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1.1.1 The concept of «сommunication type» and «service form»

The communication type in passenger road transport is understood as a stable organized system of passenger movement between the points of origin and repayment of trips, determined by the territorial coverage, mode of operation, as well as requirements for the quality and safety of transportation.

The service form describes the way the service is provided within the selected type of communication: a fixed or variable route, the presence or absence of a timetable, the type of rolling stock, the order of boarding and disembarking and ticketing, the degree of integration with other modes of transport.

1.1.2 Сommunication type сlassification

– By territorial coverage:

• urban – transportation within a locality or urban agglomeration; characterized by short trips, high unevenness in time of day, a significant proportion of standing passengers, frequent delays are possible;

• suburban – the city’s connections to the nearest rural or suburban belt (usually up to 50—70 km); a significant proportion of pendulum labor and study trips, an increased role of regularity and availability of seating;

• inter-municipal – connections between neighboring municipalities within the subject; average distances, pronounced direction of flows to administrative and commercial and business centers;

• intercity – connections between large centers within the country; increased demands on comfort, safety, service on the way and infrastructure of stops;

• international – cross-border transportation; the requirements of passport and customs control, coordination of schedules, contractual liability and insurance coverage are added.

– By regularity and method of organization:

• regular routes (according to the schedule and with the approved scheme of stops): urban/suburban/intercity lines, express routes;

• irregular transportation: corporate and shift buses, school and social transportation, sightseeing and tourist flights, transfers, special events;

• taxi transportation: individual and side trips, fixed or dynamic price, mainly door-to-door;

• fixed-route taxis /micro routes: small and medium-sized buses on fixed routes with flexible stops «on demand», often with increased frequency and variable routing in peripheral areas;

• On-demand services: trips along dynamically generated routes in areas of low and dispersed demand; used as an independent service or as a «last mile».

– By functional purpose:

• public communication for general use;

• socially oriented transportation (preferential categories, low mobility citizens);

• targeted transportation (school, shift, medical, corporate);

• tourist and sightseeing tours;

• Airport/station express trains (intermodal links).

1.1.3 Criteria for attribution and selection of the сommunication type

When choosing the сommunication type and the service form, the following factors are taken into account:

• spatial planning parameters: building and population density, the structure of the road network, the presence of dedicated lanes, connectivity and hierarchy of centers of attraction;

• transport demand: the magnitude and unevenness of passenger flows by hour/day/season; the matrix of the origin and repayment of passenger flows; average range and travel goals;

• quality requirements: travel time and its predictability, regularity, travel interval, comfort, accessibility (low floor, ramps), information support;

• operational and economic conditions: rolling stock productivity, capacity utilization factor, cost of transportation, work and rest conditions, availability of depot infrastructure;

• Safety and sustainability: compliance with technical regulations, transport safety;

• Integration: transfer hubs and synchronization with railway, tram/metro, carsharing, taxi;

• Unified tickets and tariff agreements.

1.1.4 Communication types

Urban communications:

• Main bus lines: high corridor flows, dedicated lanes. Application: central and radial corridors, connection of main gravity nodes, subway unloading;

• Feeder routes: passenger collection/distribution in medium and low density areas to main lines and transfer hubs. Application: «the last mile», new residential areas;

• Express routes: home—work/study pendulum peaks. Application: periphery – center, center – subcenters.

• Fixed-route taxis/micro routes: flexible tracing, stops «on demand». Application: areas with curved street network, evening and night periods;

• Night lines and event routes: sparse grid, reinforcement for events. Application: ensuring the continuity of urban mobility.

Suburban services:

• regular commuter buses: straightness of the route and seating, connection to railway junctions;

• Express Suburb: limited stops, synchronization with work schedules.

• Inter-municipal, long-distance and international communications:

• Inter-municipal/inter-regional regular lines: schedules with relatively large intervals, intermediate bus stations, sanitary breaks.

• intercity express trains and comfort classes: increased cabin standards, information services, online ticket sales with seat assignments;

• international buses: coordination with checkpoints, document requirements, specifics of insurance and carrier liability.

