The concepts of flexible transportation are currently being reviewed and the examples and explanations in this document may become deprecated. Please contact Entur for more information.

Content

1 Content
2 Examples
- 2.1 Line 316, Lørenskog: Flexible zones and fixed stop places
  - 2.1.1 Description of the line
    - 2.1.1.1 Modelling
    - 2.1.1.2 Link
  - 2.1.2 Elements
    - 2.1.2.1 FlexibleStopPlace
    - 2.1.2.2 Route
      - 2.1.2.2.1 routePoints
      - 2.1.2.2.2 routes
    - 2.1.2.3 FlexibleLine
      - 2.1.2.3.1 FlexibleLine
    - 2.1.2.4 stopAssignments
      - 2.1.2.4.1 stopAssignments
      - 2.1.2.4.2 StopPointInJourneyPattern
    - 2.1.2.5 Timetable
      - 2.1.2.5.1 ServiceJourney
- 2.2 On-demand transport in an area without fixed locations
  - 2.2.1 Description
    - 2.2.1.1 Modelling
    - 2.2.1.2 Link
  - 2.2.2 Elements
    - 2.2.2.1 Route
      - 2.2.2.1.1 routePoints
      - 2.2.2.1.2 routes
    - 2.2.2.2 stopAssignments
      - 2.2.2.2.1 scheduledStopPoint
      - 2.2.2.2.2 stopAssignments
    - 2.2.2.3 JourneyPattern
    - 2.2.2.4 Timetable
      - 2.2.2.4.1 ServiceJourney
- 2.3 Line 517, Drøbak: Hail & Ride
  - 2.3.1 Description
    - 2.3.1.1 Modelling
    - 2.3.1.2 Link
  - 2.3.2 Elements
    - 2.3.2.1 FlexibleStopPlace
      - 2.3.2.1.1 FlexibleStopPlace
    - 2.3.2.2 FlexibleLine
      - 2.3.2.2.1 FlexibleLine
    - 2.3.2.3 Route
    - 2.3.2.4 serviceLinks
      - 2.3.2.4.1 ServiceLink
    - 2.3.2.5 stopAssignments
      - 2.3.2.5.1 PassengerStopAssignment
      - 2.3.2.5.2 FlexibleStopAssignment
    - 2.3.2.6 JourneyPattern
      - 2.3.2.6.1 JourneyPattern
    - 2.3.2.7 Timetable

On-demand transport is based on bookings, requests or hails are made by the passenger, and may operate outside the bounds of regular stop places. This may include door to door services or servicing remote stops.

According to the Norwegian NeTEx-profile, each Line must be defined in its own separate XML-file.

On-demand transport, however, must be sent as FlexibleLine (with corresponding relevant FlexibleLineType).

Several variations of on-demand transport are more closely described in Flexible Transport and in the official whitepaper "Representing flexible networks and multimodality in NeTEx" (http://netex-cen.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/07.NeTEx-Flexible-Network-and-Multimodality-WhitePaper_1.06.pdf)

Examples

Line 316, Lørenskog: Flexible zones and fixed stop places

Description of the line

Line 316 is an on-demand line which operates between certain pre-defined stops and an area without fixed stops on the north side of the railroad around Lørenskog; "Øvre Grønlia", "Hanaborglia, "Fridjof Nansens vei" and "Steinbekkveien".

The line links up with (guaranteed interchange):

• Train at "Hanaborg station" departing for Lillestrøm and Oslo.
• Line 100 departing for Lillestrøm and Oslo at "Lørenskog sentrum".

The journey must be booked by phone prior to 12:00 on the day before the departure. The exact place of pick-up is agreed upon when booking the journey. Once the passenger has been picked up, the departure proceeds via Hanaborg station (to link up with trains), then continues to the bus station "Lørenskog sentrum" to connect with bus line 100, before arriving at its final destination "Triaden" (a shopping mall). The Line then makes a return journey, serving the same sequence of stops (in reverse), before again dropping passengers off at pre-booked locations inside the FlexibleArea.

Modelling

In NeTEx such services are usually modelled by defining a StopPlace as a FlexibleArea, a defined area where pick-up or drop-off is possible when a journey has been booked in advance. In this particular example, the Line picks up passengers in an area, and drops them off at a static stop places, which are always served, regardless of booking. In cases where on-demand transport is part of a regular Line, it is modelled just like a regular stop place in a journey pattern.

