Following on from the successful SAMPO project, SAMPLUS demonstrated and evaluated Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) services using telematics technologies.

THE PROJECT

The overall aim of SAMPLUS was to demonstrate and evaluate Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) services using telematics technologies. SAMPLUS involved undertaking major demonstrations of telematics-based DRT services at five sites in four different EU member states (Belgium, Finland, Italy, Sweden). The five demonstration sites covered a variety of socio-economic characteristics, four of them continuing from the SAMPO project that immediately preceded SAMPLUS. In addition, feasibility studies were conducted in two UK, one Irish and one Finnish site.

Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) means transport services provided “on-demand” to passengers, with fleets of public transport vehicles being scheduled to pick up and drop off people in accordance with their needs.

Over the last few years, the ability of DRT concepts to provide efficient and viable transport services has been greatly improved by the use of intelligent transport systems using telematics. State-of-the-art DRT systems and services provide new opportunities to address many of the travel problems that face the European citizen now and that will arise in the future. Dispersed or low demand in rural and suburban areas means that regular bus services are not always economically viable. Equally, the transport needs of disabled and elderly people may not be fully or economically met by some existing public or community transport services.

CONSORTIUM

A consolidated research group with a renowned academic and industrial profile.

• MTC, Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications of Finland (FI)
• ATAF, PT Company Firenze (IT)
• City of Gothenburg (SE)
• De Lijn, Flanders PT Company (BE)
• ETTS, European Transport and Telematics Systems, Dublin (IR)
• Logistik Centrum VAST AB (SE)
• Lund University (SE)
• MemEx srl (IT)
• Mobisoft Oy (SF)
• Municipality of Tuusula (SF)
• PAMBO Bus Cooperative (IR)
• PLANit Sweden AB (SE)
• OFTECO SISMAT SpA (IT)
• Telia AB (SE)
• Town of Seinajoki (SF)
• TTR, Transport and Travel Research Ltd, Oxford (UK)
• TORG, University of Newcastle (UK)
• Tritel, Brussels (BE)
• Viatek Oy, Tampere (SF)