Types of Research in mobility and transport

The aim of a study of mobility is to know the habits and movement needs of population in a given territory. This allows to adapt the supply of public transport to the demand, thus optimizing available resources.

A mobility study provides information on the patterns of displacement in different hours, territorial dynamics (amount of movements between different areas and neighborhoods), modes of transport used, main reason for displacement, amount of transfers (intermodality), demand for public transport, etc., making an accurate diagnosis of the transport needs of the territory.

Mobility studies also allow to evaluate the incorporation of new public transport services and measure the impact of marketing campaigns or changes in public transport (frequency, new stops / stations, etc..).

Results are presented through thematic maps that make easier to read and understand them.

The aim of an origin-destination study is to determine the displacement habits of travelers of a certain line, service, or mode of transport with particular emphasis on the stop and area of origin and destination of the trip.

An origin-destination study allows, among others, to quantify the volume of displacements between stops or areas of the line or service, to reveal the presence of asymmetries (differences in the amount of travelers depending on the direction of travel) and analyze its reasons, to quantify the volume of transfers to other lines or means of transport, to determine the volume and profile of heavy users, etc.

OD studies also allow to assess the acceptance or impact of certain changes in the service as well as evaluate Marketing campaigns, etc.

Results are presented through thematic maps that make easier to read and understand them.

A study of fraud seeks to quantify the fraud, the volume and percentage of travelers who access the vehicle without a ticket at each of the stops or areas of the trip and at different hours

When vehicles are equipped with an automatic system for ticket validation, it is performed a manual count of the number of passengers entering the vehicle in each of the stops and routes. This count is contrasted later with the volume of validations recorded.

Studies of capacity allow to know the volume of users of a given line, service or mode of transport in different time points. This makes it possible to detect those moments in which the recommended limit of travellers is exceeded, causing a loss of comfort.

The information obtained will facilitate decision-making to adapt the service to the needs of the moment.

Sometimes you can take the opportunity of carrying out a capacity study to deal with other objectives relating to the origin-destination of passengers: main routes, frequency of the trip, main reason, demographic profile, transfer to other lines and means transport, etc.

Satisfaction surveys seek to assess the degree of satisfaction of the user with various aspects of the service (frequency of use, comfort, security, etc..). They allow to know the main perceived deficits, the permeability to specific proposals for improvement, etc.

Satisfaction studies also allow to evaluate marketing campaigns or the introduction of changes in public transport (frequency of the service, new stops / stations, etc).

Sometimes you can take the opportunity of carrying out a satisfaction study to deal with other objectives relating to the Origin-Destination of passengers: frequency of the trip, main reason, demographic profile, etc.

Customer Satisfaction surveys support different degrees of complexity and development ranging, from simple self-administered questionnaires to more complex tools that include comparison of results with competitors or construction of theoretical models.

In recent years some operators (mainly of trams and trains) have incorporated to their fleets automatic systems for counting people in order to obtain detailed information on flows of passengers and thus be able to quantify the level of fraud.

Sometimes these systems can lose accuracy, resulting in significant deviations or errors in the count that is necessary to know and correct.

In order to assess the degree of accuracy of the system a manual count of travelers going up / down is performed. Results will be compared with the ones obtained by the automatic system in each time.

The study provides reliability data (global, by stops, areas, hours, gates, etc.). allowing an accurate diagnosis of system performance.