Developing the Technology for a Shared Demand Responsive Transport System at the University of Malta

Shared Demand Responsive Transport services are flexible services increasingly regarded as an adequate and modern response to meet changing mobility demands. Research provides ample evidence from case studies, as well as the development of technological innovations to cater for and support such services. In Malta, Shared Demand Responsive Transport Services were already found to fill a gap as a mid-market alternative to the private car. The University of Malta is the highest teaching institution and home to a daytime population of 15,000 people, similar in size to any large town in the islands. The University is located at the centre of the island and adjacent to main roads. Complex travel patterns, aggregated in a small area, and restrictions on provision of car parking provided an opportunity for the team to develop the technology for a Shared Demand Responsive Transport System which is tailor-made to the mobility characteristics of the University. This paper provides a background to the case study and describes the development of the technology. Test results carried out at the University of Malta are presented in view of key service level parameters. The study found that the cost of the service is approximately double the cost of local buses, which cost difference is attributed to quality of service improvements. Overall the project demonstrates that ICT enabled demand responsive transport systems are feasible from both a technological and cost point of view. Such systems promise to deliver mobility solutions that compete very well with private car ownership and usage.