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How built environment factors shape demand for demand-responsive transport services: spatiotemporal patterns from a German case study
Citation Link: https://doi.org/10.15480/882.17712
Publikationstyp
Journal Article
Date Issued
2026-07-21
Sprache
English
TORE-DOI
Journal
Volume
25
Article Number
101915
Citation
Case Studies on Transport Policy 25: 101915 (2026)
Publisher DOI
Scopus ID
Publisher
Elsevier
Demand-responsive transport (DRT) services are becoming increasingly important as a flexible supplement to fixed-route public transportation. However, many DRT services face challenges due to high operating costs. Spatially and temporally detailed insights into the influence of the built environment on DRT demand can provide a valuable basis for designing and operating DRT services cost-effectively. This study examines the impact of built environment characteristics on DRT demand using the example of a DRT service in southern Hamburg, Germany. We utilize DRT trip data from 2024 and spatial regression models at the level of small-scale grid cells. In addition to overall demand, we investigate five selected time-of-week periods to identify temporal differences in the significance of built environment factors. The results indicate that rail stations, hospitals, and population hotspots are key drivers of DRT demand across all periods considered. In contrast, factors such as dining establishments, cultural institutions, doctors’ offices, schools, and concentrations of workplaces were only significant during specific time periods. Grocery and retail stores negatively affected DRT demand outside their typical opening hours and had a strong impact not only on their own locations but also on neighboring areas. Access times to fixed-route public transportation increased DRT demand, but only during periods with comparatively weak public transit services, highlighting the role of DRT in addressing gaps in conventional public transportation. Based on these findings, we derive practical implications for operating DRT services in a more cost-effective and user-friendly manner.
Subjects
Microtransit
On-demand transport
Public transport
DDC Class
388: Transportation