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The Governance of Demand-Responsive Transit Systems—A Multi-level Perspective

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The Governance of Smart Transportation Systems

Part of the book series: The Urban Book Series ((UBS))

Abstract

In the new-generation smart mobility paradigm, Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) systems have shown the most potential to offer integrated mobility platforms. MaaS is essentially an amalgamation of services tailored to match individuals’ diverse travel demands, many of which are demand-responsive transit (DRT) or DRT-like, addressing the much-needed last-mile problem of transit systems. Managing a DRT system could be a simple first step in understanding the governance of MaaS, as the two types of system share the common features of flexibility and individualistic, online platform-based service provision. With that view, we deliberate this exploration here, reflecting on the governance of a DRT case study. We borrow from the schools of transition management and industrial economics to elaborate our understanding. Using the framework of the Multi-level Perspective (MLP), we investigate the drivers and barriers for the diffusion of DRT through the (transit) regime. The main drivers of DRTs are found to be the willingness of local governments and transit operators to implement DRT, whereas the main barriers stem from infrastructure, technology, and market practices. Alignment among the regime elements remains largely partial, which is consistent with our conceptualization of MaaS governance challenges. This research adds to the literature by offering a comprehensive foundation exercise to reflect on the governance of innovative mobility services.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The process is described in a short video in the Breng flex Web site (in Dutch) https://www.breng.nl/breng-flex/1411.

  2. 2.

    Detailed infographics of the survey can be accessed here (in Dutch) http://www.brengkenniscentrum.nl/blog/wat-vinden-reizigers-van-breng-flex/.

  3. 3.

    Abel was the first fully electrical fleet-operated shared taxi service based in Amsterdam, which was discontinued in 2017 (after operating for almost two-years) on account of market saturation of taxi services.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Transport and Planning, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands

    Fariya Sharmeen & Henk Meurs

  2. Department of Geography, Planning and Environment, Institute for Management Research, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Fariya Sharmeen

Authors
  1. Fariya Sharmeen
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  2. Henk Meurs
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fariya Sharmeen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Chair Management of Network Industries, College Management of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Matthias Finger

  2. Chair Management of Network Industries, College Management of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Maxime Audouin

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Sharmeen, F., Meurs, H. (2019). The Governance of Demand-Responsive Transit Systems—A Multi-level Perspective. In: Finger, M., Audouin, M. (eds) The Governance of Smart Transportation Systems. The Urban Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96526-0_11

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