Event: International conference and supporting events

Theme: Putting shared transport to work in our cities

Dates: 16-18 September 2010 (including invitational Mayor's Roundtable on morning of the 18th, and Car Free Day participation on Sunday morning, the 19th)
Location: City of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC

Hosts: City of Kaohsiung, with support of the Chinese Institute of Transport and National Taiwan University

Speakers

• Presenting the leading edge of thinking, policy and practice in this fast emerging field.
  
• Panel of distinguished international speakers will be joined by Taiwanese and Chinese leaders

Conference schedule (Outline - Details for follow)

International Conference Hall, Garden Villa, 801 Chongde Rd., Kaohsiung City

Thursday, 16th September.

09:00 Opening session : Share/Transport in the 21st century - Will it shape our societies?

• Welcome Speeches (3)
  
• What is S/T - International state of the art overview/frugal economics/vision
• Why Share/Transport in Taiwan? In 2011
• Share transport and public health - WHO rep. to be confirmed
• Work plan for conference and associated events
  

Working notes: Central focus of Kaohsiung 2010

1. Priority Objective: The priority target of Kaohsiung 2010 is to make an important and timely contribution to cities and citizens across Taiwan and beyond -- by presenting world level information and views on this little known transport policy and practice area which we refer to as "Share/Transport". (It can also be thought of as "Third Way Transportation" - i.e., all the mobility options that we need to develop in addition to improved policies on private car management and public transport.)

2. Sustainable Transport subset: The only way to create a more sustainable transport system is by reducing motor vehicle traffic. One of the pillars of the strategy has to do with more shared transport, which is the sole focus of this meeting.

3. Why important? Sharing is an area of transport policy and practice which is usually not well understood or covered at the level of either city or other public agency policy. The explanation for this is that much of the development in these areas is for the most part quite recent, and is, by the way, little or not covered in the transportation curriculum of most of our university and training programs including the very best. We thus have an important policy vacuum which our first Kaohsiung conference is intended to start to fill. If we get it right our contribution will not only be important for Taiwan but also for countries and organizations around the world.

4. Share transport modes review: Our technique is first to introduce and quickly review the state of practice both internationally and in Taiwan of six of the most important and fast moving share transport modes: carshare, rideshare, bikeshare, street-share, taxi-share, and employer transport sharing. This is already a very useful contribution because not only are these important mobility practices areas and opportunity which need further clarification in Taiwan with a view to better future use and performance. This is our core task and we much be very careful not to let ourselves get distracted by other transport concerns, including the whole broader field of sustainable transport. This meeting is about Share/Transport only. Thank you

5. Behavioral aspects: Probably our greatest originality will be that we are looking at these six mobility modes not only individually but as components of a new mobility agenda - a sharp break from practices in most places where each mode tends to be covered in projects, reports, conferences and events - by and of themselves. As if there were no broader links or lessons to be gained by looking at them as a whole. But there are, and this is another way in which Kaohsiung 2010 will be adding value.

6. Importance of keeping focus: Now what about some of the other important sustainable transport tools that are worth backing, such as BRT, TOD, DRT, and ITS, just to name a couple. Well, we are interested in them but ONLY when they bring important messages and content to our central there. Let me comment briefly on these, just to make sure we are in agreement:

a. BRT covers a range of important sustainable transport developments, but our interest in this conference is not the topic in general but specifically the way in which these projects are, or are not, doing interesting things when it comes to sharing street space.

b. TOD likewise, but in act rather less. TOD revolves around the concept of combining public transport access with land use development. Important but only when it gets into sharing modes can we afford to be interested here.

c. DRT, on the other hand, is right on target and belongs in our important section on "Share Taxis/SSVS". We shall be giving it full attention.

d. ITS is more problematique, but very promising. IT covers such a broad array of technology and issues, but that said there is one corner of "ITS" which is extremely important for the share/transport modes, and that is the whole matter of the information interface between users and service providers. This is a wonderful and important set of issues and opportunities, and given Taiwan's world level leadership in communications and logistics systems this is something to which it will be good to give careful attention.

7. Geographic/Beyond Taiwan: The most immediate objective is to reach all the agencies, groups and individuals who are in a position to help improve transport policy decisions and investments in this broad area in Taiwan. But right behind this is our longer term goal of developing interest and participation on mainland China and the Asia/Pacific more generally. But I am convinced that if we do a first rate job on serving Taiwan in this respect, that the interest of the world will be focused on our achievements.

8. Key Mega-issues: Finally, just to be sure that we are in the same ballpark on this, here are the most important mega-issues that I think we need to have in mind as we move ahead on this great team project:

a. Frugal economics: The world economy is in a very difficult state and we need to make sure that policies in our sector reflect the priorities and opportunities of this new and far more troubled economic environment. The great thing about Third Way or Share/Transport projects and approaches is that they represent a way in which government can get far more out of scarce public funds that the old mobility "build and burst" approaches which have served the majority of our citizens so imperfectly in the past.

b. Fossil Fuel Reductions: Good Share/Transport permits significant reductions on fossil fuels requirements, which has enormous advantages in reducing costs to both individuals and the different levels of government concerned, foreign deficits, ecological damage, and geopolitical pressures.

c. Climate/Carbon: Share Transport provides a huge tool for reducing carbon and other emissions thought increased systemic efficiency.

d. Fair transport for all: The old mobility of the 20th century were not fair. They favored though high public investments and supporting public policies car owner/users, and left the majority of people with fewer and word transport choices. Share transport opens up a wider range of new transport choices for all.

e. Future leaders/Young researchers: There is, unfortunately, a significant "generational difference" concerning new thinking about transport policy and practice, and in most places decisions are still taken by those somewhat older professionals and politicians whose training and thinking were largely shaped in the suddenly far distant 20th century. Our goal with Kaohsiung 2010 should also be to take as a significant target to bring in as many younger people as possible, including both those already working in the sector and your people who are advancing their own training and research. I hope we will agree to make this among our high targets.

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