The main goal of SAMPO was to assess and demonstrate the value added potential and the effectiveness of telematics technologies to provide Demand Responsive Transport Services (DRTS).

The project developed public transport services in rural and urban areas and regions, addressing the needs of the general public, as well as the specific necessities of different passenger categories, such as elderly, disabled and other special groups.

An important objective was to reduce operating costs of public transport services by the implementation of more flexible schemes for service operations.

The aim of DRT systems is to provide service “on demand” from the passengers. DRTs are undertaken in a variety of modes i.e. buses, taxis, invataxis (specially equipped for mobility impaired persons), minibuses and feeder services for express coach, tram and rail services. Services can also be integrated between different modes.

The telematics systems for operation of a DRT are based upon the organisation and operation of Travel Dispatch Centres (TDC). The users connect to the TDC, usually by phone, and ask for a ride specifying their requirements: the starting and ending locations of the intended journey, the pick up and drop off times, the number of seats required. Based on user requests and available resources (i.e. buses), TDC operators, assisted by suitable software tools, ascertain the service proposal(s) which best fit into the state of the service (i.e. the journeys and routes planned or those presently on their route).

TDCs use booking and reservation systems which have the capacity to effectively assign passengers to vehicles and optimise the routes and schedules. A variety of enabling technologies are used for the implementation of a DRTS, including:

• booking and reservation systems,
• network design and optimisation,
• static and dynamic scheduling and assignment systems,
• dynamic systems for management and optimisation of DRTS,
• vehicle location and monitoring hardware and software,
• in-vehicle terminals,
• meters and display systems.

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

• 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)
• algoWatt 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)