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D.0 Appendix D - Other DRT Schemes
D.1 This appendix describes some examples of interesting schemes and best practice in DRT delivery.
Stagecoach Yellow Taxibus
Overview
D.2 The Yellow Taxibus is the only current application of commercial DRT in Scotland. This is operated by Stagecoach from their Dunfermline depot, but it is a separate operation from their main bus services in the area. It has been treated as an experimental business development to test the market.
D.3 The Yellow Taxibus service operates between Dunfermline, James Street (outside the bus station) and Edinburgh, Waterloo Place. It operates on a flexible route in Dunfermline covering a triangular area bounded by Halbeath Road (the main road to the east), Queensferry Road/Hospital Hill and the M90 motorway.
D.4 From the Carnegie Campus stop at the southeastern edge of Dunfermline, the Yellow Taxibus operates on a fixed route to Edinburgh via the Ferrytoll Park and Ride. Within Edinburgh a series of fixed stops are served.
D.5 Although there are now set departure times from Dunfermline for individual journeys, Stagecoach promise to operate at least every 15 minutes at peak times. The service operates from 0610 to 2030 on Mondays to Thursdays, with late evening departures on Friday until 0315 from Edinburgh. Saturday operation is from 0650 to 0315 while Sunday service operates from 1030 to 2030.
D.6 Pre-booking is required from the flexible route area, but walk up passengers can board at Dunfermline town centre or at the stops in Edinburgh. However, late evening (after 2030) departures require pre-booking in both directions.
D.7 Current fares are £5 single from Dunfermline to Edinburgh, with a return for £8, although this must be taken before midnight. Late evening fares between Dunfermline and Edinburgh are £10, return only. Fares within Dunfermline are £2 single. The Scottish concessionary free fare scheme does not apply on this service, but concessions are generally half fare, and this has been agreed with Fife Council, though the concession is provided commercially. There are no weekly or longer period passes available for travel on the Yellow Taxibus service, and the multi operator 'One Ticket', which covers Edinburgh and Fife (as well as other areas in east central Scotland) is not accepted on Yellow Taxibus.
Key findings, Notes, Experience
D.8 In comparison with bus fares the Yellow Taxibus fares are higher reflecting the premium status of the service. An off peak return is available on Stagecoach buses between Dunfermline and Edinburgh on Mondays to Fridays for £3.50 and the cheapest 7 day ticket available for a regular commuter is £23.50.
D.9 8 seat people carriers are used on the service, which enables the drivers to drive the vehicles on an ordinary car licence. However, the fixed route section of the service is registered as a bus service and is eligible for BSOG. Although not all of Dunfermline is served, the area covered includes approximately 80% of the town's population, with only smaller areas to the north and west of the town unserved.
D.10 In terms of bus services, the demand responsive zone of the Taxibus in Dunfermline is mainly served by local services that operate to and from the town centre. The frequencies on the local services vary from every 10 minutes to every hour. Bus services between Dunfermline and Edinburgh operate every 20 minutes from Edinburgh (three buses per hour from Dunfermline), but via two different routes (with more at peak times) that have different running times. Evening and Sunday service is every hour on this link.
D.11 Rail service between Dunfermline to Edinburgh is every 30 minutes during the day, with additional trains at peak times. The travel time is 34 minutes, faster than that available by using bus services. However bus network coverage is much greater than for rail so the total travelling time from home for many Dunfermline to Edinburgh trips will be similar to rail particularly outside peak travel times, when travel to and using rail will be less affected by road congestion.
D.12 For passengers to reach Edinburgh by conventional bus services (or trains) from the majority of the demand responsive area a change of bus in Dunfermline town centre is required, and connections may not always be very good between the services, particularly during the evenings and on Sundays.
D.13 As a result the Yellow Taxibus offers a higher quality service between the main residential areas of Dunfermline and central Edinburgh than the conventional bus services can provide. However, there is a fare premium for this and as weekly and longer commuter tickets are not offered the price difference is particularly apparent for regular commuters.
