their activities acrossEurope. The project duration is from2008-2011.

Trondheim is a Champion City within theproject that aims at implementing MobileTravel Information Services for thePublic (MTIS). This documentsummarises an implementationscenario that gives advice on how torealise the given concept in the specificcontext of the city. This also provides anexample to other cities interested in theuptake of the measure.

Traffic Congestion in TrondheimPhoto: Public Roads Administration

The city

Trondheim is the fourth most populatedcity in Norway and is the administrativecentre of Sør-Trøndelag county. The cityof Trondheim has 165,000 inhabitants ata density of 458 people per km2.

Trondheim currently experiences anadverse environmental impact fromexcess car use in the city centre: 44%of journeys in the CBD are made byprivate car. The re-introduction of roadtolling was a strong recommendation ofthe Norwegian Department for Transportbut has enabled Trondheim’s objectivesto become self-financing through thehypothecation of revenues to financeimprovements to Public Transport.

The city’s Public Transport networks(train, bus and tram) are currently usedby 40,000 people on a daily basis (23%of journeys in the CBD). The local buscompany, AtB, operates 42 routes in theTrondheim area, and there is one tramline, with a 20 minute journey time fromend to end that serves around 800,000customers each year. The mainobjective is to increase theattractiveness of Public Transport byreducing travel times and improving therange and quality of services on offer.

The innovative concept

Of the NICHES+ innovative concepts,Trondheim focuses on Mobile TravelInformation Services for the Public(MTIS). MTIS enhance convenience andconfidence when travelling by varioustransport modes, particularly PublicTransport.

MTIS provide a more reliable,convenient service to end users,contribute to improved operationalpractice, and permit more efficientnetwork management. WithinTrondheim, MTIS are viewed as animportant component of the widerstrategy to promote Public Transportuse, through the delivery of real timeinformation on Public Transport onvehicles, at stops/stations and to mobiledevices, delivering integrated ticketingand communications solutions, and buspriority.

Navigation Information on a PDAPhoto: Newcastle University

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The Challenge

The broad economic situation inTrondheim, as in the rest of Europe, isone of reduced budgets and the need todo “more for less”. However, Trondheimaims to reduce the impact ofexcessive car use not only in the CBD,but also in the wider metropolitan area.

This commitment has beendemonstrated by the approval of the2008 environmental package(‘miljøpakken’) which adopts a ‘carrotand stick’ approach to reducing theimpact of the car and enhancing theattractiveness of Public Transport.

Policy measures included increasedfunding for Public Transport, reducedfree car parking and an increasedenvironmental tax on petrol.Infrastructures have been upgraded,notably the city’s tram terminal, and in2009 a further set of objectives wereidentified, designed to encourage carpooling and the reintroduction of roadtolling.

Specific local transport policyobjectives include:

A reduction in CO2 of 20%

A 25% increase in public transportspeed in the CBD

An 8% reduction in car travel

A 15% drop in noise levels

A 20% reduction in accidents

“Ubiquitous, seamless, multi-modalreal-time information services are to bedelivered on screen and to mobiledevices… This forms part of ourobjective to deliver a fully sustainabletransport system.”

Mr Birger Elvestad, TrondheimKommune

The Challenge and the Vision

Modal Split (%) in Trondheim (Trondheim Kommune, 2008)

The Vision

Trondheim’s vision is “DaringEnvironment Quality Management inUrban Transport”. It aims to:

Ensure safe and environmentally-friendly transport

Increase speed and availability ofpublic transport

Meet environmental targets byreducing car use in the CBD andwider Trondheim area

Employ innovative funding methodsto make transport implementationsself-financing

Support local businesses and thelocal economy

Move towards an integratedapproach to mobility management

Trondheim is proactive in supportinglocal businesses such as WirelessTrondheim, Vision Tech and Miljoedrift,who supply innovative intelligenttransport systems (ITS). The aim is toharness their skills and expertise toemploy a more integrated approach tomobility management.

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The Good Examples

Trondheim and Stuttgart: A Stand-Alone versus Integrated Approach

Stuttgart Integrated TrafficManagement Centre (IVLZ)

In December 2010, Ms Gisa Gaiettofrom Stuttgart visited Trondheim andpresented the Stuttgart Integrated TMC(Integrierte Verkehrsleitzentrale - IVLZ).

