World Usability Day

onvenience ertaintyomfortonfidenceostC

Getting people out of their cars and into public transport

Alinta ThorntonUser Experience Lead

Independent Digital Media

BackgroundResults of user researchReal life scenarios


Conclusion

Mass movements are strongly affected by

individual choices, and these come down to

how each individual manages the trade-off with

the five Cs.

This trade-off is strongly affected by decisions

at a wider level that improve each aspect of the

five Cs.

AustraliaUSA Canada


Source: Kenworthy, JR 2003, Transport Energy Use and Greenhouse Gases in Urban Passenger Transport Systems: A Study of 84 Global Cities.

0

20

40

60

80

100

High income Asian

Motorised public (tram, bus, train, ferry)

Motorised private (car, motorbike)

Non motorised (walk, bicycle)

Western EU

%

http://cst.uwinnipeg.ca/documents/Transport_Greenhouse.pdf

The imbalance between car and public transport use in urban Australia:why does it exist?1David A. Hensher*Institute of Transport Studies, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia


Adults who usually take public transport to work or study: 59%

These people considered public transport more convenient, comfortable and less stressful than any other mode of travel. This was reflected across all age groups.

Costs less (28%)

Too difficult to park (23%).

-ABS, 2006

Reasons used


No service available at a convenient time (28%)

Prefer comfort and convenience and privacy of my car (27%)

Takes too long (20%).

Need own vehicle before, during or after work or study hours (13-14%).

Prefer to walk or cycle (6%)

ABS, 2006

Reasons NOT used


No service available at a convenient time (28%)

Prefer comfort and convenience and privacy of my car (27%)

Takes too long (20%).

Need own vehicle before, during or after work or study hours (13-14%).

Prefer to walk or cycle (6%)

ABS, 2006

Reasons NOT used

eedsNGetting people out of their cars and into public transport

Are there services?

Trip planning Info for non-locals Spur of the moment trips

Safety AlternativesGetting off correctly Waiting

Tickets

NEED: More services. More cross-city services. Services that connect with other PT types.

Convenience

Can I use public transport at all?

There’s no train service out my way. There’s only one bus service and that goes directly to the city. Too bad if you want to go anywhere else.

Are there services?


Convenience


I would love to get public transport all the time, to help the environment. But the bus service to [my suburb] are useless. On Saturdays they go every two hours, on Sundays there are two, and after 7pm weekdays the service stops.

There’s only one route, too. If you want to go anywhere other than [big shopping mall], tough luck! It doesn’t matter how cheap they make it, it’s got to go where you want to go.

Are there services?


Convenience


When I worked in the city, it was fine. Lots of trains and buses. Now I work in [a suburb], and it’s the pits.

It’s only a 15 minute drive, but there’s literally no service that connects to there. I’d have to go almost to the city and come back out again. As if!

Are there services?



Safety Alternatives

Are there services?

Getting off correctly Waiting

Tickets

eedsN

NEED: Accurate info about destination time to my stop

Certainty

How long will it really take?

I’m uncertain when I’m going to arrive, because the trip can take twice as long as on the timetable.

Trip planning

NEED: Simple point to point trip planning across all public transport types

Convenience

Which routes should I take?

A lot of planning is needed, it’s a pain. The need to plan stops me from taking public transport at night, because they aren’t standard routes. Like when I’m going to a party, or a concert venue.

Trip planning

NEED: More services point to point, across the city rather than into the hubs. Better connections.

Certainty

How can I get there without too many changes?

To get to my workplace from home, it’s a major hassle. I work in a suburb, not the city, so it’s a bus ride, then a train ride, then a change of train line, then a 10 minute walk. I have to leave lots of time to be sure of making the connections work. Once I was an hour late for work because two connections didn’t work.

I’m dressed in heels and carrying a laptop and briefcase, sometimes my gym bag as well, and it’s all too much.

