The demand responsive transport services: Italian approach

摘要

The dial-services are an excellent connection between classical forms of collective and private transport; they are the answer to the development of transport demand from homogeneous travels (home/office, home/factory, home/school in limited areas and periods) to not homogeneous travels (short continuous travels toward many different destinations); they are also the answer to the growing need of travels from specific consumers' classes such as disabled, elders and students. It is a new transport form more oriented to meet the consumers' requirements. It is possible to identify four operative levels of the DTRS (Demand Responsive Transport Services). Level one: fixed itineraries and fixed stops with possibility of access through booking. Level two: fixed itineraries with possibility of detours within specific boundaries and fixed optional stops. Level three: service with free routes between fixed points. Level four: service with free routes between free points. This paper aims at describing the above-mentioned transport systems and at analysing their efficacy, productivity and consumers' opinions, providing some examples experienced in Florence (PersonalBus) and in Genoa (DrinBus).