The IVLZ system in Stuttgart managesand controls traffic flow in a proactivemanner, anticipating commuter traffic,work activities or big events as well asunforeseeable events such asaccidents. It also promotesintermodality to avoid congestion andto reduce travel times and emissions bymeans of optimal information andguidance of the road user.

The IVLZ serves 390,000 cars and 700buses making 600,000 trips per day.Data is received from loops, as well astaxis and buses in the traffic.

Overall, the integrated TMC in Stuttgartis regarded as a model of good practicethrough its integration of differentactors and instruments, including citytraffic management, the headquarters ofthe police traffic department, the firedepartment, emergency services, andthe Stuttgart public transport operator(SSB).

The figure below represents, in simpleform, the different approaches tomobility management in Trondheim andStuttgart. Trondheim has been highlysuccessful at deploying speciallydeveloped stand-alone systems (e.g. thehospital campus bus) which aredeveloped with target groups of endusers in mind. Stuttgart presents a verysuccessful integrated, networkmanagement-oriented approach.

As Trondheim moves towardsintegration, Stuttgart will be used as abenchmark. For end user-based systemprovision, Trondheim is itself a finebenchmark for other cities.

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The Users and Implementers

The user needs

‘Users’ are those people who actuallybenefit from a transport service. This isusually the travelling public, howeverusers can also be intermediaries, forexample a city administration thatcollects data to manage the overalltransport network.All relevant user groups must feelempowered. This is particularly relevantfor the travelling public who have a lowinfluence on the project. End userconsultation is especially importantwhen considering the delivery ofpersonalised or user-specificinformation.

Transport operators and LocalAuthorities need comprehensive, multi-modal, real-time, and reliableinformation in order to address planningand operational issues, as well asdetermine and implement policies toaddress the aforementioned issues offuture car ownership amongst youngpeople.

Commuters and Tourists (using bothPublic Transport and private car modes)require comprehensive, multi-modal,real-time, and reliable information (e.g.arrival and departure times, mode switchoptions).

Targeted end users in Trondheim aremainly young people. This categoryincludes people aged between 16 and26 who already use Public Transport,who do not have regular access toprivate car, but may cycle or walk.

The aim is to encourage them to avoidcar ownership for some of the earlyyears of their professional lives.Alternatively they may avoid becomingtwo car households in their family lives.

The key stakeholders forimplementation

The stakeholders in a project includethose responsible for delivery, that is, thecore project team.

Stakeholders also include the target endusers and co-operation partners oroutside influencers. A group of keystakeholders already exists in Trondheimfrom previous initiatives including theintroduction of real-time information tothe hospital campus bus service and thepiloting of WiMAX on the tram network.

The core project team should be smalland focused, comprising keystakeholders, and adding furtherstakeholders as and when necessary.Roles should be clearly stated, and aclear, comprehensive contract drawn up.The core project team in Trondheim is:

Public Roads Administration(Champion)

Nettbus, Team Trafikk and VeoliaTransport Norway (local and regionalbus operators)

City of Trondheim (introducedMiljøpakken)

Wireless Trondheim (infrastructureowner and operator)

AtB (contractor for public transport inTrondheim and the Sør-Trøndelagcounty)

Swarco Norge As (install display unitson buses and at stops, and thealgorithm for message service ofdelays)

Co-operation partners and outsideinfluencers will vary in their stake in,and influence on, the project over time.They support key stakeholders, and forTrondheim include:

ITS Norway

Miljoedrift AS

VisionTech AS

Veolia Transport

WapThe Web AS

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The key issues for implementation

Scope of action

Activity or key element ofimplementation

Comments

GPS-based bus localisationand priority

GPS-based bus positioning enabling traffic controller toauthorise bus priority at 50 signalised intersections

Real time information onbuses and at bus stops

Time to arrival information displays installed on 180 busesand at 35 bus stops in phase 1 and 65 in phase 2

Real time information deliveryby sms

Next arrival service covering all buses and stops

Smartphone-based mapapplication with real timeinformation

Map application with clickable bus stops accessing realtime bus location information. Available to smartphonesonly

Design of Bus InformationImage: Public Roads Administration

The measure implementation

MTIS will be implemented in Trondheimthrough the following key measures:

GPS-based bus localisation andpriority

Real time information on buses andat bus stops

Real time information delivery bytext message (SMS)

Smartphone-based map applicationwith real time information

Tram customers currently enjoy realtime information, e-ticketing andpayment on mobile phones. The abilityto communicate with transport operatorsby mobile phone is being investigated inorder to enable passenger feedback tothe operator.