D.14 The complete isolation of the Yellow Taxibus operation, in regards to the rest of the Stagecoach operations in the area is notable. Additionally Yellow Taxibus has no website and there is no mention of Yellow Taxibus on the Stagecoach site for Fife.
D.15 In September 2004, the Yellow Taxibus service was reported as carrying around 1,000 passengers per week, while the break even numbers were reported as approximately 1,500 per week. Load factors were reported as 25% in off peak times, 50 to 75% in peak times, and 100% late nights.
D.16 With these passenger volumes and the level of service provided Stagecoach has admitted that it would be difficult to make the existing service break even. In spite of this the company has considered the experience to be a useful pilot project and has used the information gained to pursue other projects. Examples cited were a possible service between Fife and Edinburgh Airport as well as demand responsive projects in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
D.17 Stagecoach has also felt that the demographic information that they have been able to collect from the Yellow Taxibus project has been useful in developing future projects. While the groupings used by Stagecoach are primarily retail marketing categories, it would appear that unsurprisingly the Yellow Taxibus is mainly used by homeowners, with a lower concentration of council house tenants. Compared to conventional local bus services there would appear to be more users from 'professional' demographic groups. However, this situation may also be the case with conventional bus services between the area and Edinburgh. As a result it would be difficult to determine if the Yellow Taxibus service attracts a different clientele than, for example, express bus services from the area without additional data on bus use; and such data is commercially confidential and not available to the research team.
D.18 This was a pilot project so it was needed in order to ascertain how commercial DRT may work and if there were a future for it elsewhere. Stagecoach have indicated that there may be potential for a shorter taxibus service between the residential areas of Dunfermline and the Ferrytoll Park and Ride but this would require subsidy.
Lessons
D.19 Stagecoach indicated that they have learnt that they can operate a DRT service successfully on a low-tech basis with no complex scheduling software required. However, they have determined that the Yellow Taxibus will never be commercially viable, and consequently have no plans to introduce commercial DRT services on a large scale. However, they feel that there is some application of the concept to smaller niche market, perhaps serving particular sites or transport locations ( e.g. rail stations). The service is set to cease operation in November 2005.
SPTDRT Services
Overview
D.20 SPT are the largest operator of DRT services in Scotland. They operate two parallel services: Dial-a-bus services throughout the SPT area for those who are unable to access conventional public transport for persons with a mobility impairment; and the seven Ring'n'ride services, which are public DRT services operating in the rural hinterlands of Glasgow. Two of the ring'n'ride services are operated in partnership with Local Authorities (South Ayrshire and Argyll and Bute Councils)
D.21 All services are operated by commercial operators, with trip requests managed by SPTs own Travel Despatch Centre ( TDC). The SPTTDC uses Trapeze software to schedule trips, and it is expected that by July 2005 all vehicles will have the hardware installed to enable real-time bookings.
D.22 The Dial-a-Bus service is well established, and is now carrying approximately 340 000 trips per year with a fleet of 34 wheelchair accessible buses. The Ring and Ride services are expanding over time with the Lomond Ring'n'Ride service, part funded by the Scottish Executive Pilot Funding, the most recent introduction to the 'network'. The Ring n Ride fleet is estimated at approximately 16 vehicles at this time. The long term aim of SPT is to cover all rural areas around Glasgow with DRT services where conventional buses cannot meet travel requirements.
Design and Development
D.23 The design of the Ring and Ride services by SPT has been based on delivering a DRT resource around the financial resources available for particular areas - e.g. operating the number of vehicles that can be afforded within a budget for a particular area. This very pragmatic approach has proven to be successful, and the ability to deal with variable capacities at different times has been greatly assisted by SPTs decision to ensure that operational flexibility is built into the contracts for operating the ring-and-ride and dial-a-ride services. This flexibility ensures that there can be overlap both between the two services, and between adjacent operating areas to ensure that as many passengers as possible can be picked up. In addition the contracts for the services are tied into school contracts to ensure better value.
Key Findings, Notes, Experience
D.24 The TDC operates with approximately 7 staff to take bookings and one 'supervisor' to manage any problems. Bookings are taken on a 'first come first served' basis, and therefore flexibility in the system is instantly constrained by the location of the first user whose request is not changed. After this user requests are then taken to fit in with previous bookings. If there are any problem trips that cannot be met, records of requests are taken and the booking supervisor then attempts to fit these into a schedule and passengers are called back.
