Staff Shuttle Bus Service A route for a better commute

Transcription

1 Staff Shuttle Bus Service A route for a better commute A Transport Mobility Management (TMM) Initiative for Abu Dhabi

2 What is the Staff Shuttle Bus Service? The shuttle bus service is designed to offer company staff a form of transport that is an alternative to the car, and can comprise all or part of an individual s journey to and from work, and between the workplace and other sites on company business. Shuttle buses encompass several different types of services and the service suited to your organisation depends on different local factors. What are the benefits to your organisation? The staff shuttle bus service can be very effective in tackling issues of congestion on urban streets, owing to their high capacity. A single bus could highly reduce the number of vehicles on the road space relieving road space and increasing speed of flow. In addition, shuttle buses can: Help to reduce local parking pressures Provide a high quality, frequent and sustainable alternative to a private car Increase reliability of staff arrival time at work Provide an environment for staff to relax or work in on-board the bus Improve employee benefits and travel options Improve staff safety and reduce stress

3 What are the benefits to Abu Dhabi as a whole? As can be seen in the illustrations, significant amounts of road space can be saved through staff switching to a shuttle bus service from their cars. This contributes to a more sustainable and efficient public transport system, and yields environmental benefits too, through reduced emissions and better air quality. A large amount of road space can be saved by providing a shuttle bus for staff What are the benefits for your staff? A large amount of road space can be saved by providing a shuttle bus service for staff. Company shuttle buses tend to be high specification services and therefore provide a more pleasant and comfortable journey. Other benefits include: Provides a convenient and cost-effective way for staff to travel to work. Reduces the reliance on private car and provides a suitable alternative, when own-transport is not available. Reduces the amount of time staff spend commuting as a shuttle bus service will reduce congestion and improve traffic flow. Faster and more direct services than equivalent public operation serving the same locations as there are typically fewer alighting stops. Provides an opportunity to relax or work which cannot be done whilst driving.

4 How will they meet your needs? The Right Fit Depending on your requirements, the DoT can assist and advise on obtaining the right vehicles to suit your needs from small 10-seater mini buses to large executive coaches, and can be either mixed or single gender, allowing for a flexible approach. At Work On Board Vehicles can be tailored to meet your requirements. They can be equipped with Wi-Fi to make the most of the time saved, and swipe -in readers can allow staff to start their day as soon as they get on board. Marketing Promoting these services is vital in spreading awareness and encouraging high levels of usage amongst staff. Therefore, the DoT is able to provide advice on how best to achieve this including special branding for your vehicles (so called vehicle wrapping ) to promote both your organisation and the service. A company can provide several different types of services which include: On demand services Some organisations may opt to provide on-demand shuttle buses for their staff. These are most applicable to organisations with irregular or seasonal operations that may require the movement of large volumes of staff at relatively short notice. Major events operators, for example, may have a fleet of vehicles at their disposal for specific periods of time. They may own these vehicles or have a leasing agreement with another company or operator. Fixed Routes These services follow the normal operating procedures of public bus routes, but are reserved for employees of a particular business or group of businesses. They usually connect the major nodes with the business in question. For example, a major pharmaceutical company operates on the edge of a large town, but its corporate offices in the city centre may have staff buses connecting the town s bus or coach station, airport, large housing areas and central business district as well as the company s two main sites. This has the advantage of not only encouraging the use of sustainable transport options for purposes of commuting, but also attracts large portion of business-related journeys. These services could run all day, or just at certain times (such as shift changes). Depending on the nature of the business they may operate through the night, just weekdays, or only peak times, for example.

5 Park & Ride These services are generally relatively short in length and duration, and link designated car parks with the company they serve. Typically these car parks are located outside the immediate central areas but usually within a distance of less than 7km from their destination. These can be run by either: Individual companies typically where they have large concentrations of staff on a single site or adjacent sites and have their own private car parking facilities such as major headquarters, large campus universities A series of agencies public or private that may serve staff from several organisations all working at the same approximate location such as airports, large business parks or theme parks; or A single agency or company that runs the car park and shuttle bus to a particular locations, but serves anyone who wishes to use the service such as local authorities serving city centres from edge-of-centre car parks. The first two of these approaches are usually free at the point of use as they are usually a staff benefit provided by their employer, with the latter the public service option often requiring a fee, either to park, or use the bus, or both.

6 Case Study Abu Dhabi Department of Transport (DoT) Shuttle Service The DoT employs a fleet of 3 buses operating within Abu Dhabi, with a further 2 larger 50-seat buses offering respective services from Al Ain and Dubai. Services are extremely popular among staff, and take many cars off of the road at peak commuting times. How can the Department of Transport assist with setting-up a Staff Shuttle Bus service for your organisation? The DoT is committed to making it as easy as possible for your organisation to start running staff shuttle buses. They can help with: Staff travel surveys to understand the demand and optimise your services Developing a service strategy (routings, timings, etc.) Help to acquire vehicles and deliver a marketing strategy Help to promote awareness and monitor usage. Who to contact for more details If you are interested in finding out more about shuttle bus services or looking for assistance from the Department of Transport to implement TMM measures for your organisation please contact: Transportation Mobility Management e: info.tmm@dot.abudhabi.ae t: w: