The dial-services are an excellent connection between classical forms of collective and private transport; they are the answer to the development of transport demand from homogeneous travels (home/office, home/factory, home/school in limited areas and periods) to not homogeneous travels (short continuous travels toward many different destinations); they are also the answer to the growing need of travels from specific consumers' classes such as disabled, elders and students. It is a new transport form more oriented to meet the consumers' requirements. It is possible to identify four operative levels of the DTRS (Demand Responsive Transport Services). Level one: fixed itineraries and fixed stops with possibility of access through booking. Level two: fixed itineraries with possibility of detours within specific boundaries and fixed optional stops. Level three: service with free routes between fixed points. Level four: service with free routes between free points. This paper aims at describing the above-mentioned transport systems and at analysing their efficacy, productivity and consumers' opinions, providing some examples experienced in Florence (PersonalBus) and in Genoa (DrinBus). For the covering abstract see ITRD E120462.
Samenvatting