D.25 This method allows the booking staff to process trips quickly to enhance the customer service. Yet, this process does mean that the first trip request strongly dictates the route / operating area of the vehicle, and if a number of subsequent requests are taken for a distant area, these cannot be managed. However, SPT indicate that his has not proved to be a major problem as yet.
D.26 All services operate on an area wide basis, although the trends in user use have resulted in some 'fixed route' sections developing on some services. SPT indicated that they do not consider that there is a lrge market for taxi-bus type vehicles at present as it would undermine the existing market.
D.27 All the services are operated by commercial bus operators and, although the option to include the taxi sector in the operation has been considered, SPT have made a decision to not at this time include taxis as part of the DRT system. A key reason for this was that in including taxis to cope with additional trips that could not be catered for by the DRT buses, there could be no way to refuse requests and manage capacity on the service.
D.28 SPT have undertaken some exploratory work in trying to work with employment sites to promote existing ring and ride services for particular trips ( e.g. to deliver employees to work sites) but these have as yet been unsuccessful, even when initially offering free travel on the DRT vehicles for short periods. The reasons behind this failure have not been fully understood.
D.29 There has been a noticeable variation in the success and patronage of the different ring and ride services, with some becoming busy very quickly and others having relatively few bookings. SPT have as yet found it difficult to isolate reasons for this.
Handicabs Lothian
D.30 Formed in 1981 by "people of goodwill" (charitable groups and organisations) to meet the needs of those requiring door-to-door transport in and around the Edinburgh area. Initially with three years funding from the Manpower Services Commission as a pilot project, subsequent funding has come from Lothian Region Council and then City of Edinburgh, East, West and Midlothian Councils, to operate the Dial-a-Ride (fully flexible DRT) and the Dial-a-Bus (destination specific shopping service) for those with mobility difficulties. They are also involved in a number of other related projects in the are - one of which is the Edinburgh based Scottish Executive Urban Pilot project.
D.31 Handicabs is currently operating out of three offices (Edinburgh, Dalkeith and Bathgate) with 33 vehicles (26 owned), 31 drivers with 14 dispatchers. There approximately 10 000 registered users, 36% of which use wheelchairs.
D.32 The key problem for the organisation has been the securing of long term funding throughout its existence. The majority comes via Service Level Agreements with the different local authorities, which are renewed at different times.
D.33 Staffing was also a key problem - particularly in the high employment area of Edinburgh. The change of entitlement of drivers to hold D1 licences for those passing tests after has also affected their ability to employ younger people. The cost of qualifying drivers to this level was comparable to gaining a full PSV licence and is prohibitive. The organisation indicated that they did not use volunteer drivers as the management of these was a full time job for an additional member of staff and there were benefits from using regular drivers with vulnerable passengers.
D.34 Handicabs do not undertake extensive marketing beyond the issuing of leaflets and their website. A key concern would be how to cope with the potential increase in demand. The organisation already has a "healthy" turn down rate and have to ration services to one advanced booking per passenger to avoid monopolisation of the service by some users.
D.35 Handicabs use a relatively old software programme (a forerunner of Trapeze) to allocate trips to vehicles, which is useful, but limited. Its primary benefit is for the Dial-a-Bus due to the complexity of scheduling a fully flexible area wide service. The destination specific shopper service (dial-a-ride) is more straightforward but also uses the system.
Fife Council Ring and Ride
D.36 Fife Council's Ring and Ride (Levenmouth and Kirkaldy) service was set up in March 2003 to offer door-to-door accessible transport for people with reduced mobility in the areas. The scheme operates 6 vehicles under S19 legislation with 12 drivers and 5 office staff. The scheme has attracted a large number of users and currently undertakes approximately 1000 passenger trips per week. The service is predominantly used for shopping (25%) and social visits (50%) for the registered members within the service areas.
D.37 Funding comes from the Council and is up for review at the end of the three year pilot. The ring and ride service has applied for further funding to expand the areas of operation, but this is yet to be assessed.
