An experimental study for the decision-making support of shared transport options in Western Australia

Abstract

The road transport systems have a direct impact on both passenger and freight movements, leading towards negative environmental effects plus economical and societal costs. It has reached an alarming level. Afford to purchase more than one vehicle by an individual who can pay for it may solve the transportation problem for them; however, not everyone has a personal vehicle for movement. Moreover, providing public transport facilities to everyone on a demand basis or on time basis is not possible for several reasons. Further, personal or commercial vehicles are not being used all the time or not carrying passengers in full though it can afford with the number of seats available. One possible solution is to share these vehicles for minimising the number of vehicles and to ensure the effective use of vehicles. Thus, the shared transport systems, such as ride-sharing, car-sharing, car-pooling, or bike-sharing are the promising choice to facilitate good accessibilities to the city or urban living population, especially in a densely populated area. In this paper, we have worked with such shared transport options by collecting data through an online survey and analysed data in various ways. We have also designed and developed a decision support system for this data to offer the city planners in Western Australia to make informed decisions about the future transportation systems for their people. Finally, we have predicted on the use of rail transport, for example, how a train station can be used to facilitate the shared transport options for better accessibility.