Fostering an inclusive public transport system in the digital era

Fostering an inclusive public transport system in the digital era: An interdisciplinary approach

Durand, A.L.M. (TU Delft Transport and Planning; KiM Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis)
Zijlstra, Toon (KiM Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis; Universiteit Antwerpen)
Hamersma, Marije (KiM Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis)
't Hoen, Arjen (KiM Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis)
van Oort, N. (TU Delft Transport and Planning)
Hoogendoorn, S.P. (TU Delft Transport and Planning)
Hoogendoorn-Lanser, S. (TU Delft Corporate Innovations)

Transport and Planning

2023

As digitalisation is making its way into public transport (PT) services, policy approaches to ensure that such services remain inclusive are at best fragmented, at worst inexistant. This study pieces together existing initiatives and lessons learnt in the transport sector itself, and takes inspiration from other fields with a more mature understanding of digitalisation. We interviewed twenty-two experts working either in the PT sector or in other sectors such as healthcare and public administration to present an overview of possible measures to foster inclusion in PT in the digital era. We used both triangulation and a two-step respondent validation process to improve results’ trustworthiness. We conclude that there is no one-size-fits-all, but a series of complementary strategies to address digital inequality. A focus on an inclusive design from the start, courses, showing the added value of digital tools, specialist products and non-digital alternatives are building blocks to foster a more inclusive PT system in the era of digitalisation. The role of the public transport staff ought not to be underestimated in digital transformations. Importantly, securing the issue of unequal access to public transport due to digitalisation at a decision-making level is essential. Nevertheless, there is only so much that the transport sector can do. Tackling more systemic issues that often underlie digital barriers like poverty and low literacy is crucially relevant. While the present study was conducted in the Netherlands, the presented measures can be applied in other countries by stakeholders working on inclusive digital transformations in (public) transport services.

Accessibility
Digital inequality
Digitalisation
Inclusion
Public transport
Transport disadvantage

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:92540ab6-513e-43a3-96fc-e83973d25f9f

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2023.100968

2590-1982

Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 22

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2023 A.L.M. Durand, Toon Zijlstra, Marije Hamersma, Arjen 't Hoen, N. van Oort, S.P. Hoogendoorn, S. Hoogendoorn-Lanser