D.38 The service uses Trapeze software to schedule and control vehicle despatch.
D.39 The scheme has been successful with demand for the services stretching the resources of the DRT operation. Marketing was limited to leaflets in the service areas, and has not been expanded due to concern over coping with the expected increase in demand.
D.40 The Council representative reported extremely positive feedback from users, particularly from the majority of users for whom the service had freed from being housebound, as no alternative had previously existed for them to travel. This issue was highlighted as a key factor in assessing the value of operating such a service - i.e. assessing the social inclusion benefit of services and not just the cost per passenger trip.
D.41 The service has recently been given the go-ahead to expand Fife-wide over the next few years. This may have implications for the Scottish Executive funded pilots in the East Neuk of Fife and other DRT services in the area as Fife seek routes to expand and integrate services.
Dumfries and Galloway Ring and Ride Services
D.42 Dumfries and Galloway Council ( DGC) have three public DRT services operating in their area: one operated by Stagecoach (service 115) under an 'O' Licence in the Dumfries area, and two other services (Services 557 and 555 - developed after initial success with the 115 service gave confidence that other DRT services could be introduced) in more rural areas operated by DGC Education buses during non-peak periods when they are not required for school transport. In total the three services are undertaking approximately 110 trips per week.
D.43 The initial 115 service was developed as a route to find more effective use of transport resources in the Dumfries area. The service was designed as a result of combining expensive, but poorly used, subsidised conventional bus services and high cost specialist transport for those with mobility needs. This combined service is operating at half the cost, but taking the same passenger numbers.
D.44 Booking and control for the DRT services are operated in house by the Local Authority transport unit, without the use of any specific booking and control software.
D.45 There have been few major problems for the service. The combination of the two types of service for the 115 service has led to some issues relating to increased travel time and the need to phone in to book trips for passengers familiar with using conventional services.
D.46 The change of operator, enforced by a Stagecoach takeover of the local operator originally running the service, has led to the use of the same driver for the majority of trips, which has resulted in a better service for those with mobility difficulties, as they become familiar with the driver who may have to offer them assistance.
D.47 Of the two DGC run services, one has been slightly more successful, and this has been attributed to a more straightforward operation as it operates in a 'corridor' dictated by the local geography, and therefore is closer to a conventional service.
D.48 Extensive public consultation was undertaken prior to the introduction of the first service, and leaflets explaining operation were issued. There has been limited subsequent marketing.
D.49 There have been no problems registering services with the Traffic Commissioner, but DGC have experienced some problems in claiming BSOG for these services.
Midlothian Council Dial a Journey 01 and 02
D.50 Midlothian Council commissioned two taxi firm based public DRT services in March 2003 to serve a number of small settlements to the south of Edinburgh (Temple and Howgate) which had conventional subsidised bus services withdrawn due to increasing costs. Both services are focused on providing access to local services in town centres. There were also proposals for an additional 3 services along similar lines, but these were not developed due to financial constraints.
D.51 Two different local services are run by local taxi operators (under taxi legislation), with conventional bus fares charged to passengers. The difference between taxi and bus fares is topped up by the council to the taxi company. Taxi firms are under contract until March 2007.
D.52 Pressure from particular local Community Councils was key in selecting the particular routes to be chosen from possible five services offered. A key problem is with one service has been coping with the demand for the services. The 01 service from Temple is only available for two days per week (in line with the previous conventional bus service it replaced) and demand has far outstripped supply. To limit expenditure the costs have been limited by putting in place a maximum of 6 trips per day for this service.
D.53 The 02 service from Howgate runs daily and usage has stabilised after initial problems in meeting demand at times previously served by conventional buses.
D.54 The Council are keen to extend service but do not have the resources to do so. To develop services further within reasonable spending limits Midlothian Council are looking to link up with HandiCabs to assess their capability to run the services at less cost than a taxi firm, and under S19 legislation, taking advantage of the ability to offer S19 service to those with no access to PT as a result of lack of access to private transport.
