Starting January 15th, residents seeking a quick and comfortable commute no longer need to wait endlessly at bus stops. By simply taking out their phones and placing an order in advance via the "DiDi Chuxing" App, Hefei Public Transport Group's "on-demand bus" service will provide precise door-to-door pick-up and drop-off. With strong support from the Hefei Xinzhan High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Hefei Public Transport Group is partnering with DiDi Chuxing to deploy the first batch of eight on-demand buses in the Modian Vocational Education Town area. This service, operating on a core model of "bus stops + virtual stops and dynamic routes," offers an online booking, intelligently planned, home-delivery style precise travel solution, allowing passengers to achieve safe, fast, and high-quality travel immediately after placing an order.
On-demand bus represents a novel public transport service model. Similar to ride-hailing services, on-demand buses provide real-time, responsive, non-fixed-route, precision public transport services within specific zones. They boast advantages such as "instant response, dynamic routing, flexible lines, convenience and comfort, fast direct trips, and affordable pricing." Unlike some services that require a minimum number of passengers, these on-demand buses depart as soon as an order is placed. This not only offers passengers more flexible travel choices but also further optimizes the allocation of public transport resources, enhances operational efficiency, and effectively improves the passenger experience by offering safe, convenient, efficient, and comfortable smart travel.
When citizens use their phones to hail an on-demand bus, the backend system automatically leverages technologies like big data and the Internet of Things. It precisely calculates and matches the optimal vehicle, route, and distance based on the passenger's location, the current position of the on-demand bus, and the number of available seats. By planning the bus's dynamic route in real-time, it provides point-to-point travel service. Compared to conventional bus services, on-demand buses can optimize travel time and boarding/alighting locations, efficiently meeting passengers' personalized travel needs.
The initial service area for this on-demand bus service is the Modian Vocational Education Town area in Yaohai District (extending north to parts of Weiwu Road, west to Xinbengbu Road, south to parts of Sishui Road and Daihe Road, and east to Modian Jiayuan residential area). Covering 20.35 square kilometers, this area is dense with enterprises, shopping malls, communities, and numerous colleges and universities. It encompasses high-traffic locations such as Modian Old Street, Hong Street, the North District of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei Hongsheng Commercial Plaza, BOE Hospital, and Hefei Shaoquan Sports Center, resulting in diverse travel demands. Nearly 300 on-demand bus stops have been established within the zone. As a supplement to the city's regular bus routes, the on-demand bus service offers affordable fares, addressing the limitations of conventional buses and rail transit, such as finite coverage and inflexible routes. The smart "online hailing" approach also saves passengers the time cost of waiting, making it poised to gain popularity among citizens.
Hefei's on-demand bus service will launch at 10:00 AM on January 15th, operating daily from 7:00 to 21:00 thereafter. During the trial operation period, passengers can enjoy a promotional fare of 2.5 yuan per ride.
The method for hailing a "Net-Connected Bus" in Hefei is straightforward, with three entry points for passengers: 1. Within the service area, open the "DiDi Chuxing" App or its WeChat mini-program, and click on "Net-Connected Bus" to enter. 2. Use WeChat to scan the on-demand bus QR code, which can be found on the bus body or at bus shelters within the service zone. 3. Search for the "Hefei Bus" mini-program on WeChat and place an order there. After selecting the starting point and destination, once a vehicle is successfully matched, the dynamic route of the on-demand bus will be displayed in the "DiDi Chuxing" App or mini-program. Passengers should proceed to the indicated boarding point. Upon the bus's arrival, the driver will verify the last four digits of the passenger's phone number and then take the optimal route to the destination.
The introduction of the on-demand bus service optimizes the allocation of public transport capacity within the region, facilitating commutes and daily travel for corporate employees, community residents, and university students. It reduces travel time, increases efficiency, and enhances the overall regional transport experience. Once the operational model in the Modian area matures, Hefei Public Transport Group plans to promote it to other suitable areas at an appropriate time. The group will continue to explore optimal combinations of different types of public transport operational models, enrich the supply of diverse public transport options, improve the city's multi-dimensional transport connectivity, and help advance Hefei's smart transportation infrastructure to a new level.
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