Hello 👐🏻 We left another summer month behind and the new issue of Cermonews is already here. 🎉
At the end of the last issue, we asked you what the theme of the next issue should be, and according to the responses we received, the theme of “Public Transportation and Climate Change” was determined, which is a topic we would also like to examine and share with you. What will you read in this issue?
How does Climate Change affect Public Transportation Systems?
How should Public Transportation be Resilient to Climate Change?
Application examples
How are we doing our part and how is Cermoni contributing to the resilience of public transport systems against climate change?
“News from us”
As promised, in each issue we introduce a team member behind Cermoni in the “Kitchen” section
Our biggest motivation is to produce and share quality content on mobility, sustainable transportation, public transportation, etc. with your contributions and to create an environment where we can come together. We care a lot about your ideas, write to us at any time. 👐🏻
Enjoy your reading!
How Climate Change Affects Public Transportation Systems?
We all talk and feel the effects of climate change from different angles. While concepts such as climate resilient cities, climate resilient systems, etc. are now part of our lives, public transportation systems, like many sectors around the world, are directly affected by this and face challenges.
Climate change-related risks, such as extreme weather events, sea level rise and rising temperatures, can lead to physical damage to public transport infrastructure, operational disruptions and economic losses. They can also have a disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities, deepening social inequalities. In this context, adapting public transport systems to climate change presents an opportunity not only to address current challenges, but also to create a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive transport network.
A public transport system that is planned with climate change in mind avoids negative impacts, while at the same time becoming more environmentally friendly, safe and user-friendly. For example, in Modena, Italy, a public transportation plan that is compatible with speed limit regulations has reduced environmental impacts and increased efficiency.
A sustainable and climate-resilient public transport network will guarantee the future prosperity of not only cities but also communities. A 2021 study in Barcelona showed that for every 1 euro spent on public transport, the return on investment in the region is 6.5 euros. In Europe, urban and local public transport services contribute between 130-150 billion euros a year to the economy. This means that a sustainable public transport service is important both for livable cities and for the economy. Public authorities, public transport operators, the private sector and communities working together for resilient public transport systems are critical to the success of the process.
How Should Public Transportation Be Resilient to Climate Change?
Building a public transport system that is resilient to climate change is essential not only to meet current challenges, but also to be prepared for future risks. Building such a system requires a multifaceted approach that includes strengthening infrastructure, reorganizing operational processes and improving energy efficiency.
First, the effective use of public transport data and the integration of smart technologies play an important role in improving operational efficiency. A system analyzed with public transport data can detect weather-related changes in advance, continuously monitor the condition of infrastructures and quickly change routes or timetables when necessary. In this way, public transport networks can be managed dynamically, both in their routine operations and in the event of unexpected events.
Reducing energy consumption and adopting greener approaches is another key component of increasing resilience. The use of low-emission or completely zero-emission vehicles both reduces the carbon footprint and improves air quality in cities. Integrating sustainable energy sources into public transportation is also a cornerstone of this transformation. Investments in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy reduce fossil fuel dependency and make public transportation more environmentally friendly.
Public transportation systems that are resilient to climate change should not only be limited to environmentally friendly technologies and energy efficiency, but also adopt a data-driven planning approach that can quickly adapt to different scenarios. By analyzing public transport data, decision support systems provide the flexibility to respond instantly to changes in demand, sudden shifts in weather conditions and infrastructure disruptions.
Finally, it is important to remember that building a resilient public transport system is not limited to technical and technological solutions, but also requires strong cooperation at the societal and managerial level. An inclusive planning process that takes into account the needs of all segments of society should be established and the continuity of service in times of disaster should be guaranteed.
Implementation Examples
1) On the path to building resilient public transport systems, various cities have achieved success using different strategies and innovative solutions. For example, public transport authorities in Sweden, such as Stockholm and Västtrafik, have revised their energy strategies and increased the use of renewable fuels in their fleets, reducing CO2 emissions by 60-67%.
2) Despite being a city vulnerable to various climate hazards (storms, floods, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions), Tokyo has launched the “Resilient Tokyo” project to take precautions against possible future risks. The project provides a comprehensive roadmap for adapting to the impacts of climate change by 2040 and promising residents “peace of mind for the next 100 years”. The project is implementing both infrastructural and technological resilience strategies.
