Features

Analytical, insightful and topical write-ups on major trends and developments

• Light Rail Projects in Germany: High-patronage light rail systems set to expand

  April 1, 2021
  In the last 20 years, nearly 30 operators in Germany have ordered more than 1,300 trams and light rail vehicles (LRVs).

• Mass Transit in East Africa: Focus on Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda [free access]

  April 1, 2021
  The development of urban transport in East Africa has picked up pace in the last few years. There is an increasing focus on the deployment of new buses, especially electric buses.

• MaaS in Scotland: National government seeks to support sustainable transport

  April 1, 2021
  Since the launch of the Whim app in Helsinki, several transit authorities around the world have taken an interest in the concept of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS). The app offers access to public transportation, city bikes, e-scooters, ferry tickets, taxis, and affordable rental cars, thus providing a seamless way to move around...

• Public Transport in Costa Rica: Electric train and buses to be deployed

  March 1, 2021
  Public transport in Costa Rica comprises bus and suburban rail networks, mostly centred around the San José Metropolitan Area (also known as the Greater Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica).

• Mass Transit in Kenya: Plans to overhaul the system by 2050 [free access]

  March 1, 2021
  The existing operational public transport network in Kenya comprises a standard gauge railway (SGR) network, the Nairobi commuter rail network, and bus transport.

• Impact of COVID-19 on Rolling Stock Suppliers: Order intake to boost recovery

  March 1, 2021
  The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in zero to low levels of production and disrupted supply chains.

• Autonomous Vehicles in China: Key initiatives and recent deployments

  February 1, 2021
  In January 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China drafted a new law that permits highways and public roads as test site for autonomous vehicles (AVs).

• P3s in Urban Rail in the US: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

  February 1, 2021
  The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically impacted the use of public transit facilities and has also resulted in delays in the execution of projects.

• Seamless Travel: Integrating transit ticketing across Europe by 2030 [free access]

  February 1, 2021
  The European Commission (EC) and countries across the region have taken initiatives to promote cross- border, nationwide, region-wide, and city-wide transit ticketing integration by deploying contactless payment solutions to promote seamless travel in the continent, especially in the last one year driven by the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Funding Public Transport in Latin America: Significant influence of China [free access]

  January 1, 2021
  By 2030, over USD48 billion is planned to be invested in rail-based transport systems in Latin America.

• GAIA-X: The future of data in Europe and mobility use cases

  January 1, 2021
  GAIA-X aims to create the next generation of data infrastructure for Europe to help the continent gain more independence from cloud giants in the US and China. GAIA-X is driven by three factors: data sovereignty, data availability, and innovation.

• Clean Buses in APAC: Highlights from the virtual edition of our third annual conference on November 24–25, 2020

  January 1, 2021
  Global Mass Transit Research organised a virtual edition of its third conference on ‘Clean Buses in APAC 2020’ on November 24–25, 2020.

• AV Shuttle Initiatives in Kongsberg, Norway: One of the most advanced autonomous bus projects in the world

  December 1, 2020
  Kongsberg had an early start to the introduction of autonomous vehicles (AVs). The technology was introduced in the region in 2016 when AVs were barely on the agenda in Norway or in the rest of Europe. Since then, AV technology has developed and evolved in tune with the goals set by Kongsberg for its development.

• Bus Transport in Brazil: Federal- and city- level initiatives to promote electric fleet

  December 1, 2020
  Around 1,800 bus companies provide public bus services in Brazil but they operate highly polluting diesel buses. Brazilian transport authorities, increasingly aware of the drawbacks of diesel buses, are now exploring electric buses as an alternative to achieve sustainable mobility. With twice the service life, lower maintenance costs, and favourable total cost of ownership (TCO) in comparison to diesel buses, electric buses offer a viable option.

• Big Plans: Israel to build new LRT and metrorail systems [free access]

  December 1, 2020
  In Israel, expanding rail projects are attracting increasing investment, a development that is driven by two main factors—a rise in population and the government’s focus on achieving a world-class transportation system that contributes to overall economic growth and enhances the social well-being of citizens.

• Urban Rail Projects in Egypt: Plans to develop nearly 520 km of network [free access]

  November 1, 2020
  Egypt’s large and growing population, combined with its rapid economic growth, has brought the need for a robust and extensive railway network into sharper focus.

• Mobile Ticketing in the US: Increased uptake in 2020

  November 1, 2020
  The deployment of integrated ticketing solutions and the penetration of the mobility as a service (MaaS) platform have progressed at a faster pace in European countries than in North American countries.

• Public Transport in Bogota: Expansion plans and new procurements

  November 1, 2020
  Public transport in Bogota is set to be transformed in the 2020s.

• MaaS in Japan: Fifty-two projects under Smart Mobility Challenge FY2020 [free access]

  October 1, 2020
  Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), is leading a highly ambitious and promising project for the deployment of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) across the nation. In 2019, with support from the ministries, several businesses in Japan conducted 19 MaaS pilots of Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4 integration.

• Next-gen Ticketing: New technologies for a contactless future

  October 1, 2020
  The future of transport ticketing is rooted in the concept of convenience. To access seamless, multi-modal services that include more flexible schemes like car-sharing and bike rentals, travellers are increasingly looking to use one single form factor—either through a ticket, or, reflecting the growing Bring Your Own Ticket (BYOT) trend, with their own devices like cellphones, bank cards, smart wearables, or some sort of biometrics.