Trip planning

Certainty

It’s too hard to plan

NEED: Simple point to point trip planning across all public transport types

If I’m going somewhere new I use my car, because easier to plan trip with street directory than try to call up the info service, or use the internet. It takes a long time and it’s easier to get in my car and drive.

Trip planning

Comfort

How comfortable will it be?

NEED: Info about standard of bus/train that’s on your route, at that time, on that day. aircon, etc.

If there’s bad weather, I drive. For instance if it’s hot, or it’s raining. If I could be sure my train is going to be heated/airconditioned, that would be different, but it’s a bit of a lottery.

Trip planning

Comfort


NEED: Better shelters. Info about which shelters have what standard of protection from elements.

You know, I’d probably get the bus more often if there was a proper bus shelter near my place. The closest one is just a sign, there’s nowhere to sit.

If it’s hot, I have to stand for up to half an hour in the hot sun. If it’s raining, or cold and windy, that’s not nice either. It’s a long walk to the next stop with a shelter and it doesn’t seem worth it.

Trip planning

Confidence


NEED: Better shelters. Pedestrian crossings for busy roads.

I don’t want my daughter to have to cross a major road, or wait for the bus in full sun. So I drive her.

Trip planning

Comfort

Can I get on that bus?

NEED: Info about accessibility of the specific bus in service and train stations.

Some buses are accessible for me in my wheelchair and some aren’t. I need to know which before I leave the house, because if it’s not, I can’t use the service at all. The same applies to train stations.

Trip planning

Confidence Comfort

Convenience

Planning my trip is difficult

NEED: a map to work out where the bus stop is, integrated with timetable.

I have to use Whereis to find where the bus stop is if I’m going somewhere I’m not familiar with. I need to know how close the stop is to where I’m going.

Trip planning

Convenience

Planning my trip is difficult

NEED: faster, easier to use trip planning service, by web and by phone, and also at the bus stop or train station.

I use the trip planner on the web or I call the info service. But the planner is hard to use. It gives me all these lists and choices that are really confusing. It’s hard to work out the route and where the stop is. Sometimes you call up and it takes so long you miss your bus. I’d like a map I can click on to say “from here to here” so that the web site or touch screen tells me how to get there.

Trip planning


Info for non-locals

Are there services?

Spur of the moment trips

Safety Alternatives

Are there services?

Trip planning


Tickets

eedsN

Convenience

Information at the stop or on the bus

NEED: bus drivers provided with information to assist passengers.

If I don’t have the right change, or I’m not sure of the route or when to get off, I walk or drive if it’s too far. The bus isn’t supportive of someone who doesn’t already know where they’re going. It relies on particular drivers to provide information and support and that is patchy. Sometimes they are unhelpful and sometimes they just don’t know.

Info for non-locals

Convenience

Non-locals have great difficulties

NEED: Non-local users need maps and information about times.

I don’t know where the routes go and whether that gets me to my destination. I don’t know what number to ring until I get to the stop. I can’t tell whether it takes me there just by the route name.

Certainty

Info for non-locals

Non-locals have great difficulties

NEED: Non-local users need maps, routes and information about times.

Visitors to this city should never use buses. They’ll have no idea where they’ll end up. Unless they know to use the phone service or you’re going to major destinations. You need a travel agent for anything off the major routes!

Info for non-locals

Convenience Certainty

Convenience

Doing a new trip is tricky

NEED: Information about frequency of route, exactly where the route goes, arrival time and where the bus stops/train stations are.

For a trip I haven’t done before, or one I don’t do often, I definitely need more information because I don’t know the frequency of that route.

Info for non-locals



Are there services?

Safety Alternatives

Are there services?

Trip planning Info for non-locals


Tickets

eedsN

Convenience

NEED: Information at the bus stop and through other methods (mobile phone web site, info call service) to help plan the trip.

Buses can get you most places but you have to do research to work it out. Too bad if you’re already out there on the street. You almost need to go home again to find out what to do!

On the street planning Spur of the moment trips

Convenience

When should I get off?

