Mobility Matters Daily #177 - Multi-modality and the success of innovation
With another Tom Scott video to boot
Good day my good friend.
Another busy day, so another quick intro. Here are some links that are especially curated for you.
James
This free daily newsletter is sent to everyone. Paid subscribers get access to exclusive in-depth analysis once a week, and a tailored analysis on a policy issue once a month. You can upgrade at any time.
Assessing truly multi-modal service solutions is a challenge overcome, but rarely actioned
Many of us transport planners know that multi-modal modelling and analysis has been a thing for many years. Even now, Google Maps is offering the choice of parking at stations and riding the train as part of journey planning. But while reading this paper on integrating bike share and demand responsive transport, I got to thinking. Why is our delivery not multi-modal?
Research by the likes of Crist et al, Van et al, Glenn Lyons, and Angela Hull point to one thing. The capability and the tools are there, but the opportunity to apply is less so. Having the capacity to think and do these things is a different challenge to problems of method.
How successful is innovation?
Now that is a big question, and one that we struggled with when I worked at Transport Systems Catapult many years ago. But the UK Government has released the outcomes of its Transport Technology Research and Innovation Grants (T-TRIG) projects from 2020, in a report that tries to answer just this question.
In summary? A mixed bag, and if you are looking for big bang results inside a year you will be disappointed. Although the project by Meteor Power showing that having hydrogen as a fossil fuel additive to combustion engines could reduce emissions, and the project by Esoterix using a neural net to predict when there would be spaces on trains to maintain social distancing were interesting in their findings.
Random things
A few random things from the internet that you may find interesting:
Tesla hosts festival at Berlin gigafactory to announce start of production by December (TechCrunch)
Ordering in: The rapid evolution of food delivery (McKinsey)
Creating the Future of Cities with Regenerative Placemaking (The City Fix)
What will urban living look and feel like? (Urban Hub)
Once Upon A Pandemic, NYC Stopped Antagonizing Street Vendors (Next City)
Interesting things
Yes, I’ve had a bit of a thing for Tom Scott videos recently. But this one demonstrates the attitudes of some drivers perfectly. Listen to his words, and watch in the background.
If you do nothing else today, do this…
Sign up to Mobility Camp, of course