Smart city technology will ease urban congestion, give consumers a one-stop ticket for a variety of transport choices and, ultimately, even help them travel cheaper.
That’s the future envisioned by Scott Booker, general manager of the parking business unit of Arrive, the rebranded EasyPark company which brings its sub-brands Flowbird, RingGo, ParkMobile and Parkopedia under one umbrella organization.
It’s this one-stop model that city regulators and consumers can use to create a seamless travel experience both for urban dwellers, commuters and tourists, he argues.
“Smart cities are proving that sustainable mobility isn’t just good for the planet, it can also be more cost-effective for citizens,” Booker says during a virtual meeting with media from his London office.
Arrive is working with several European city authorities to bring public access to trains, trams, buses and parking together into a unified experience.
One advanced project was started by Arrive’s subsidiary, Flowbird, in the Principality of Monaco where its Monopass service provides users with an all-in-one digital hub with real-time travel information, personalized route options and integrated access to a wide range of mobility services.
It expects to help Monaco reduce light-vehicle traffic 20% before the end of the decade by transferring more consumers to public and shared transport options.
“It doesn’t have to be an either-or decision – mobility that’s more sustainable can also be more efficient and affordable,” Booker explains.
For motorists, urban parking options probably are among their greatest concerns, he says, but it’s not just about finding a free parking space.
“It’s about the entire experience, from the moment you leave your house to arriving at your destination,” he adds.
Bringing together parking access, payments and real-time availability into one seamless platform is the main way to improve the consumer experience, Booker believes, adding with parking on up,, the consumer could now be offered an integrated travel plan for moving around the future smart city.
What used to be a collection of disconnected services, from parking, transit and scooters, to ride shares, is now becoming an integrated ecosystem. “Cities across Europe are leading this shift, moving away from fragmented infrastructure and toward connected platforms that make movement simpler, more efficient and more sustainable,” says Booker.
This linking of all transport options will benefit both city regulators, urban residents and the traveling consumer all at the same time, he says.
“It doesn’t have to be an either-or decision. Mobility that’s more sustainable can also be more efficient and affordable,” Booker notes.
