Advancing Rural Mobility: Cutting-Edge Performance of Integrated Demand-Responsive Transport

Abstract

Integrated passenger–freight transport has primarily been developed in urban areas and for longdistance travel. This contribution presents a methodological framework for designing and assessing an innovative service called integrated demand-responsive transport (I-DRT) in rural regions. Using the Osterwalder Business Model Canvas, the framework outlines the requirements for infrastructure, vehicles, and personnel, as well as the implementation costs, revenues, and involved partners. The service's performance is evaluated based on key financial, operational, environmental, and social performance indicators. To test the practical viability of I-DRT, its implementation in Misano Adriatico (Italy) is assessed. The findings show a reduction in kilometers traveled, fuel consumption, and air pollution, while the service area expands, daily freight deliveries increase, and vehicle occupancy rates rise. Over a five-year period, the service also leads to an overall reduction in costs.