On-demand transport that takes passengers to the beach

With almost 150,000 inhabitants, Rimini lies on Italy’s Adriatic coast, not far from San Marino. It is very popular with locals and Italians from other regions and holds great appeal for Italian youth for its excellent location, climate, catering and leisure, and its extensive beaches.

When summer arrives, tourists and locals alike flock to the city’s seafront. To alleviate traffic congestion, and the resulting problems of parking and dependence on private vehicles, the municipality of Rimini made the decision to implement a two-month pilot test with a Demand Responsive Transportation (DRT) system to complement traditional train and bus lines.

Through Rimining, the organism promoting tourism in the city, and Start Romagna, the area’s transport and mobility authority, Rimini City Council selected Shotl as the technology provider to develop the municipal DRT project.

The result was ShuttleMare, a free transport service to and from the beach that complements traditional bus and metro services in the city.

Solution

This operation made use of the two large subareas the city is subdivided into, one urban and the other maritime. Transfers between the two areas were allowed, but not within the same area. This facilitated the flow of journeys, reduced waiting and transit times, and improved the user experience.

The ShuttleMare service covered an area of almost 15 km2 and had more than 260 active stops, that is practically the entire city of Rimini. The vehicles were available every day from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. during the summer season. Users were able to request trips using the “Ride Now” and “Schedule Ride” functions of the app.

Outcome

The project attracted a lot of attention from the local media and was well received by the public. Just a few weeks after launch, ridership figures left little doubt about the success of the operation.

ShuttleMare brought a great asset to the city, since it not only applied the most advanced technology to public transport but was also a free service that was very well received by the public.

According to Roberta Frisoni, Mobility Councilor of Rimini, “ShuttleMare caters to all those who want to enjoy the beach and cannot get there. Many families, including elderly people that need an alternative way to move, are welcoming this new solution.”

Key results

• Average ridership over 1.000 passengers per week, reaching over 2.200 weekly passengers by the end of the operation.

• Number of vehicles increased from 3 to 4 in the middle of the operation in order to meet demand.

• Scheduled finishing date was extended for 15 days due to unexpected success of demand.

Beneficiaries

• Residents & tourists can now get to the beach and back to the city more conveniently without having to rely on private vehicles or the stress of having to locate parking spots.

• The bus operator has a more efficient, cost-effective digital solution, a direct communication channel with users and better data-based insights.

• Rimini City Council has improved transit services and quality of life for its citizens, and made Rimini a cleaner, greener, more attractive place to live and visit, at no extra cost.

• The local community has successfully adopted smart city mobility and technology. Younger generations are learning that it’s possible to travel around without owning a car.

Video

Follow this link to watch a video about Shotl’s operation in Rimini.