public transportation — Blog — Sage Perspectives Blog

Will Autonomous Vehicles Mean the End of Public Transit?

Autonomous vehicles will mean the end of public transportation…or will they?

Autonomous vehicles (AVs), sometimes referred to as driverless or self-driving cars, have the potential to dramatically reshape our transportation systems. Some of these changes may be positive; AVs could improve road safety by reducing accidents caused by human errors and could open up new transportation options for individuals with disabilities. One significant area of concern, however, is how AVs might compete with other transportation modes, including public transit.

Community transport - a mobility service with a social dimension

Around the world, public transportation (PT) services are the most common and longest-established type of “shared mobility”. When we now think about rural areas, this concept of PT is at odds with rural mobility patterns, where population density is lower and population is usually scattered in numerous small settlements, from individual farm sites to country towns. This translates into a low density of demand. One way to combat this is by giving more space to locally planned and operated services and to develop better-tailored solutions and more cost-efficient ways of service provision.

Low caps on e-scooter speeds encourage sidewalk riding

Many cities are turning to speed limiters for electric scooters to address concerns about rider safety and conflicts with pedestrians. But mandating low travel speeds may mean more e-scooters on the sidewalks, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suggests.