Implementation of MTIS in Trondheimwill benefit from the fact that the keystakeholders are in place and strongworking partnerships established.Finance is also available until 2025through the re-introduction of road tollingfinance and hypothecation of revenues.

Barriers and Success Factors

NICHES+ identified six success factorsand barriers for MTIS. Four of the sixare success factors. These are:

Dedicated marketing User friendliness Response time of the system Political support

The two barriers are: the problem ofscale for the service provider andbandwidth/capacity challenges.

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The Implementable Measure

The measure justification

The main goal of MTIS is to makepublic transport more attractive byimplementing real time information forbus travellers and priority of PublicTransport at traffic signals, as well as anoverall minor fare reduction withinTrondheim and an extra fare reductionfor travelers with origin/destination inneighbouring municipalities.

It is anticipated that these measures willincrease the numbers of bustravellers by 33% by 2018, reducewaiting time by providing betterpassenger information at bus stops, andwill improve travel time for PublicTransport services.

Trondheim’s commitment to reduce theenvironmental impact of car use andpromote public transport as an attractivealternative is already demonstrated bythe 2008 environmental package. Aswell as environmental benefits, socialand economic benefits are alsoenvisaged

Extensive MTIS innovation has takenplace in Trondheim in recent years,driven by innovative local technologycompanies, notably WirelessTrondheim, VisionTech and Miljoedrift.The measures described in thisdocument are the next step towards amore integrated real time informationsystem for Trondheim’s Public Transportnetwork.

Real Time Information at Bus StopsImage: Trondheim Kommune

The implementable measure

The real time bus information systemis a next bus/time-to-arrival systemwhich is being implemented at 35 stopsand on 180 buses. Selection of busstops to receive the system is based onpatronage. AtB (the contract companyfor public transport in Trondheim and theSør-Trøndelag County) provide the dataand server, which is based on Mizar/Swarco software. However, thepatronage at most bus stops inTrondheim and the surrounding areas istoo low to make real-time informationscreens viable.

Mobile phones are thereforeconsidered a vital alternative informationtechnology for providing travelinformation to the end user. The realtime bus information is initially beingmade available by SMS to provideinformation about any bus anywhere onthe network, however it is anticipatedthat eventually this service will besuperseded by Smartphones. A map-based application with real timeinformation is under development with apilot installation at the University ofTrondheim. By clicking on a bus stop,users can access next bus data.

Statistics from Trafikanten (an Oslo busoperator) show that in early 2010, 47%of requests for real time trafficinformation were carried out bySmartPhone. The popularity ofSmartphone technology for obtainingthese real-time information services isexpected to be similarly high inTrondheim.

Smartphone ApplicationsImage: Wireless Trondheim

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The Implementable Measure

The finances

The re-introduction of road tolling inMarch 2010 means that revenues arehypothecated to finance improvementsto Public Transport. Trondheim’s MTISmeasures are funded by 35 millionNOK (approx. 4.5 million EUR)hypothecated from the road tollingcomponent of the environmentalpackage.

These revenues will be used for theimplementation of MTIS on the busnetwork, with Trondheim’s MTISobjectives guaranteed until 2025. Thisenables long term planning with a highdegree of flexibility, with an additionalone third of revenue set aside to bespent as required e.g. to meet newdemand or to develop new concepts.

The long-term perspective

Long-term sustainability of MTIS inTrondheim will ultimately be measuredby a number of indicators. Key to thiswill be achieving the specific localtransport policy objectives including a33% increase in the number of bustravellers, a 4% reduction in car traffic, areduction in CO2 of 20%, a 25%increase in Public Transport speeds inthe CBD, an 8% reduction in car travel,a 15% drop in noise levels and a 20%reduction in accidents by 2018 (from2008).

Funding for Trondheim’s MTIS isavailable until 2025 which means thatfinancial sustainability exists. Thisshould not preclude identification ofadditional sources of funding for futureschemes.