NEED: connection information across all PT types

It would be very helpful to know when the bus is coming up to a stop that has connections. That way I can make a quick decision to change my mind and go somewhere else. It doesn’t matter if that’s a ferry a train or a bus, as long as it gets me there.

Getting off correctly



Safety


Getting off correctly Alternatives

Are there services?



Tickets

eedsN

Confidence

NEED: Accurate info about when the bus will leave/arrive; more services late at night; taxi number or direct phone to taxi company available at stop.

There aren’t any buses late at night to my house from the train station. That means I have to call to have someone pick me up from the stop, or walk into a lonely deserted car park at night.Even when it’s earlier, I really need to know when the bus is coming, so I don’t end up standing at the deserted stop for ages. I also need to know how else to get there.

Saftey travelling at night Safety

Convenience

Safety travelling

NEED: Information about safety features of different stations to help people choose the right station to wait at

I have some concerns, travelling at night; even though I’m a man you’re still not safe on your own. Which stations are manned? Where is the panic button? Where are the cameras? Are there lights?

Safety

Convenience

Safety travelling

NEED: Up to date information about the expected arrival time of bus/train.

I like to time it so I’m not waiting too long at a dark station late at night.

Safety

Convenience

Safety travelling

NEED: Staffed stations; information about which are staffed and which not.

I strongly prefer stations where there are staff present. It makes me feel much safer.

Safety



Safety Getting off correctly

Are there services?eedsN


NEED: Show map info on web site, mobile phone site, so that users can see where the stops are relative to their destination. Show progress in the bus; show local attractions in the area. Display local streets around the stop both on the bus and at the bus stop after getting off.

It’s hard to know whether a particular stop is the closest to my destination.. should I choose another stop? Sometimes you get off, then walk for ages and find there was another stop just past where you were going.




NEED: Announcements of bus stop number and streets.

It’s harder to find where to get off in the rain and the dark. I know I have to get off at stop 55, but you can’t see the stop numbers from the bus. So I have to keep peering into the darkness trying to read stop numbers.

Certainty




Safety Getting off correctly Alternatives

Are there services?


Safety Getting off correctly Waiting

Tickets

eedsN

Confidence

NEED: Display taxi phone numbers at local bus stops. Alert taxi companies when serious problems are affecting specific routes.

If I get to the stop and find the bus has already gone, or is running late, I want to be able to hop into a taxi easily.

What are my alternatives? Alternatives

Confidence

NEED: Detailed arrival information at the stop/station.

It would be good to know when the previous bus has already gone so I know not to expect it. Like at the airport – when is it due according to timetable, when is it actually arriving (“oh yes, that’s the 12.25 bus”), and the bay number when you’re at a big station.

Should I catch this bus or make another arrangement? Alternatives

Certainty

Should I wait, or make another arrangement?

NEED: info that helps passengers make decisions around serious delays, such as traffic problems, track work, breakdowns

I want to know why it’s delayed so I can understand whether to make another arrangement or to wait. I don’t really care about the reason, just how long the wait will be.

Alternatives



Safety Getting off correctly Alternatives Waiting

Are there services?


Safety Getting off correctly Alternatives

Tickets

eedsN

Convenience

Which platform should I be on?

NEED: point to point trip planning while at the station.

I get to the train station, and there are all these lines I’m not familiar with. Two or three could possibly go near my destination but you can’t tell from the name of the line which one. So you go look at the board, and it has the lines, and by the time you work out which one to be on, the train it lists has probably already been and gone. It’s all very confusing.

Waiting

Convenience


NEED: information about trains on different platforms.

If you go down to the platform at the train station, all you can see is the train coming on that platform. You can’t see if there’s a more convenient one on another platform without going back out of the barriers again.

Waiting

Convenience

Is this the right train to catch?

NEED: information about other trains on the same platform.

