vMAAS (Victorian Mobility as a Service)

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Project Description

Project Description: vMaas (Victorian Mobility as a Service)

Overview

vMaas is an innovative platform designed to empower governments and the public in promoting eco-friendly travel solutions. The platform leverages real-time data and actionable insights to facilitate smarter, greener mobility choices. For governments, it offers data-driven policy recommendations and infrastructure solutions, while for the public, it provides tools for sustainable trip planning and rewards for environmentally conscious travel decisions.

Vision

Our vision is to create a greener, more sustainable future by transforming how cities and their citizens approach urban mobility. By providing governments with data-driven insights for better planning and the public with incentives to choose eco-friendly travel options, vMaas aims to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and foster a culture of sustainable transport.

Government Features:

1. Data-Driven Policy Recommendations:

   • Equip government officials with insights into travel patterns, pollution levels, and demographic data to recommend policies that encourage sustainable transport.

2. Infrastructure Development Based on Demographics:

   • Offer actionable insights on where to improve or build new infrastructure (e.g., bike lanes, EV charging stations, public transport routes) based on community needs and environmental impact.

3. Public Rewards for Eco-Friendly Travel:

   • Incentivize citizens through rewards and tax benefits for choosing eco-friendly modes of transport, encouraging a shift away from private vehicles.

4. Enforcing Car-Free Days:

   • Assist in implementing and managing periodic “Car-Free Days” in targeted areas to reduce pollution and promote alternative modes of transport.

Public Features:

1. Eco-Friendly Trip Planning:

   • Provide users with a trip planner that suggests multiple travel options (e.g., walking, cycling, public transit), comparing their environmental impact and carbon footprint.

2. Incentive System:

   • Offer an incentive system where users earn points for choosing eco-friendly travel options, which can be redeemed for tax benefits, public transport discounts, or other rewards.

3. Environmental Impact Awareness:

   • Raise public awareness by displaying how different travel choices affect the environment, encouraging sustainable behavior through education and transparency.

Impact and Benefits

• For Government:
  
  vMaas supports informed decision-making with data-driven insights, leading to improved urban planning and infrastructure. It enables policy recommendations that reduce emissions, encourage eco-friendly transport, and drive sustainable urban development.

• For Public:
  
  Citizens benefit from an easy-to-use platform that helps them make more environmentally conscious travel decisions while earning rewards for doing so. The incentive system drives behavior change, contributing to a larger environmental impact.

By aligning government policies and public behavior through technology, vMaas envisions a future where urban mobility is both sustainable and accessible, fostering healthier cities and communities.

Data Story

Data Story: Transforming Victorian Urban Mobility with vMaas

vMaas integrates data-driven insights and AI to reshape urban mobility in Victoria, reducing emissions and improving transportation efficiency. This data story unfolds through three core areas: CO2 emissions monitoring, sustainable transport incentives, and infrastructure enhancements.

1. CO2 Emissions and Air Quality Classification

Using data from the Victorian Integrated Survey of Travel & Activity (VISTA 2008-2020) and VIC-Fleet Vehicle Registration by Postcode, AI models predict CO2 emissions and air quality based on distance, time, and transport type. Suburbs are classified into Red, Yellow, or Green zones depending on their emission levels, offering a visual snapshot of problem areas.

Over time, government actions such as infrastructure improvements and eco-friendly policies are tracked, enabling a shift of suburbs from Red to Green. This provides a clear and actionable roadmap for reducing emissions across the city.

2. Public Rewards and Subscription Model

vMaas offers a Single Subscription Model that integrates multiple transport options—bus, tram, train, taxi, bike-sharing, and carpooling—into one cohesive service. This provides the public with flexible, eco-friendly alternatives to private cars.

The app rewards sustainable choices through incentives like subsidies and tax breaks for bike-sharing and public transport. Users make informed decisions based on real-time data on availability, traffic, schedules, and maintenance, and earn points for choosing green options like walking, biking, or using public transport. These points can be redeemed for tax benefits, further promoting the use of eco-friendly transit.

3. Infrastructure Improvements: Creating Sustainable Mobility

Data shows underutilization of public transport (<10%) and cycling (<2%) compared to private vehicles. To address this:

• Bike infrastructure will be improved by adding safe, connected paths and secure bike racks to encourage cycling.
• Expansion of bike-sharing programs will offer additional options for shorter, greener trips.

Furthermore, insufficient parking at urban train stations (40% of stations with limited parking) results in congestion and deters train usage. To resolve this, multideck car parks with solar-powered infrastructure will be built, offering more parking spaces and reducing reliance on cars. Solar energy from these facilities will power the stations, reducing operational carbon footprints.

4. Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) for Real-Time Traffic Prediction

Victoria's lack of accurate traffic data increases congestion and accident rates. To solve this, vMaas will mandate the integration of Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) chips in private vehicles, enabling real-time communication with traffic lights, road signs, and sensors. Using historical data, AI predictive analysis will forecast traffic patterns, enabling dynamic route planning to minimize congestion and reduce pollution.

5. Trackless Trams for Congestion Relief

With Melbourne facing annual congestion costs of $4.6 billion and drivers losing 53 hours per year to traffic, vMaas proposes the deployment of trackless trams. Integrated with V2I data, these dynamic, temporary routes are added to the existing public transport system. Optimized routes can reduce congestion by offering an efficient, flexible alternative to car travel, ensuring seamless access via the Myki system.

Conclusion: A Data-Driven Path to Sustainable Mobility

vMaas utilizes real-time data and advanced AI models to predict and mitigate environmental and congestion issues. Through targeted infrastructure improvements, real-time public transport data, and reward systems for green behavior, this platform provides a comprehensive roadmap to a more sustainable and efficient urban mobility ecosystem in Victoria.