Taxi and registered transportation:

• taxis (individual and passing): minimization of waiting time, door-to-door service, price differentiation (economy/comfort/business);

• corporate and shift transportation: closed schedules, special safety and accessibility requirements;

• school and social transportation: specialized rolling stock, escorts, routing standards and travel time;

• tourist/sightseeing: seasonality, eventfulness, sightseeing routes, guide service;

• airport transfers and shuttles: fixed/semi-fixed routes, taking into account flight schedules, availability of luggage space.

1.1.5 Niche – a form of service

To choose a form of service for a specific niche, it is advisable to follow the following guidelines:

Demand level (pass/hour/direction):

– high and stable → mainline bus, express lines;

– average, with pronounced peaks → regular routes with hourly output profiling;

– low/dispersed → micro routes, taxi/sharing solutions.

Travel time and predictability requirements:

– high time value → express trains, taxis, airport shuttles;

– moderate → regular bus with priority on the street network.

Travel distance and comfort:

– over ~60—90 minutes on the way → priority of seats, comfort services;

– short city trips → standing load is allowed when checking occupancy.

Integration and transfers:

– availability of mass transfer nodes → feeder routes, synchronization of schedules, single tariff;

– peripheral areas without hubs → microtransport as a basic service.

Infrastructural conditions:

– opportunities for dedicated lanes/corridors → trunk lines;

– narrow streets, unstable traffic conditions → small/medium rolling stock, micro routes.

Social priorities:

– school/social transportation → specialized regulations, rolling stock with special requirements;

– areas with a high proportion of low-mobility population → low-floor buses, tactile and visual information.

1.1.6 The role of сommunication types in multimodal transport chains

Passenger road transport acts as:

• a mainline component where there are no other types of high carrying capacity.;

• a feeder link for rail and urban rail transport, ensuring the collection/distribution of flows;

• a universal «filler» of network gaps in peripheral and rural areas;

• the «last mile» service to increase the actual accessibility and attractiveness of the entire core public transport network.

1.2 Social significance and service accessibility indicators

Passenger automobile transport is a necessary part of urban and regional life. It connects residential areas with workplaces, schools, clinics, social services and leisure facilities. Its role is measured not only by the number of passengers transported. The main thing is the ability to keep people’s daily routes in working order during fluctuations in demand, during rush hours, in bad weather and during disruptions.

Accessibility is not a single number, but a combination of factors. Spatially, the proximity of stops and the quality of pedestrian approaches are important: you need to get to the stop quickly and safely and just as easily make a transfer. In time, expectations, the actual speed of the trip and compliance with schedules become crucial: for a person, it is not the «average» speed that is more important, but the confidence that he will get to the right interval without major delays.

Physical accessibility means the possibility of a safe and convenient trip for low-mobility groups of the population: a low-floor bus, barrier-free boarding, duplication of information by voice and on the scoreboard, accounting for additional time during boarding and disembarking.

Economic accessibility is the cost of a trip commensurate with income and preferential mechanisms that work.

Information – clear routes and fares, convenient digital planning and payment services.

Institutional – simple and transparent rules for using the service and working feedback channels.

The decision to choose a bus is also influenced by subjective quality – a sense of safety, cleanliness, and clear navigation. For network planners, the regularity and reliability of schedules, the actual intervals by time of day, cabin occupancy, and the proportion of standing passengers in congested areas are important.

The social function of the bus is particularly noticeable where demand is low and dispersed. It is economically unprofitable to maintain frequent movement of large vehicles in such areas. Small and medium-sized rolling stock is more efficient, with more flexible stop patterns and on-demand service. But all these solutions give maximum effect only with normal connection to the main public transport network: agreed schedules, common fares and convenient transfer points. In large agglomerations, it is critical to maintain a balance between the capacity of the main corridors and the configuration of transportation connections: not only the average travel time depends on this, but also the stability of the system in case of demand surges and local disruptions.

Bus systems can be deployed faster and cheaper than rail systems. This allows you to quickly adjust the offer to changes in settlement and business activity. Flexibility is a strong point of the bus, but it does not negate the need for stability of basic services.

The issue of equity is equally important: access to transport should be distributed without bias between districts and population groups. The best social impact is provided by projects that tighten up weak areas and do not worsen the situation in already busy corridors. This requires clear tools for diagnosing transport vulnerabilities, taking into account the needs of passengers with limited mobility, and targeted tariff support so that the price does not become a barrier. It is often enough to improve information – to make schemas and applications clearer, and crash alerts more reliable.