CANADA Two trends that are promising to transform the world of urban mobility, Mobility as a Service and digitalisation, will be under the spotlight at the upcoming UITP Global Public Transport Summit (May 15-17, 2017) in Montréal.
The Global Public Transport Summit, organised by UITP (the International Association of Public Transport), will focus on seven key trends and themes affecting urban mobility, under the slogan ‘Lead the TRANSITion,’ reflecting the rapid changes underway in urban mobility.
The Summit will throw a spotlight on emerging players in Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and combined mobility and discuss their potential to reduce car ownership. It will highlight how public transport is leading the deployment of autonomous mobility services and look at their potential, including an autonomous vehicle test ride that will operate outside the venue. These discussions will take place within the context of increasing digitalisation and the Summit will explore the potential opportunities opening up for traditional industry players in harnessing the vast amounts of data at the sector’s fingertips.
Public transport is driving further innovative solutions, such as alternative propulsion systems, that are allowing for ever-greater energy efficiency in the rush for decarbonisation, increasingly on the agenda since the landmark COP21 climate agreement. The Summit will explore new policy pathways, success factors and actions driving the push from concept to implementation, such as the roll-out of electric buses or more energy efficient solutions for rail.
Another theme will be service excellence, which, due to rising passenger expectations, is increasingly at the forefront of public transport companies strategies. In parallel, the issues of governance, planning and funding will also be on the agenda as experts delve into the challenges in delivering high-quality public transport projects within budget and on time.
The Summit will also explore some of the cutting-edge innovation in bus and rail, from electric buses and the prospect of autonomous buses to new technologies that are boosting rail’s energy efficiency and exploring rail’s ability to adapt to and survive the digital age.
