This paper details the results of the EC SAMPO project which has undertaken demonstrations of DRTS using new advanced telematics technologies (ATT) in 5 European test sites (Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Sweden). Operators and communities increasingly believe that if technical barriers can be overcome, the transport market for DRTS will accelerate, to meet the travel requirements of communities or groups of the public who currently have no public transport alternative. In the past DRTS systems have been largely based upon manual scheduling and advanced booking. Utilising ATT, it has been possible to develop a new generation of automated systems in real-time and in development of sophisticated travel dispatch centres. At each of the SAMPO sites, these ATT systems have been demonstrated and evaluated using a comprehensive set of indicators. The indicators were devised in order to measure economic viability, the quality of service provision and ATT viability. Already, the ongoing demonstrations are showing consistent results in terms of steadily increasing patronage and cost effective operations. Obstacles to the deployment of these systems may arise from the number of organisations involved. The paper shows how these may be avoided using examples from public and private operations in Europe. Issues discussed in this paper include identification of the travel needs of DRTS users, a technical evaluation of ATT within DRTS, the business case for ATT within DRTS, and an evaluation of the effect on user behaviour, travel impacts and social impacts.
Abstract