Link

The XML example in it its entirety can be found in the GitHub repository: https://github.com/entur/profile-norway-examples/blob/master/netex/network/FlexibleLine-316-with-interchange.xml

Elements

Several elements of on-demand transport are more closely described in the Simple route - Bus (rhythm based departure) example, and will not be repeated in this example. Because line 316 has guaranteed interchanges with trains, and buses, this example models both on-demand transport and interchanges to other Lines. A detailed description of interchange (Connection/Interchange) can be found in the Multimodal interchange example.

FlexibleStopPlace

Please note that when sending in on-demand transport lines, flexibleStopPlaces must be included in the Line file.

In SiteFrame the pick-up area needs to be specified and described as a FlexibleStopPlace with one FlexibleArea. This specifies the area where pick-up and/or drop-off is possible. The area can, for example, be used to extract a list of bookable addresses.

<FlexibleStopPlace version="any" id="NHR:FlexibleStopPlace:CODE-HANABORG-NORD">
	<Name>Flexible pick-up zone for Line 316</Name>
	<Description>
		On demand service for the areas north of the rail road tracks in Lørenskog; 
		Øvre Grønlia, Hanaborglia, Fridjof Nansens vei and Steinbekkveien 
		without fixed pattern.
	</Description>
	<TransportMode>bus</TransportMode>
	<areas>
		<FlexibleArea version="any" id="NHR:FlexibleArea:CODE-HANABORG-NORD-AREA">
			<gml:Polygon srsName="wgs84" gml:id="hanaborg">
				<gml:exterior>
					<gml:LinearRing>
						<gml:pos>59.938831 10.966611</gml:pos>
						<gml:pos>59.943369 10.952606</gml:pos>
						<gml:pos>59.944642 10.962742</gml:pos>
						<gml:pos>59.950631 10.984097</gml:pos>
						<gml:pos>59.945957 10.989036</gml:pos>
						<gml:pos>59.940764 10.981718</gml:pos>
					</gml:LinearRing>
				</gml:exterior>
			</gml:Polygon>
		</FlexibleArea>
	</areas>
</FlexibleStopPlace>

Route

The Line is described by points which define the routes' pattern. The distinguishing feature of this type of line is that the flexible stop area is described with a RoutePoint, where the route-"point" is a reference to a FlexibleArea.

routePoints

<routePoints>
	<!-- Flexible-zone Hanaborg north-->
	<RoutePoint version="any" id="RUT:RoutePoint:ID-HANABORG-NORD">
		<projections>
			<ZoneProjection version="any" id="NHR:ZoneProjection:CODE-HANABORG-NORD-ZONE">
				<ProjectedZoneRef ref="NHR:FlexibleArea:CODE-HANABORG-NORD-AREA"/>
			</ZoneProjection>
		</projections>
	</RoutePoint>
	<!-- Hanaborg stasjon -->
	<RoutePoint version="any" id="RUT:RoutePoint:ID-HANABORG">
		<projections>
			<PointProjection version="any" id="RUT:PointProjection:ID-HANABORG">
				<ProjectedPointRef version="any" ref="NHR:StopPlace:CODE-HANABORG_ST"/>
			</PointProjection>
		</projections>
	</RoutePoint>
	[...]
</routePoints>

Thus, the flexible area constitutes the first (and, in opposite direction, the last) part of the route, while the rest consists of regular stops.

routes

<routes>
	<Route version="any" id="RUT:Route:316:TilLorenskog">
		<Name>316 to Lørenskog center</Name>
		<DirectionRef version="any" ref="NHR:Direction:TilLorenskog"/>
		<pointsInSequence>
			<PointOnRoute version="any" id="RUT:PointOnRoute:ID-HANABORG-NORD-HENTING" order="1">
				<RoutePointRef version="any" ref="RUT:RoutePoint:ID-HANABORG-NORD"/>
			</PointOnRoute>
			<PointOnRoute version="any" id="RUT:PointOnRoute:ID-HANABORG-TIL" order="2">
				<RoutePointRef version="any" ref="RUT:RoutePoint:ID-HANABORG"/>
			</PointOnRoute>
			<PointOnRoute version="any" id="RUT:PointOnRoute:ID-LORENSKOGSENTRUM-TIL" order="3">
				<RoutePointRef version="any" ref="RUT:RoutePoint:ID-LORENSKOGSENTRUM"/>
			</PointOnRoute>
			<PointOnRoute version="any" id="RUT:PointOnRoute:ID-TRIADEN-TIL" order="4">
				<RoutePointRef version="any" ref="RUT:RoutePoint:ID-TRIADEN"/>
			</PointOnRoute>
		</pointsInSequence>
		<InverseRouteRef ref="RUT:Route:316:FraLorenskog"/>
	</Route>
	[...]
</routes>

The opposite direction of the route is described the same way with one InverseRouteRef pointing back to the route pattern in the opposite direction.