The Highland Council Taxi Feeder Services
D.55 The Highland Council ( THC) commission four "taxi feeder" DRT services in remote areas of the region (Portree, Glenelg, Kinlochbervie and Assynt). The first of these was set up in 1998 in response to withdrawal of Post Bus and regular bus services. One other was introduced for similar reasons and the remaining two were set up as a result of Community Council calls for new services.
D.56 All services provide trips on a pence per mile basis, with the difference subsidised by THC to the taxi operators. Taxi operators were chosen mainly because they had the flexibility and despatch centres in existence to operate these services, in addition to existent radio links to vehicles. Services are designed to link passengers into the conventional bus network.
D.57 Current feedback suggests that these services are working well with the majority of trips used for shopping purposes- although there have been differences in passenger understanding of the DRT concept in different areas. Marketing has been predominantly the responsibility of the operators of these services, and this difference in understanding may be a result of different levels of investment in this by different taxi firms. Marketing and disseminating knowledge to users of services has been acknowledged as a key issue by THC for future implementation.
D.58 An additional service is about to be set up by THC in Grantown on Spey along similar operation to the existing THC services. THC indicate that there have been some difficulties in local taxi firm perceptions of how services will operate, and as a result the first responses to tender of these services were three times the value that the Council had considered appropriate. THC are currently in close consultation with taxi and bus firms in the area to spread understanding of how the services could operate in advance of a second tendering process.
Gaberlunzie (East Lothian)
D.59 The Gaberlunzie bus service was inaugurated in January 1999 as a DRT linking rural settlements in East Lothian with the local towns of Haddington and Dunbar. The service was designed to complement the existing network of conventional bus service and rail service links in East Lothian. The rural parts of East Lothian were split into a number of different operational areas, each having a fixed identified start point. The Council initially used Rural Public Passenger Transport Grant funding to invest in appropriate software (ArcView GIS Version 3.0) to develop a route-planning package to determine the best route for the vehicle on any particular day of operation.
D.60 The introduction of the service had some impact on the local taxi operation, but as this was a subsidiary of the DRT operators this produced few problems, and the operator indicated that the service offered a more affordable service for the elderly in the area, so was little concerned.
D.61 However, after a review of all subsidised bus services in 2001, the design and operation of the Gaberlunzie services was revised and moved closer to a fixed route bus service. The key driver for this was the unit costs. The service was running at approximately £12 per passenger trip and this was deemed to be too high to be sustainable. As a result of this the services was redesigned as a fixed route Monday-Saturday service, operating different routes on different days, with the ability to divert on demand. Trip requests are now taken by the operator and on-bus.
D.62 The service now receives approximately 5 telephone bookings per week, but in general is very poorly used - particularly on the days that it centres on Dunbar, rather than Haddington.
D.63 The general impression of the operator was that the service was very expensive and "probably not offering value for money for the purchaser", although with the fares and the subsidy the operator is still maintaining profitability. He also indicated that he felt that these sorts of market would be better served by a taxi style operation. However, it is important to note that the operator also indicated that it was a very small part of his operation, and that he did not have a day-to-day understanding of the service.
D.64 The service has claimed BSOG since its inception with no difficulties, and claims as if it was a conventional bus service, with the fixed route sections of the bus service stated as the estimate, and actual mileage used at end financial year for the claim.
North Lanarkshire Job Shuttle
D.65 North Lanarkshire Job shuttle is a service set up by CEiS (Community Enterprise in Strathclyde) under the umbrella of the Woking for Families Funding programme. The Jobshuttle Initiative is essentially about providing an underpinning service to the childcare and employment projects/activities by providing a travel solution/planning service using both existing travel infrastructure and by directly providing transport services.
D.66 North Lanarkshire has committed funding from the Working for Families fund of £3 million for the two year period. The Jobshuttle funding is £285,484 to the period March 2006, with the potential for a further two years funding and development opportunities for additional services / income generation.
D.67 The service is not designed to duplicate any other transport services, and uses travel planning staff to recommend users to existing transport resources, but does provide a CT minibus service for those that have no alternative options. In the longer term it is hoped that a CT scheme may be developed out of the project, of which the job shuttle will form a key part.
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