Bus Rapid Distribution
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | VIKTORIA SWEDISH ICT AB - IT-forskningsinstitut Viktoria AB |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 500 000 |
| Project duration | May 2015 - August 2016 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | Challenge-Driven Innovation – Stage 1 initiation |
Purpose and goal
In order to have less disturbance from the freight carriers vans, in this project, we aimed to conceptualize a more sustainable solution. The solution is based on a mobile depot (e.g. a bus, truck, barge, or tram) that circles the city, while a team of people using ultra light vehicles, like bikes or segways, link to it and distribute the last mile. The main aims of the project were to: - Better conceptualize the solution - Analyze utilization of the suggested solution - Map stakeholders, their needs & goals - Develop partner cluster and design prototypes
Expected results and effects
Our initial analysis shows that such a system can be environmentally and socially better for the city context, while maintaining economic viability above a certain utilization rate of the mobile depot for the transport operators. The stakeholder analysis revealed that all issues are deemed solvable at short or long term with coordination of the actors (both individuals and organizations) and resistances to change to be the main issues in implementation. A partner cluster has been developed and initial work is conducted towards finalizing prototypes and moving to demo.
Planned approach and implementation
Our analysis revealed that the suggested solution can be beneficial from an environmental and social point of view in terms of improving air quality and lowering CO2 emissions, noise intrusion, congestion and visual intrusion, and still remain economically competitive for transport operators (i.e. when the cost gap of the vans and the small vehicles equals the fixed cost of the mobile depot). While more studies are required to understand the drawbacks of this system, the major issues we found were related to coordination, resistances to change and turf protections.