Infrastructural resilience measures include increasing the height of seawalls, creating fire-resistant protection areas and expanding rainwater storage capacity. Technological resilience strategies include the development of artificial intelligence-based water level forecasting systems, the use of satellite data to identify structures at risk, and the instant transmission of sea level data. In addition, mobile applications that display rainfall intensity in 150-meter grid cells and inform users with color codes are used. These strategies enable rapid evacuations and effective interventions in the event of a disaster.
Tokyo's project provides an inspiring example of how to build public transportation and urban planning that is resilient to climate change using a combination of infrastructure and technology.
How does Cermoni benefit the resilience of public transport systems against climate change?
Cermoni makes effective use of public transport data to continuously monitor changes in demand and service performance. This approach enables flexible planning for contingencies and ensures that the system operates effectively even in challenging conditions. Thanks to data-driven analysis, strategic decisions such as routes and frequency are optimized, supporting efficient use of resources.
In addition, Cermoni's energy management solutions minimize the energy consumption of public transport fleets and promote sustainable energy use. In particular, the integration of energy-efficient algorithms and electric vehicles reduces the negative impact of public transportation on the environment and lowers operational costs. This allows cities to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and keep carbon emissions under control. Thus, Cermoni's solutions ensure that public transport networks are not only resilient to current climate risks, but also more sustainable and environmentally friendly in the long term.
As a result, Cermoni's flexible and data-driven structure not only optimizes the day-to-day operations of public transport systems, but also makes it easier for them to achieve long-term environmental goals. In this way, cities' public transport systems become more resilient to climate change and form the basis of a sustainable transportation infrastructure.
News from us 📰
UITP Eurasia Conference2024 Sponsorship in Kayseri ✨
We participated as a sponsor at this year's UITP Eurasia Conference in Kayseri and had the opportunity to meet with representatives of the public transportation sector for three days. Many sessions organized during the conference focused on topics such as the integration of clean energy vehicles into public transportation systems, the use of big data and energy efficiency. In these sessions, inspiring presentations were made on the sustainability of public transportation and environmentally friendly practices.
On the first day of the event, we started with a workshop with participants from 24 different countries. In this workshop, we shared examples of how public transportation data can be used in strategic planning and shared our efforts to increase energy efficiency.
On the second day, we held productive meetings with public transportation authorities and industry leaders on the use of clean energy vehicles and sustainable public transportation solutions. We exchanged information with our stakeholders on these issues and created a basis for new collaborations.
On the last day of the conference, we participated in a site visit where we visited Kayseri's public transportation operations and the city's historical buildings. On this trip, we both examined public transportation solutions on site and had the opportunity to get to know Kayseri's cultural and historical heritage closely. During this intensive three-day program, we exchanged many important ideas and made strong connections that will shape the future of public transportation.
✨ We were in Izmir during the European Mobility Week!
This year, we were in Izmir for the “Car Free City Day” events organized as part of the European Mobility Week. In this city where we carry out Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) studies, our teammate Sıla Özkavaf took part as a panelist in the event organized by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality. With her speech titled “The Importance of Common Public Spaces in Sustainable Transportation and Planning”, she shared our experiences in different cities and our public transportation solutions with the participants. We will continue our efforts to increase our contributions to public transportation and sustainable mobility and to develop our collaborations in this field.
Behind the Scenes 🙌🏻
In each issue, we would like to bring you together with one of our team members and introduce you to the experts behind the innovative work in public transportation and the public transportation decision support system Cermoni. In this issue, we are together with Mehmet Barutcu.
“As a Data Scientist and Optimization Engineer at Parabol, I am working on the development of algorithms and analysis module in Cermoni. The contribution of savings in transportation, one of the largest sectors in Turkey, to the national economy is substantial. I believe that Cermoni will be the pioneer of this contribution with the data-driven optimization solutions it provides in the field of public transportation.”
Shall we decide the topic of the next issue together?
We have come to the end of another Cermonews. Thanks for reading :)
If you have anything to add and comments on this subject, we are waiting for you. Every message and idea you have on this topic is very valuable for us.
Let's determine the topic of the next issue together! “electric vehicle transformation in public transportation”, ‘being a passenger in public transportation’ or ‘the relationship between public transportation and different modes of transportation’?
See you in the next issue. 👋
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