The city of Sofia is constantly growing in population and so do its new residential and office districts. This leads to an increased number of vehicles and more traffic. Air pollution is one of the major issues the city is facing, with measurements often exceeding the maximum thresholds of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter.
Modeshift Europe are helping Sofia take upon an ambitious project to launch an on-demand green public transport in partnership with the InnoAir initiative.
The Platform
On-demand green transport works by substituting the e-buses’ pre-defined routes with a map based on rider demand submitted via mobile application. The project will be based on an online platform and a mobile application – it will collect data (e.g. rider demand, traffic, weather, etc.), analyze it and then create the most efficient route for each ride, picking up as many passengers as possible along the way.
Modeshift Europe will engage a team of developers and data scientists and perform a series of advanced urban simulations to enhance the scaling capabilities and uptake of InnoAir. Our niche expertise allows us to contribute with innovation – design a concept for the On-Demand Public Transportation Platform and the necessary machine learning algorithms that need to be embedded. Telelink City and Modeshift Europe will develop the On-Demand Public Transportation Platform (WP5) which will include architecture design, installation and operation guide, interoperability and machine learning capabilities which are essential part of the concept.
The Goal
InnoAir’s overall objective is to improve air quality in the city of Sofia by introducing a holistic set of tools and a novel paradigm of public transportation, shifting the way people travel and dramatically reducing the use of personal vehicles – one of the major contributors to air pollution. The project will result in а significant behavioural change and broader use of public and active transport. PM and CO2 emissions will be reduced, contributing to the improved quality of air and, as a consequence – the health of the citizens.
This innovative public transport service will be implemented together with a wide array of initiatives: low emission zones, green corridors, congestion charge and promotion of active mobility. This coordinated effort of the city of Sofia is aimed at reducing air pollution, while also modernizing and innovating public transport.
Visit InnoAir’s website to learn more >>
The InnoAir project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Urban Innovative Actions Initiative.