FlexibleLine

The line is modelled as a FlexibleLine with information about transport type and booking.

FlexibleLine

stopAssignments

Furthermore, the flexible stop area is linked to a ScheduledStopPoint through a FlexibleStopAssignment.

stopAssignments

This means the flexible stop area is added to the JourneyPattern in the same way, a normal stop place would:

StopPointInJourneyPattern

Timetable

The timetable must specify the earliest possible departure time (EarliestDepartureTime) and the latest possible arrival time (LatestArrivalTime), even though they may vary- or have to be estimated based on provisions for how the line is operated.

Additional information relevant for the passenger should appear in the line's bookingNote and/or its notices.

ServiceJourney

On-demand transport in an area without fixed locations

Description

A line may also operate without fixed stop locations within a single specified area. This is usually a door to door service.

This example illustrates such transport in the Grønlia/northern Hanaborg area.

Modelling

NeTEx is modelled in the usual way with a FlexibleArea which constitutes a FlexibleStopPlace, and the transport is modelled as a journey between two points within the flexible area.

The area where it is possible to book transport constitutes the entire route area and has no fixed patterns.

Link

The XML example in it its entirety can be found in the GitHub repository: https://github.com/entur/profile-norway-examples/blob/master/netex/network/FlexibleLine-within-single-FlexibleArea.xml

Elements

Route

The route consists of two points in the same area, i.e. implicitly between two arbitrary points within the same FlexibleArea.

routePoints

routes

stopAssignments

Because the same FlexibleArea is used for both start and end, only one ScheduledStopPoint is associated with the area through a FlexibleStopAssignment.

scheduledStopPoint

stopAssignments

JourneyPattern

The above examples form a JourneyPattern, with the same ScheduledStopPoint for start and end, so that the pattern becomes two arbitrary stops within the same flexible area.

Timetable

Rules for ordering are the same as illustrated in the previous example.

The timetable specifies the earliest possible time for pick up, as well as the latest possible time for drop off:

ServiceJourney

Line 517, Drøbak: Hail & Ride

Description

Line 517 is a Hail & Ride line which follows a fixed route with fixed stop times, but along specified segments of the journey pattern, the vehicle can be hailed at any location, independent of regular stops.

Modelling

In NeTEx this type of route is modelled by defining one or more FlexibleStopPlacces of the type HailAndRideArea between the two ScheduledStopPoints where one may "wave down" a public transport vehicle.

Each StopPlace is served as usual, and the segment between them is the Hail & Ride area. Please note that in the model this technically isn't a geometric area, but rather a geometric line traversed by the vehicle (i.e. a road).

Link

The XML example in it its entirety can be found in the GitHub repository: https://github.com/entur/profile-norway-examples/blob/master/netex/network/Hail-and-ride-Ruter-507.xml

Elements

FlexibleStopPlace

In SiteFrame areas are specified where pick-up or drop off is allowed outside normal stop places. Each "zone" is described as a FlexibleStopPlace with one HailAndRideArea between two ScheduledStopPoints.

FlexibleStopPlace

FlexibleLine

The line must be modelled as a FlexibleLine of type "hailAndRideSections".

FlexibleLine

Route

Modelled in the usual way, with a RoutePoint for prominent ScheduledStopPoint.

serviceLinks

A Hail & Ride-rout requires ServiceLinks for all legs in the JourneyPattern. Furthermore, LinkSequenceProjection for geographical indication of all legs where Hail & Ride is allowed is required.

ServiceLink

stopAssignments

A regular StopPlace connects to ScheduledStopPoint through a FlexibleStopAssignment.

PassengerStopAssignment

HailAndRideArea connects to ScheduledStopPoint through a FlexibleStopAssignment.

FlexibleStopAssignment

JourneyPattern

JourneyPattern is defined with StopPointInJourneyPattern for all stops that are served, i.e. both fixed stops and hail & ride areas, and with ServiceLinks for all legs.

JourneyPattern

Timetable

The timetable should specify the earliest possible departure time (EarliestDepartureTime) and the latest possible arrival time (LatestArrivalTime) per Hail & Ride area.

Other provisions may be specified in FlexibleServiceProperties or notices.