TRANSPORTATION & MOBILITY
BUILDING THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE GOVERNMENT BY JEREMY GOLDBERG
A strategic approach to mobility provides a blueprint for effective public sector digital transformation.
T
echnology never exists separate from the past. It exists alongside technologies that are sometimes phased out or replaced, or others persist. We can’t always start from scratch. For example, a century ago, air travel changed everything. But centuries prior, humans imagined it might be possible. Now, our cities and mobility systems are changing. And much like commercial flight, we need to build the systems around technologies that allow us to support, regulate, and enable their operation. In 2018, the UN Development Program reported about 55% of the global population lived in cities. By 2050, the number will rise to 68%. And as city populations grow, we must support the increased demand. That means improving data capture and analysis and cloud systems that enable the necessary scale. It also means sustainability. Cities are also on the front lines of the fight against climate change, which means they can also be at the center of a green, resilient, and inclusive recovery. Antwerp, Belgium Antwerp built an application to manage inter-modal mobility in the city, serving as a baseline for transportation options like directions and mass transit routing. It has an immediate positive impact on residents and visitors and their ability to get around the city.
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62 | Smart City Miami
Mobility is at the forefront of addressing many of these problems, And it requires using all the available tools. In my opinion, mobility has four key areas critical to success. They are also central to governments’ broader digital transformation efforts: resident impact, sustainability, digital infrastructure and data, and partnerships. And if we can get these right for mobility, we are putting in place a blueprint that can be applied to other digital transformation efforts. Resident Impact It starts with a people-centered approach to how government operates and how partners and ecosystems engage with government to deliver for people. In my time as CIO for New York state, I saw that when a project did not have a strong, positive impact on people, the long-term chances of success went down dramatically. Mobility is a daily challenge in cities. And it has a high impact on everyone, but especially the most vulnerable who rely on public transit for work and recreation.
For example, in 2018, the Metro Vancouver System Transportation Authority developed a proof of concept for a solution to improve departure times. TransLink engaged partner T4G, an applied data company and a member of the Microsoft partner networks, for support. TransLink used a modeling approach running on Azure that produced the most accurate predictions using real-time bus location and road condition data. This worked because accurate bus departure information helps riders, helps people feel more comfortable and confident, and contributes to the overall livability of the region. Using machine learning, the number of riders who had to wait for more than five minutes went from 18% to 4%. So better use of data led directly to a drop in people who had to wait. Digital Infrastructure & Data Where are transit organizations headed? Shared digital infrastructure and data platforms or platforms to gather insights from across modes of transit. Residents do not want to be bogged down by which transport options are owned by who. They want to get where they are going. This creates a unified system and helps transportation departments plan for long-term needs, expansion, and energy sustainability. It also allows publicly available real-time data and recommendations to help individuals decide which modes of transportation to use for their needs. Data from a transit system will help leaders understand the transit and non-transit needs of the population. It will connect people with the public services and private businesses they want and need. And it’ll reduce transmission of disease and infection through touchless payments. And it will drive route optimization, improving the transportation flows in a dense urban environment.
