Understanding the process of improving accessibility and affordability of inter-municipal bus transport system

European Transport Research Review

Original Paper

Eghosa Igudia¹  Matti Skoog²  Jean C. Mutiganda³ 

[1] De Montfort University Leicester, Leicester, UK;School of Business and Economics, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland;School of Business and Economics, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland;University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden;

关键词: Archetype theory;    Affordability;    Accessibility;    Costs;    Municipality;    Public sector;    Transport;    Finland;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12544-023-00598-x

 received in 2022-09-30, accepted in 2023-07-19,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

This paper examines the ways an inter-municipality bus system for passengers improved its accessibility and affordability for end-users at regional level. Using archetype theory, we conducted a case-study in FÖLI, a not-for-profit organization tasked with collective transport of passengers by bus in Southwest Finland. We find that FÖLI implemented a radical revolutionary change by introducing a new framework for the carriage of passengers by bus at a regional level, in which a zone free and flat fare policy applies. The sequence of change became central; with a continuous reorientation linearity aiming to improve the accessibility and affordability of collective transport by bus for commuters. The paper contributes to archetype theory by examining the relevance of accessibility and affordability in the configuration process of designing and implementing change, and extending knowledge in this area. Specifically, for the first time, our research shows the way in which FÖLI used the accessibility and affordability policy as an interpretative scheme to design and implement the change process successfully. The practical implication is that municipalities understood the relevance of improving collective transport infrastructures (roads, systems and technologies) to attract commuters as a way of saving total costs to fund underperforming buslines.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© European Conference of Transport Research Institutes 2023

【 图 表 】

Fig. 5