The document summarizes a pilot transport on demand project run by the Intermunicipal Community of Médio Tejo in Portugal. The project provides flexible public transportation services using taxis and minibuses to 13 municipalities with low population densities and insufficient regular public transport. Riders must make reservations. Since starting in 2013, the project has expanded routes and ridership while reducing costs. It fills critical mobility gaps for residents and improves access to services. Evaluations find high user satisfaction and the model shows potential for optimized and more sustainable rural transportation.

2. The Intermunicipal Community
Legal person of public right| Instance of local power and Intermunicipal
cooperation| Consists of 13 municipalities
Intervention Areas:
Territory Management Tourism and Culture Education and Training
Civil Defence Mobility and Transportation Professional Qualification
Sports Entrepreneurship
Administrative
Modernization
Community Funds
Management
Purchase Central
Geographic Information
Systems

3. The Médio Tejo Territory
13
municipalities
70 thousand
job places
247 thousand
inhabitants
3344 km2
23 thousand
business units

4. The Médio Tejo Territory
Population Structure
 6 cities that concentrate
nearly 30% of the population
 About 60% of the population
lives in places with less than
2.000 inhabitants, where the
implementation of a regular
transport service finds
increased difficulties.
 In the more rural areas, the
access to equipment and
services by the population
presupposes, almost always,
the travel to the polarizing
urban centres.

5. The Médio Tejo Territory
Regular Public Transport Network
 Shortage of passenger transport
services in areas of lower
population density, where
commercial operation is found
unfeasible, causing social
inequalities in access to public
transportation;
 Schedules adapted only to school
transport, with very significant
service breaks during the day, on
weekends and holidays and during
school holidays;
 Defective interconnection
amongst existing transport
services

6. The pilot experience of the Transport on Demand
The Problem…
 In low-density areas the regular
public transport, with schedules and
fixed routes is uneconomical and
unattractive
The Goal…
 Study new public transport solutions,
adapted to areas of low population
density, in a perspective to promote
the basic right to mobility, in a logic
of social inclusion
The Solution…
 Flexibility of the offer with a view to
better adapt to the demand,
reducing functioning costs and
optimizing the service conditions =>
Transport on Demand
Services
Suppression
Fewer
Schedules
More places
without
service
Reduced and
disperse demand
Long distances
and high travel
times
Unattractive
offer
High costs
Increased
operating
deficits
Offer reduction Social Exclusion

7. The pilot experience of the Transport on Demand
From the project to the start in the field
2012
• Lack of legal framework for the implementation of flexible transport services in
Portugal
June
2012
• Order No. 7575/2012 of June 1, 2012 the Secretary of State for Public Works,
Transport and Communications - Authorizes the Intermunicipal Community of
the Médio Tejo to develop the pilot project of Transport on Demand
January
2013
• Starts the implementation of the Transport on Demand service in the Médio Tejo
(municipality of Mação)
2014
• The project Transport on Demand in the Médio Tejo is presented in the Strategic
Plan of Transport and Infrastructures of the Portuguese Government, as
experimental reference to the dissemination of flexible transport in Portugal
2015
• New Legal Regime of the Public Passenger Transport Service, which decentralizes
Transport Authority powers to CIM’s and Municipalities and frames the flexible
passenger transport public service

8. Transport on Demand Pilot Experience
Fundamental Principles
• Only works in places and times of the day without
regular public transport supply
• Routes and coordinated schedules with other
existing transport services (regional services,
railway,…)
Complements the existing
supply of public transport
• Are available schedules and routes that meet the
most common/general needs of the population
Does not replace the Taxi
• Connecting more rural places to their respective
parish offices, to meet the travel needs for services
that are located there and, from these, to the
county seats and the nearest town
Ensure mobility within the
municipality
• Ensures a minimum of 3 circulations/day to allow
travel to the early morning to the county seat (near
the services opening hours) and return around
lunch time and in the evening
Guarantees minimum
levels of service

9. Transport on Demand Pilot Experience
How does it works?
The Transport on
Demand has circuits,
stops and defined
schedules, like the
regular transport.
To use the service
customers have to
make a prior
reservation to the
schedule they want.
The booking central,
registers the
reservations and
organizes the transport
supply according to the
requests.
Daily the vehicles only go to the stops where there are
travel reservations.
CIMT
 Registo e Confirmação de
Reservas / Reservas de última
hora
 Identificação das rotas a
realizar (Listagem ordenada
dos clientes a recolher por
horário e paragem)
 Relatórios de Estatísticas de
Passageiros e de Linhas
Rodoviária do Tejo / Táxis MaçãoVeículos aderentes

10. Transport on Demand Pilot Experience
How does it works?
 The service of reservation requests and
operation management are ensured by
CIMT, using a computer platform.
 The transport service is provided
mainly by local taxis.
 The taxis adherent to the service are
paid according to the number of km
made, by deducting the received tariff
revenues.

