On-demand and Shared Mobility Roadmap On-demand and Shared Mobility Roadmap
Auckland Transport (AT) plans to shape Auckland’s future transport network by expanding access to on-demand and shared travel options such as bike share, e-scooter share, car share, on-demand shuttles, dynamic car-pooling and ride-hailing.
About the on-demand and shared mobility roadmap
AT is committed to developing the roadmap in its Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) with the aim of using on-demand and shared services to:
- Provide a first/last leg connection to the rapid and frequent transport network as only a little over 40% of Auckland’s population is within walking distance of the rapid and frequent transit network; or
- Replace public transport routes where on-demand or shared services could provide better value for money while improving access for customers.
The twelve principles in the roadmap
- Provide a great customer experience.
- Everyone is kept safe from death, injury and serious harm.
- Walking, cycling and active travel should be the most attractive choice for short trips.
- Keep the frequent and rapid transit network at the heart of Auckland’s transport system.
- On-demand and shared services should support a transition to clean, green and space-efficient travel choices.
- Co-design Auckland’s on-demand and shared mobility services with communities, operators and other stakeholders.
- Regulation and licensing can be guided by public benefit.
- Engage with customers and develop marketing to support the shift to on-demand, shared and active modes.
- Be transparent about data and insights, and protect customer privacy.
- Be resilient and responsive to change and feedback.
- Provide a transport system that offers good value for money, is inclusive and equitable.
- Make use of on-demand and shared modes to support existing growth.
Scenarios
A number of scenarios have been identified as suitable for on-demand and shared mobility:
- Rural townships.
- Areas with socioeconomic deprivation.
- Areas under-served by public transport.
- Business parks and employment centres.
- New medium-density housing areas where the initial population is insufficient to justify conventional public transport e.g. bus service.
Case studies
AT Local - an on-demand trial in Devonport
Auckland Transport launched the fully electric ‘AT Local’ service in November 2018. The 12-month trial offered customers a corner-to-corner on-demand shared shuttle service within the Devonport suburb, and there was a discount for those connecting to the Devonport, Bayswater and Stanley Bay ferry terminals.
By February 2019, the AT Local service was supported by a subsidy of $35 per ride. This amount was reduced to below $11.75 per ride by August 2019. Compared to other similar ride share schemes, AT Local rated in the top three performers on all passenger performance metrics.
By August 2019, the service had delivered over 27,440 rides, with ridership increasing week-on-week. The average distance per trip was approximately 2.2km. On its busiest day, the service delivered 262 rides. It was tracking ahead of its target of 200 rides per day, averaging 213 rides per weekday, with 43% of riders having switched away from the private motor vehicle.
User feedback has been generally positive, and a number of changes have been made to the service as a result of customer and driver feedback.
E-scooter trials
In October 2018, Auckland began an e-scooter-share pilot programme to establish whether e-scooters could become a permanent travel choice for Aucklanders. Lime e-scooters were seen on the streets during the trial period and in February 2019, the trial was extended. In March 2019, Bird launched its Wave e-scooters with a license to deploy 500.
In May, Auckland Council announced Lime, Wave and Flamingo to be the three e-scooter operators that would participate in phase two of the e-scooter trial which would run through to October 2019. A total of 1,875 e-scooters were deployed as part of the trial. To address safety issues and concerns raised over the sharing of space with pedestrians, low speed zones were introduced where riders were restricted to a top speed of 15km per hour.
Auckland Council introduced a tier system to encourage providers to make e-scooters available outside the inner suburbs. Lime and Flamingo applied for deployment in the outer suburbs (tier three) while Wave would only provide e-scooters in tiers one and two.
A new code of practice was released in April 2019.
According to the initial findings of the trial, approximately half of the Aucklanders surveyed considered shared e-scooters to have had a positive impact on the city. Auckland Council and AT are seeing how micro mobility is accommodated in future.
The on-demand and shared mobility roadmap - Shane Ellison, Chief Executive, Auckland Transport
Technology forecasters are predicting big shifts in technology and towards electric powered transport, as well as an exponential increase in focus on individual customers. Auckland Transport’s response to these forecasts is contained in the ‘On-demand and shared mobility roadmap’.
The roadmap sets out our approach to shaping Auckland’s future transport network. We plan to do this by expanding access to travel options such as bike share, e-scooter share, car share, on-demand shuttles, dynamic car-pooling and ride-hailing. These services can help customers connect to our rapid or frequent public transport network, improve transport choices and reduce our reliance on the private car.
Technology-driven change from the private sector has been influencing transport options available to Aucklanders at a rapid pace in recent years.
In addition to AT Local, we have:
- Supported several pilots for e-scooter share and bike share schemes; and
- Developed a car share policy.
Moving forward, we plan to take a more active approach to bringing these newer modes into our transport system. We will do this in a way that complements our existing public transport network and makes life easier for travelling customers.