Mobility Expert Gabe Klein to Give Keynote at Global Hub for IT Solutions in Public Transport
With just over a month before the start of the fifth IT-TRANS, International Conference and Exhibition on IT Solutions for Public Transport (1 – 3 Mar. 2016, Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre), the Conference program is nearly complete. International experts from transport operators, business, politics, government, research and development will present innovative solutions and their implementation over 15 Conference sessions. Speakers are expected from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America.
A special highlight at the Conference opening will be the keynote speech from American mobility expert Gabe Klein. Klein — who was regional vice president of Zipcar, and served as commissioner for the Chicago Department of transportation and director of the District Department of Transportation, Washington D.C. — is one prominent voice on urban mobility in the United States. Currently, Klein is a Special Venture Partner at venture capital firm Fontinalis, specializing in next generation mobility. He has also published the book “Start-up City,” in which he outlines how the gap between dynamic start-ups and the public sector can be closed in order to introduce new forms of urban mobility more quickly.
Sessions on challenges in the public transport sector
The sessions at the Conference will bring together opinion leaders, government officials, industry representatives and CEOs from transport operators and authorities. They will discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the public transport sector in the wake of increasing digitization. Including how is digitization reshaping relations with public transport customers? Which strategies are available for the release and dissemination of travel data and what are the conditions for the successful provision of data? What do emerging technologies, such as automated vehicles, hold for current and future actors in public transport? High-level speakers at the sessions include Masaki Ogata, UITP president and vice-chairman, East Japan Railway Company, Rosina Howe-Teo, group director, Innovation and InfoComm Technology of the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in Singapore and Nir Erez, CEO of the Israeli start-up Moovit.
Current trends, innovations and future markets
New opportunities developing through information and communication technologies are at the heart of the Conference’s innovation sessions. The speakers will present innovations in key areas such as e-ticketing, fare collection, passenger information systems, ITCS and smart cards. They will also give examples of how information technologies allow for greater integration of public transport in urban areas. The focus is on smart cities and smart mobility. Susanne Schatzinger, project eader at the Fraunhofer IAO in Stuttgart, will speak about visions for the taxi of the future. Lyon- based mobility & research consultant Catherine Bouteiller will deal with data analysis tools in public transport, whereas Arjan van Andel, director of business development at the Canadian software company Giro Inc. will talk about integrating journey planning options for new mobility services.
Implementing innovative IT solutions
The implementation sessions at IT-TRANS will show how IT solutions for public transport can be put into practice. In the session “Ride selling apps — from taxis to new mobility players,” Peter SerVaas, president of the US- based transportation software company DoubleMap, will present the implementation of an Uber-like solution for public transport in Orlando. The new opportunities offered by online services and mobile ticketing solutions, open data and passenger information for residents and tourists in Venice will be addressed by Roberto Cerrutti from local transport operator ACTV in the session “Implementing smart ticketing systems.” Petro Tamminen from the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL) will introduce Digitransit, an example of a fully open journey planning platform.
In-depth informationThe Conference program will be rounded off by two Market Update Forums. The Forums are dedicated areas on the Exhibition floor. In 16 sessions, exhibitors will present their best practices and successfully implemented projects on advanced mobile technologies for intelligent transportation systems, integrated planning tools for authorities and operators and innovative solutions for integrated and combined mobility.