11. Transport on Demand Pilot Experience
How does it works?
 The tariffs are about 1.5 x regular
routes price / corresponds roughly to
the taxi trip value divided by 4
passengers (echelons depending on
distance 1,60€ a 5,10€)
 For more frequent travels a book of 10
pre-purchased tickets is available, with
30% discount.

12. Transport on Demand Pilot Experience
Service Evolution
January 2013
Start of the Experiment
Médio Tejo ToD:
 5 circuits
 68 stops
 4.000 people served
September 2013
Widening to the entire
municipality of Mação
Médio Tejo ToD:
 8 circuits
 112 stops
 7.300 people served
May 2014
Widening to the municipalities
of Abrantes and Sardoal
Médio Tejo ToD:
 13 circuits
 245 stops
 37.300 people served

13. Transport on Demand Pilot Experience
Service Evolution
March 2016
Widening to the municipality
of Ourém
Médio Tejo ToD:
 27 circuits
 446 stops
 64.300 people served
May 2016
Widening to the municipalities of
Tomar and Vila Nova da
Barquinha
Médio Tejo ToD:
 30 circuits
 526 stops
 75.100 people served

14. Transport on Demand Pilot Experience
Partnerships Examples
In Ourém municipality, the
implemented circuits carry out on
alternate days of the week
(improving the demand
aggregation), in combined
schedules with health services
(the days and hours of the
Transport on Demand functioning
match the schedules of medical
appointments)
Coordination of the
Transport on Demand
with Health Services

15. Transport on Demand Pilot Experience
Partnerships Examples
In the municipality of Vila Nova
da Barquinha, it is functioning in
a mixed solution: operation
through the use of the available
capacity of school transport +
operation by taxi
transportation.
All schedules are coordinated
with the inter-regional and inter-
cities trains in the
Entroncamento Train Station.
Coordination of the
Transport on
Demand with the
School Transport and
Rail Services
Route taken
by school
transport
Route taken
by taxi

16. Transport on Demand Pilot Experience
Service Statistics
2013 2014 2015 2016
(Jan.-Apr.)
75%
80%
95%
100%
% days with reservations
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2013 2014 2015 2016
(Jan.-Apr.)
4.600 passengers
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
18000
20000
2013 2014 2015 2016
(Jan.-Apr.)
51.000 km traveled

17. Transport on Demand Pilot Experience
Service Statistics
Travelled about 7% of the km
that would be needed to
accomplish through a regular
service
Progressive reduction in the operating
deficit – currently in the order of
5€/passenger and 0,54€/km
Income coverage rate of the total costs of
35% (2016)
theoretical km - regular service
km covered in Transport on
Demand
0 €
5 €
10 €
15 €
20 €
25 €
30 €
35 €
40 €
45 €
2013 2014 2015 2016
(Jan.-Apr.)
Total costs/passenger
Total income/passenger
0
0,5
1
1,5
2
2,5
3
3,5
4
2013 2014 2015 2016
(Jan.-Apr.)
Total costs/km
Total income/km

18. Transport on Demand Pilot Experience
Some Conclusions
 Sharing problems and
experiences creates
better solutions.
 Better structuring of the
network and
coordination between
services.
 Scale economies in the
operation of services.
 On average are made
about 7% of the km
that would be
required to travel
with a regular basic
service.
 67% of travels are made for
health reasons.
 It allows to give a qualified
answer to mobility needs of
the population living in areas
of low population density,
particularly for
disadvantaged groups / most
at risk of social exclusion.
Social relevance of the
project
Importance of the
regional approach
Constitutes a more
economical solution
and greater
environmental
sustainability
compared to the
regular network

19. Transport on Demand Pilot Experience
Some Conclusions
 Since the beginning of the
service the income coverage
rate over the costs
increased from 8% to 35%.
 The demand knowledge
elapsing from
mandatory reserve is a
key factor for the
continuous
improvement of the
service.
 72% of customer use
the service more than
once.
 High levels of
satisfaction (greater
comfort, shorter travel
times than regular
service, …)
There is a learning
way to go / solutions
optimization, aiming
at the sustainability of
the service
Great flexibility to
adapt to people’s
needs
Quality of service
and high levels of
satisfaction

20. Thank you!
Maria do Céu Albuquerque
President of the Intermunicipal Council of CIM Médio Tejo
Portugal
transporteapedido.mediotejo.pt