Nurturing innovation, which has beeninstrumental to Trondheim’s existingsuccess, is seen as important toTrondheim’s future growth anddevelopment. The main driver of futuresustainability of MTIS in Trondheim maywell be a move towards harnessing theinnovative skills and expertise of localtechnology businesses towardsprovision of a more integrated mobilitymanagement concept, bringingtogether different technologies intointegrated packages, engaging a widercohort of end users, and combininginnovative concepts (including non-ITSinitiatives) into strong, efficient, smartlocal transport strategies.

The timing

Trondheim has already commenced theMTIS programme, with the deploymentof information display screens at 35bus stops and on 180 buses throughoutthe city during December 2010.

In March 2011, the information displayswill be integrated with GPS-based buspriority system leading to the deliveryof a full system with real timeinformation provision.

The next stage of development willfocus on the dissemination of real-timeinformation to mobile devices, with theprovision of real time information toSmartphones occurring in late 2011,followed by Smartphone-based mapapplications in early 2012.

Examples of InformationDelivery to a MobileDevice in OsloImage: Public RoadsAdministration

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The Lessons Learnt

There are a number of useful lessonsthat have been learnt through theintroduction of MTIS in Trondheim. It iscrucial to maintain stakeholderrelations, in particular ensuring that allmembers of the core project team areengaged in the operational phase.

A marketing strategy should bedeveloped, and modified whererequired, to ensure that MTIS will beused. It may be valuable to develop adedicated marketing strategy aimed atthe travelling public at large, to enhanceattractiveness of the new services andthus Public Transport. It will be worthexploring new communicationchannels e.g. social networking sites,and also to conduct consultations withend users, and widen the consultationsbeyond existing target groups.

Connected to this is the importance ofperiodic evaluation of the MTIS as atool to fine-tune operations. Usersurveys can help optimise conceptperformance and encourage supportamongst funders and politicians.Involvement of operators is important inorder to monitor patronage and userfeedback. Technical/operationalpartners should continue to be engagedto ensure optimised technicalperformance. Risk of unreliability can bequite high after introduction of a newconcept and unreliability can put offcustomers from using the service in thefuture.

It may be useful to retain a mechanismfor knowledge exchange i.e. a networkof experts. This will be valuable in termsof moving towards an integrated mobilitymanagement concept.

Check list

The following check-list summarises keyaspects for implementing MTIS andintends to give the reader advice onwhether the concept is suitable for theown context.

Check list

City size Citywide, but should becompatible with any nationwideMTIS

Keyconditionsfor imple-mentation

Understanding of end userneeds and requirements

A viable business model Identification of appropriate

technologies and outputs Strong political support

Resources Economic conditions have led touncertainty in terms of financingall objectives

Implemen-tation time

2-3 years between planning andsystem implementation

Stake-holdersinvolved

Local authorities andGovernment departments

Public Transport operators Technology suppliers (e.g.

network operators, computerspecialists)

Passenger groups Data owners Emergency services

Undesirablesecondaryeffects

If MTIS include enhanced roadtraffic information services newcar-based trips may be generated

NICHES+ is a Coordination Action funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme for R&D, Sustainable Surface Transport

This document has been prepared by the authors in the framework of a project funded by the European Commission,

DG Research. It does however not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission.

For further details on how to implement Mobile Travel Information Services for the Public please see the NICHES+ Guidelines for implementers (available from www.niches-transport.org).

The more detailed full version of the Implementation Scenario for Mobile Travel Information Services in Trondheim is also available on the NICHES+ website.

Photo on title pageOverview of Trondheim from the West: Mr Birger Elvestad, Trondheim KommuneITS4Mobility system showing at-stop information provision: © Volvo Buses

Prepared for the European Commission by : Simon EDWARDS and Gareth EVANS, Newcastle University, March 2011

Co-author and contact in the Champion CityBirger Elvestad, City of Trondheimbirger.elvestad@trondheim.kommune.no

NICHES+ team POLIS (coordinator, Ivo Cré: icre@polis-online.org), Rupprecht Consult, Newcastle University, University of Southampton, EUROCITIES, Transman

Further information on NICHES+ www.niches-transport.org www.osmose-os.org

GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTERS OF

Mobile Travel Information Services for the Public

Traf c Management Centres

NICHES+ is a Coordination Action funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme for R&D, Sustainable Surface Transport

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