In this next phase, K2 will broaden its focus from public transport to collective mobility, adopting a more holistic perspective on shared transport systems. Traditional public transport will remain the backbone, but other forms of shared mobility solutions will also be integrated into the research.
Researchers affiliated with K2 have reviewed existing research on vision processes and analysed several visions that have influenced the Swedish transport system over time. The results are summarised in the knowledge overview Visions of the Future Transport System.
Malin Henriksson from VTI is one of the researchers involved in the overview.
"Vision work can be an important unifying force, helping to mobilise stakeholders within a particular field," says Malin.
Jean Ryan, a researcher at VTI, conducted the study in collaboration with Aaron Nichols from the Technical University of Munich.
– We chose to study accessibility to lower secondary schools because children of this age often begin navigating the city independently. It's also during these formative years that travel habits are typically established. Children who cycle or use public transport in their teens are likely to continue traveling sustainably as adults, explains Jean Ryan.
Mats Fred and Alexander Paulsson from Lund University have studied how Skånetrafiken and Västtrafik developed their own apps for journey planning and payment. Both organisations opted to design and build their solutions in-house.
One driving factor behind this decision was dissatisfaction with external providers of prepaid ticket card systems previously in use.
– The externally procured solutions were perceived as inflexible and failed to meet expectations at the time, explains Alexander Paulsson.
Jeffrey highlights the importance of understanding the factors behind different mobility patterns, as this knowledge can help define the path toward a more sustainable transport system.
– The conclusion is clear – greater financial investment in expanding, improving, and maintaining public transport systems is strongly associated with higher public transport usage, explains Jeffrey.
Från 2025 fortsätter K2 i en ny fas som nationellt kunskapscentrum för kollektiv mobilitet. Vi forskar om hur kollektiv mobilitet, med kollektivtrafiken som ryggrad, kan bidra till framtidens attraktiva och hållbara städer och regioner, samtidigt som vi bidrar till lärande och kompetensutveckling för aktörer inom området. K2 ska fortsätta erbjuda en plattform för samverkan mellan forskare, samt mellan forskning och praktik.
"The decision underscores the need for a national knowledge centre for collective mobility as a basis for accessibility in and between sustainable cities and regions. Much of what has been built up will be preserved as K2 enters the next phase, while some areas will be developed and renewed," says John Hultén, who will hand over the reins after nearly ten years as the director of K2.
The travellers who primarily cite perceived insecurity as a reason not to travel by public transport are infrequent travellers. However, a study of young public transport users in Malmö shows that perceived insecurity leads ten percent of these travellers to often avoid using public transport, despite the study being conducted among frequent travellers.
Ruben Kuipers has successfully defended his thesis at Lund University, identifying concrete measures to improve punctuality for commuter trains. The research focuses on avoiding dwell time delays when passengers board and alight the train.
"Dwell time delays are often a matter of seconds, but they can quickly accumulate and lead to significant delays over longer journeys. These small delays can trigger a domino effect on other trains that are forced to wait outside the station or lead to passengers missing connecting trains or buses,” Ruben Kuipers explains.
Shared e-scooters can be viewed as a complement or a potential competitor to public transport. However, until now, it has been unclear how the interaction between public transport and these relatively new vehicles really works.
K2 researcher Pengxiang Zhao is studying how well shared e-scooters complement public transport as a solution for the distance to and from stops and stations. In one study, he compared 124 European cities, including 16 in Sweden, by calculating the percentage of all e-scooter trips that feed to public transport.
There is a growing interest in how innovations can reduce the environmental impact of the transport sector, not the least for public transport. Phil Flores from Lund University has recently defended his thesis which provides an understanding of what motivates people to use new modes of transport that are promoted as environmentally friendly. The thesis focuses on two emerging transport innovations – shared electric scooters and electric bicycles.
