belbus in flandersonlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/conferences/2014/... · the building blocks •...

8 March 2013

"Belbus" in Flanders

Odette Buntinx/Griet Similon

De Lijn Centrale Diensten

The building blocks

• “Belbus” as a part of the PT network

• General socio-demographic context

• Legal context: Basic Mobility/Network Management

• The quality of the system

• The profile of the DRT user

"Belbus" in Flanders 2 October 30th 2014

General socio-demographic context


• Reasons for introducing "Belbus"

• to replace scheduled off-peak routes or parts of them with a

low transport demand

• to offer/guarantee a mobility to the many small and rural

municipalities in the regions with a very low transport

demand

"Belbus" as a part of the PT network:

general socio-demographic context

"Belbus" in Flanders: 4 October 30th 2014

• to replace scheduled off-peak routes or parts of them with a low

transport demand

• The system anticipates at future trends :

• further decline of population in small and rural municipalities

• further increase of elderly population

• further reduction of facilities in small and rural villages

• increasing dependency of rural municipalities on urban areas ( no

self reliance)

• increasing number of cars

Belbus" as a part of the PT network:



• to offer/guarantee a mobility to the many small and rural municipalities

in the regions with a very low transport demand

• "Belbus" system covers a very large part of Flanders (78%)

• Passengers/year : 2 million

• Unique customers: 55 000

• "Belbus" vehicles : 250




• Priciple: all stops can be connected but in contrast to regular PT

route that covers a corridor the DRT system covers a large surface

area and will only serve the reservated stops



Regular PT line "Belbus" system

"Belbus" in Flanders: current system and plans for the future 7 May 21th 2014

Legal context: Basic Mobility/Network

Management


• Reasons for introducing "Belbus"

• To meet the legal obligations imposed by Basic Mobility: each citizen is entitled to a minimal public transport package according to legal standards defining:

• priority areas = residential areas

• maximum distance to nearest stop

• frequency (peak/ off-peak)

• amplitude served (week/weekend)

• These legal obligations can be enforced


legal context: Basic Mobility

"Belbus" in Flanders 9 October 30 th 2014



Different types of residential zones

Metropolitan (Antwerp and Ghent)

Urban

Suburban and provincial

Rural

"Belbus" in Flanders 10 October 30 th 2014



• Maximum walking distance to bus stop according to type of zone*

• Metropolitan/ Urban zone 500 meters

• Suburban and provincial zone 650 meters

• Rural zone 750 meters

• *Measured as the crow flies


http://www.google.be/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=p3HrasR41XRcFM&tbnid=8uvMJbpCFGiR5M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.macminds.net/viewtopic.php?id=2924&ei=-lV4U6POOMay0QXTloDQBQ&bvm=bv.66917471,d.ZWU&psig=AFQjCNF_9C7cv8Nk6Bci5Lkw3opwXriGdg&ust=1400481628083966



• frequency (peak/ off-peak)

• amplitude served (week/weekend)


Metreopolitan

Urban

Suburban

ProvincialRural

6 am - 9 am 4 trips/h 3 trips/h 2 trips/h

4 pm - 7 pm max.interval 20' max.interval 20' max.interval 40'

9 am - 4 pm 3 trips/h 2 trips/h 1/trip/h

7 pm - 9 pm max.interval 20' max.interval 40' max.interval 75'

weekend 8 am - 11 pm

2 trips/h

max.interval 40'

1 trip/h

max. interval 75'

1 trip /2h

max. interval 140'

Max. distance stops 500 m 650m 750m

week

peak

off peak

• The effective and efficient organization of PT with up to

addressing the demands of the PT market defining:

• Routes

• Means of transportation (train/tram/bus/DRT…)

• Service levels

• Targeted commercial speeds

• Destinations that have to be served


legal context: Network Management


• Based on areas with a linked demand

• Based on a layered network


legal context: Network Management

"Belbus" in Flanders 15 October 30 h 2014

The quality of the system:

• customer satisfaction

• user profile


• Cutomers are very satisfied!

• Overall satisfaction

• Transport supply

• Reservation

• Call Center


the quality of the system


• The positives of the system

• Easy to use

• Large range of destinations

• Proximity of the bus stop

• Overall transport supply

• Punctuality

• Route

• Availability when required

• Customer service driver

• Comfort /sociability

• Frequency

• Travel time

• Reservation based system

• Customer service operator call center




• General characteristics of the users:

• 74% are women

• 66% is older than 45 years

• 38% owns a car


the profile of the user


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• Average traveler:

• uses “belbus” 1 or 2 times/week

• on weekdays

• during off peak hours

• visits friends, fills in leisure time or goes to work

• goes on foot to bus stop, takes “belbus” and walks to

destination


the profile of the user


http://www.google.be/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=VJNyE8Fe30g5lM&tbnid=Vhtpep0NGhq5dM:&ved=0CAcQjRw&url=http://www.seton.be/nl/vlagvormige-3d-pictogrammen-vierkante-pictogrammen.html&ei=Y1gxVOHxI83VPLOvgPgO&bvm=bv.76802529,d.d2s&psig=AFQjCNER4MiQBLjq4Jm5WJJ1enIPBqj7pA&ust=1412606385097158

The stumbling blocks

• “Belbus” as a part of the PT network

• Budgetary constraints (due to public savings)

• Government is questioning the legal framework

• The current reservation system

• the quality of the system


budgetary constraints due to public savings


• Budget to organize public transport is allocated annually

• Constraints may jeopardize public transport offer

• Savings contradict the stipulations refering to passenger growth in management contract


budgetary constraints due to public savings


Flemish government questioning the legal

framework of Basic Mobility


• Will we be able to maintain the Basic Mobility?

• What if legal focus will be completely on a demand-driven market?

• Will public transport still fulfill a social function?

• Will De Lijn still be fully responsible for organizing public transport?


government questioning the legal framework of

Basic Mobility


the downsides of current planning and

reservation system


• Pearl necklace principle is not accurate enough to cover a large

surface area as required by basic mobility principle

• No automatic interaction between systeem "Belbus" and

timetables of regular PT

• Planning and implementation are controlled locally in the entities

of De Lijn. (5 call centers, 5 customerdata systems,…)

• Communication with driver (reservations) is one way .

Changes must be communicated by phone or on board radio


the downsides of current planning and reservation

system


• Bookings can only be made by phone

• Pick up and arrival times that are given to custmers are not very

accurate

• Booking of wheelchair on regular PT trip is not included in system

• A vehicle is restricted to 1 area

• Incorrect management information


the downsides of current planning and reservation

system


The quality of the system:

• customer satisfaction


• The 3 main reasons not to use the DRT system are all time

related

• Uncertainty about travel and arrival time

• Waiting time at the bus stop

• Duration of the trip




• The negatives of the system

• Punctuality

• Cutt of time for reservation (min. en max.)

• Route

• Duration of the trip (extra travel time due to other reservations)

• Not available when required (especially early in morning and late at night)

• Comfort /sociability

• Frequency

• Operating hours call center




Thank you for your attention


belbus in flandersonlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/conferences/2014/... · the building blocks •...

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