Making “accessibility for all” a more tangible reality in public transit

Many transit networks are seeing waves of passengers returning to “business as usual.” However, ridership is still at an all-time low and agencies are struggling to lure riders back. Many have implemented programs like free or reduced fares as incentives. However, the key to attracting riders is paying close attention to their current expectations and needs.

The past year proved that equity, accessibility, and sustainability are more than trending topics. These are permanent shifts in culture and mobility. How can your transit agency establish long-term success by building resiliency and adapting to fundamental changes in customer behavior and the world at large? We’ve researched and found a few tips for you to make your service offering more sustainable, accessible, and equitable for all.

Improve access.

Improve access to transit by providing a contactless payment experience for riders. APTA’s COVID-19 Recovery Scenario Planning Tool suggests implementing a new fare management system to boost transit accessibility. INIT’s fare management solution helps break down barriers to transit by supporting various payment media including open payments, smart cards, virtual cards, mobile tickets, as well as cash and coin, in an account-based system. Compared to legacy systems, account-based systems eliminate additional hurdles like the need to install an app or buy a smart card. Plus, they make it simple for passengers to pay fares and manage their accounts in real-time.

Make it convenient for riders to plan, book and pay for transit by investing in Mobility as a Service (MaaS).

Today, travelers are personalizing their transportation experiences and choosing how they travel based on convenience – and this trend will only continue. For transit agencies, the shift towards MaaS will require dynamic partnerships, innovative ticketing options and openly shared data for the perpetration of real-time information to customers. This means the mobility chain must be connected so passengers can plan and pay all from one platform. INIT has already established a booking and payment platform for the regiomove MaaS structure in Karlsruhe, Germany.

Find out if alternative services like on-demand transit fit the needs of your riders in off-peak or low-service areas.

On-demand services allow agencies to offer various flexible forms of service such as scheduled service on demand and corridor route service. INIT’s MOBILE-ITCS nextGen allows agencies to offer demand response services on fixed-route lines for non-mobility impaired riders.

Consider assistive technologies to aid mobility impaired passengers along their journey.

Since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, many physical obstacles to transit have been successfully overcome, but in the age of smartphones and mobile apps, digital assistive technology still holds plenty of untapped opportunity. INIT has deployed this technology through a passenger information and journey planning app offers personalized ride hailing assistance and journey guidance for riders with visual, hearing or mobility impairments. The award-winning app called ASSISTIVEtravel, – is making “accessibility for all” a more tangible reality in Singapore public transit.

Whether your goal is to boost ridership, optimize scheduling, or establish long-term success by investing in future tech, we are ready to partner with you to build back better.

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