Waiting at the station, all you can see is the upcoming train. My station, just 2 mins walk from my house, is one that trains only sometimes stop at. I can see the next scheduled train doesn’t stop there, but I can catch that train anyway and then walk the 15 mins from there to my place. Or I can wait for the next one. But I can’t see if that’s the one that goes to my station. It might be the same 15 minute walk, and all I do is arrive home later. It’s very frustrating.

Waiting

Convenience


NEED: information about the type of bus/train that’s about to arrive.

I need to know if the bus is “all stops” or “express” and whether it picks up at your stop. The express is much much better, it takes just 10 minutes to work instead of 35, so I have time for a coffee when I get there.

Waiting

Convenience

Is this the best bus/train to catch?

NEED: info about seat belts, airconditioning, accessibility. Protection from weather at stop

Am I going to have a comfortable ride? I want to know whether I should wait for the next bus, or whether that’s pointless.

Waiting

Certainty


NEED: info about how full the next train/bus is.

Football crowds fill up trains and you can’t get on – you’re there but you miss the train. It’s the same with schoolkids after school.

Waiting

Certainty


NEED: info about how full the next train/bus is. Flexibility to put on additional services when heavy usage.

I want to know when I can get on. Not just if it’s coming.. if it’s full it’s no use to me. You can’t rely on the timetable because a full train means there may as well not be a train at all.

Waiting

Certainty


NEED: when is the next bus that isn’t full? Put on services that leave from closer in to the city.

I live about 5km from the city centre. Services are often full when they get to me, or there’s standing room only. So I drive to work.

Waiting



Safety Getting off correctly Alternatives Waiting

Tickets

Are there services?eedsN

Certainty

Ticket problems

NEED: easy to use ticket machines or staff to sell tickets.

I hate the weekly tickets. Getting them is a pain and the machines are so difficult to use.

Tickets

cenariosSGetting people out of their cars and into public transport

Some scenarios from real life passenger stories


Is the bus on time?

S

Nadia needs to get to the gym before work

Convenience Certainty ?


Convenience Certainty ?


Convenience (Bus)

Certainty (Car)

Bus stop is closeCheaper

Parking station further awayWill make gym on timeMore expensive




Imagine this…


Connection certainty

A bus/train combination












Imagine this…


cenarios


Non-standard trips & non-locals

S

Gary and Misha, out of towners, going to a concert


?



?



?



Imagine this:


cenarios


Safety

S

Alexandra goes home late at night

Convenience Confidence






Imagine this:

cenarios


Planning

S

Bob and Dan leave the office











Imagine this:

cenarios


Ease

S

My trip around the city

AustraliaWanted to go to major local attraction. Visitor to the city; was already out and about when decided to do this.Arrived at stop to find Bus XX there. Didn’t know if it went past my destination or not. Driver didn’t know either. Got off.No information at bus stop other than surburb it ended at.Called phone service, who said catch bus XX. “It’s just left”, I said.The next one is in 5 minutes.I waited in 35C heat. Full sun. 20 minutes later I had sunburn but no bus. Gave up, flagged taxi.

My trip around the city

Hungary

Wanted to go to major local attraction. Visitor to the city; was already out and about when decided to do this. Unable to speak Hungarian; minimal German.Arrived at train station. Asked how to get to my destination. Was told take train XX and get off at station Y, change to platform 2 and take train AA to station BB.Paid a ludicrously small amount.On the platform, a sign counted up in seconds. This was seconds since the last train. It’s never more than 3 minutes.Train arrived in 60 seconds. Clean. Fast. Well signposted. Changed correctly. Got off correctly. Arrived at destination within 15 minutes.

Conclusion

o….…..S

Conclusion

Mass movements are strongly affected by individual

choices, and these come down to how each individual

manages the trade-off with the five Cs.

This trade-off is strongly affected by decisions at a wider

level that improve each aspect of the five Cs.

Contact

Alinta Thornton

User Experience Lead

Independent Digital Media

www.idmco.com.au

[email protected]

http://eezia.blogspot.com

Business

World Usability Day