“2 + 2 = 5”

What does mobility innovations mean to you? Some might say autonomous vehicles or even the Hyperloop. But what about a nationwide demand response service? Now that sounds innovative. In this bonus episode of Transit Unplugged, focussed on mobility innovations, Per Bo Christensen, CEO of FlexDanmark and Thomas Øster, Managing Director of one of the local transit systems, join Paul Comfort to discuss how a nationwide demand response service works in Denmark.

Approximately ten years ago, the major public transit agencies (PTAs) in Denmark banded together to create the demand response cooperative, FlexDanmark, to share resources and create more efficiencies. Leveraging a single dispatching source, they can make 2 + 2 = 5 because of the coordinated effort of leveraging ~500 operators during off-peak periods.

FlexDanmark is also leveraged to help rural areas of the country have a first- and last-mile option that feeds into the high-density routes. They’ve been able to eliminate inefficient rural routes, yet still provide a way for those citizens a way to get around using public transit.

Some of the reasons for the success of this program is Denmark’s nationwide ticketing system, a mixed financing model (PTAs on a pay as you go model for using FlexDanmark), and automating as many manual processes as possible (people taking calls). Using these techniques, they’ve been able to create economies of scale to drive the success of the program. However, the Denmark PTAs aren’t resting on their laurels - they are continually thinking of how to develop and improve their model. There isn't one model that works, so you need to test them out – some work, some fail, but you will see and learn a lot of interesting and positive things when you continuously look to innovate your mobility options.

Join us once a quarter for these bonus episodes highlighting some of the industry’s best mobility innovations. 

If you want to know more about FlexDanmark, you can check out their website.

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