Transport-impacts.com

Being well informed can be the difference between a pleasant journey and the commute from Hell.

I thought I would throw out everything I can that might help you make it from A to B easier, this will include suggestions as to potential avenues for better information on our transportation systems (you can let me know what you think of these ideas and tell me yours).

This will be a little bit specific for Sydney but if you would like to give me information about other cities I will try and set it up.  This post is not designed to sway the way you choose to travel, just make the way you travel more efficient and hassle free.

Basically you would like to be informed of different aspects at the appropriate times:

1. Before you even think about transporting yourself, you might need to acquire some skills, being educated in how to appropriately use a mode of transport in a comfortable and safe manner
2. When you are deciding what means of transportation you would like to take – this could either be for your routine commutes or for a one-off journey – a comparison between different alternatives in terms of different attributes and burdens
3. When you are working out the timing of the journey – how long it will it take, how to minimize waiting times (optimize connections) and travel times (using express services, direct services)
4. At the time of travel – a more precise update of the exact timing and routing of the service (which increases your efficiency, comfort and feeling of control)

We will look at these four requirements of information, how they can be satisfied, what is the state of information distribution in Sydney and how we can improve.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

1. While you are not required to be in control of a vehicle, there are some protocols for public transport systems which are not all the same for all systems, such as when to pay, how to pass through different barriers, how to hail down a bus, how to buy the right ticket and how to display appropriate etiquette towards other passengers. There is very little educational information for commuters except for the occasional campaign for safer conduct and information on the internet (for buses click here, for trains click here). There is minimal signage once in train stations or at the bus stops in Sydney (except for major stops) to help people understand the protocols – it is assumed knowledge.

2. The infoline gives information on the cost (not always clearly for buses), time, and possible options for different modes (phone 131500). It also displays the timetables and maps for routes, with links to State Transit Authority (STA) – manages Sydney Buses and Sydney Ferries, while Cityrail – manages the urban and regional train services. However, there is no publicly available tool to help people find out what are the impacts of there travel, and there is no direct comparison with other transportation options

3. In Sydney, the infoline provides a trip planning tool by entering the origin, destination, time of travel (arrival or departure) and what you wish to optimize along with other preferences (fastest or minimum changes, no buses or ferries etc.)

4. The aspect of giving commuters on the spot knowledge is greatly lacking in Sydney. While the infoline services are available from mobile phones, this is not real-times (up to the minute) information and can be tedious to access.

TRAINS - A number of train stations have real-time next train services at the entrance and on the platforms of the train, with a list of stations. This is accompanied by a voice over, indicating the destination of trains arriving on different platforms. Maps and timetables can also usually be found, even in smaller stations. In the trains there are often maps of the network and occasionally the train conductor announces the next stop. There is potential to display more information at train stations with arrows between platforms with simple displays (I found the Paris Metro much better at directed me between trains).

BUSES – In my opinion, Sydney buses are so deficient in user information, you need to carry around your own GPS and a guide to every service you might require in order to feel comfortable. The numbering system of the buses is complicated and does not directly describe the route in detail. While some major stops display destination information, very few show route maps and most show nothing except for the bus numbers. Once you are on the bus, you rely on being familiar with the approach to your stop in order to know when to press stop or asking the bus driver or other passengers for indication. I would love to see better maps and directions at every bus stop - particularly ones with shelters where there is space for this - some kind of indication of time to different destinations also orientates people.  In the buses, some simple removable route maps situated so they are visible for most passengers, which indicate major cross roads, suburbs and bus stops (possibly with where there are connections to different routes).

CYCLING

• 1. Learning to cycle is vital if you choose to use a bike to get around. While most people learn as children, it can be very daunting and difficult for adults to learn to ride a bike. Avenues for learning this skill should be made highly accessible and as unintimidating as possible - click here for some tips. Once you have learnt to cycle, it can still be a big step to feel comfortable riding on the road (especially in Sydney). Some different steps to take this plunge are:

• Learning the road rules and responsibilities for cyclists (through the RTA)
• Look up your local Bicycle User Group (BUG) (see links page) as well as your local council and see what initiatives they have running, such as

- Bicycle maintenance courses

- Courses for commuting in the city

- Bikebus groups (a group of commuters riding together daily)

- Maps with bicycle paths and appropriate safe routes for cyclists

- Social group rides as well as Critical Mass

• People who are willing to give you advice or take you on a tour
• Your work mates or friends may be able to advise you or may be able to ride with you
• If you visit a bike friendly city, take the opportunity to ride on the road
• Look for tips on the internet - I recommend you try this website
• If all else fails, contact me

The other important step for preparing to cycle is buying an appropriate bike and the accessories. Most little bike shops will be quite helpful in letting you know the features of different bikes and giving you advice on what kind of bike might suit your needs.

There are initiatives in other countries which could be interesting for Australia. These include bicycle education at school, video games or a simulation of cycling to familiarize children with the hazards on the road and appropriate conduct. There is also closure of roads to cars on weekends so that people can cycle on the road hassle-free. Traffic calming and better cycling infrastructure and culture also help people feel comfortable as a cyclist on the road.

2. There are web pages which weigh up the benefits and costs of cycling in comparison with other modes (see links page). In regards to looking at times between different locations, the routes on the website www.bikely.com often provide times. Also, you can assume that you cycle around 15 km/h (give a bit if experienced and take a bit if you’re a beginner) and calculate by the trip distance.

3. When planning your route, there are a number of maps with bike routes supplied by the RTA and local governments. There are also website in which commuters put the routes they use with tags such as “safe”, “low traffic”, “back streets” etc. These are www.bikely.com and www.guttermonkey.org (if you know of other’s please let me know). There are also a number of books including BikeIt Sydney, which is a directory of connected cycle friendly streets and paths. In Germany, they have introduced a trip planner for cyclists, which is calculates the most appropriate path for you after you enter the origin, destination and preferences see details.

4. There is very little information for cyclists on the commute. Personal maps or GPS can help you orientate yourself. There is some signage, but this often lacks continuity and they are usually quite discrete. Maps in the streets for cyclists are very limited. Other countries excel in way-finding displays. In regards to commuter information, towns in Denmark even have a series of lights on bollards, which indicate the speed you should travel in order to stay in sync with the green wave (we are far from Odense’s system).

CARS

I guess car drivers are pretty well catered for with everything from the procedures to acquire your driver’s licence to the plethora of signs and inbuilt GPS systems. I will add the details here if enough people ask me.

Now that you’ve managed to read everything I could come up with (sorry it was a bit lengthy), I would love to here your views on some of the ideas.  Let me know how interested you are in a couple of ideas that have been put into action overseas.  Also feel free to use the comment section to put down your ideas

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