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Executive Summary
Demand Responsive Transport ( DRT), described most simply, is any form of transport where day to day service provision is influenced by the demands of users. This report describes the findings of research commissioned by the Scottish Executive to review evidence on DRT delivery to: consider the contribution that DRT can make to social inclusion and accessibility, explore the impact of pilot DRT schemes, make recommendations on how future DRT schemes could be developed in Scotland, and develop best practice guidance.
Although the concept of day to day transport provision being influenced by the demands of users is relatively simple, fitting this simple concept into public policy is much more complex. To do so requires a systematic examination of: markets for DRT, funding sources, different types of DRT operation and legislation for DRT delivery.
There are four main markets for DRT: premium value services, high value to agency services, high care needs, best value public transport. All these markets have grown in recent years but the high care needs market dominates DRT provision.
Funding for DRT comes from three main sources: national and local government discharging statutory duties to ensure that transport is available to meet all social and economic needs, transport users through fares, and purchasers acting on behalf of users to purchase trips in line with need.
Despite the apparent complexity of DRT, all operations can be defined in terms of the routes, stopping points and service types. Many DRT schemes operate as area wide services with few or no defined stopping points, resulting in maximum flexibility. However, in order to ensure particular destinations are served, to link in with other elements of the transport network, or to closely resemble conventional bus services, varying degrees of fixity in route design and stopping points can be applied.
Most DRT services are on a small scale, or targeted at specific categories of people in the community, and require little or no information technology support. Communications technologies only become important when DRT projects begin to involve vehicle brokerage and multiple resource allocation to allow route scheduling for large passenger numbers and real-time booking capabilities.
There is no single legislative niche for DRT services and three main options are currently used: Public Service Vehicles ( PSVs), Taxis and private hire cars, and community operations. There are some important issues that arise from this complex mix of legislation that actively constrain the development or potential cost savings/efficiencies of DRT services including the inability to claim BSOG (Bus Service Operators Grant) for any flexible sections of route.
To identify the lessons learned from innovative practice in DRT delivery a survey of all local authorities was undertaken, complemented with literature and web-based research, and an in-depth review of current DRT pilot projects and other longer established Scottish DRT schemes.
User surveys were also undertaken to identify the features of DRT operation that were confusing and were most in need of improvement including: flexibility and reducing advance booking times, expectations of DRT and the need to market new approaches better, and the need to engage with users of fixed services prior to "taking their bus service away" to replace it with a DRT approach.
Overall the review concluded that DRT cannot be planned in isolation from other transport. DRT development should form an essential part of an overall transport and accessibility plan, showing how each market including commercial taxis is being developed. DRT markets overlap, so the strengthening of one market may transfer trips away from others. This process needs to be managed explicitly to ensure that costs and benefits are allocated correctly to public agencies and that there are opportunities for all types of operator.
There are particular market niches, which cannot be served without the ability to provide a flexible transport solution. In particular, some user groups require door-to-door DRT provision to access the services that they require. Overall, expansion of DRT provision is an essential aspect of improving accessibility in Scotland.
Patient transport is presenting particular problems, and there are several possible ways to structure this in the future to ensure that people are not excluded from health care due to poor accessibility. To create a clear structure for DRT delivery by PTS, CT, and commercial services including taxis, it will be important to improve: procurement, definitions and classifications of need, co-ordination of funding, integration between patient and other transport needs, and to develop a charging structure within which some users can pay for transport within the patient transport service to avoid having to drive.
Overall conclusions are that:
- There are many opportunities to enhance provision through joint working and delivery.
- All DRT services need to define clearly for whom and why the services are being funded and delivered.
- Action by local authorities to plan for developing DRT markets needs to be set out in local transport strategies and monitored in best value reviews.
- Best value public transport in most parts of the country can be expected to include DRT.
- The long term sustainability of most of the pilot DRT projects set up by the Scottish Executive is uncertain. There is a heavy reliance on the Scottish Executive funding, and for most pilots, DRT would probably not be prioritised highly enough by the councils to obtain funding within mainstream budgets.
Guidance prepared as part of this review should help to inform relevant authorities and groups on how new services can be delivered, but to secure the sustainability and growth of DRT there needs to be:
- Clear accountability on who pays for what user needs.
- Amended rules for BSOG eligibility to include more DRT operations.
- A managed approach to culture change amongst providers and users of transport.
- Funding and auditing incentives for best value delivery.
- A clear plan for future patient transport.
- A clearer view of the impacts of the free national concessionary fares scheme on DRT.
- Increased support for community transport.
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