A trial of bus services that arrive when and where commuters need them is about to take place in Sydney.
The trials could include special bus services on suburban routes that respond to where and when extra buses are needed.
Data including how people travel, weather, and special events will be used to create public transport planning changes in real time.
“Imagine a network where you don’t need to check the timetable because the right numbers of trains, buses or ferries arrive when and where they need to,” New South Wales (NSW) minister for transport Andrew Constance says.
“This future is not far off if we are quick off the mark.
“We are calling on industry and tech leaders to get involved and submit expressions of interest to run the trial, which will be working by the end of 2017.
“I want to see a network that can cut down on travel delays by automatically putting on extra services in wet weather or extra buses from a footy team’s home suburbs to away games.”
Expressions of interest from tech developers for the on demand transport trial will be released in December 2016 with responses from industry due by February 2017, with all pilot programs are expected to be operational by the end of next year.