New mobility

How mobility is changing

• |

• 

  Urban transportation history and future

  Transportation has shaped our cities over time. Motorized transportation – first streetcars, and later automobiles – allowed cities and regions to grow beyond the compact settlements accessible by walking and animal-led transportation.

  For most of the 20th century, cities were designed for travelling by car. In Vancouver, we've done a lot of work in recent years to make more room for other transportation modes and to increase choices for residents.

  We have many things to think about in the near future. Our city and region are continuing to grow, and we have a fixed amount of space to fit new competing demands. There are new technologies that are already starting to change the way we get around – like bike share, car share, and transit apps – and fully driverless vehicles could one day be a reality. 

• 

  Transit

  Transit is the highest-capacity people-mover in an urban context, and will continue to play a critical role as our city and region continue to grow. Transit ridership in our region is increasing every year, with over 400 million boardings in 2018.

  Smartphone apps with real-time GPS data have made it easier to plan transit trips while on the go. Advances in vehicle automation and electrification are already starting to change transit vehicles. Locally, TransLink is working toward a zero-emission bus fleet and will be piloting a few electric buses this year. 

  New types of transit services are being tested in other cities. Automated (AV) shuttles are providing services on short routes in cities like Las Vegas and Detroit. Micro-transit is another way that some regions have explored new options through using mobile apps that offer shared, on-demand shuttles with flexible routes.

  Learn more about how TransLink is exploring new mobility 

• 

  Walking

  Complete, compact communities are the most important factor in walkability as they reduce the distance that people need to travel and increase opportunities for social connectedness and enjoyable experiences.

  Smartphone apps provide maps and directions to make it easier to plan and find where we want to go. Along with transit, the growth in bike-and car-sharing has made it easier to walk for part of a trip and then switch to another mode of travel.

  Some cities are testing ways that connected and smart technologies could be used to improve accessibility and safety for people walking. Examples include sensors that adjust crossing signal times and responsive street lighting that becomes brighter as a person walks by.

• 

  Cycling and micro-mobility

  Micro-mobility refers to ways of getting around on small-wheeled devices that aren’t cars. It includes human-powered devices like skateboards, push-scooters, and rollerblades, as well as electric devices like e-scooters and hoverboards. Right now, many electric devices are not legal to operate on public streets or sidewalks in BC.

  There is an increasing numbers of electric-assist bikes, cargo bikes, and delivery bikes on Vancouver’s streets and bike lanes. Electric-assist bikes allow people to travel longer distances more comfortably and can make cycling accessible to more people.

  In other North American cities, shared dockless e-bikes and e-scooters open up more travel choices, but also present new challenges to regulation and the management of public spaces.

  Find out where you can use micro-mobility devices

• 

  Driving

  Developments in automated, connected, and electric technologies, and growing trends in shared vehicles, could dramatically change the experience of travelling in a car. These changes could lead to potential benefits, like increased accessibility and independence for people with mobility challenges, or to detriments like increased congestion resulting from more vehicle use.

  Automated

  The levels of driving automation range from partially automated with features like cruise control (common on our streets), to fully autonomous vehicles that are capable of self-driving in all conditions (not yet in production). Ontario is the only province in Canada that currently allows testing of highly automated vehicles.

  Learn more about the levels of driving automation 

  Connected

  Connected vehicles use wireless networks to connect with infrastructure like traffic signals and signage, with other vehicles, and with other devices and systems. These connections can provide warnings, alerts, and other information to people inside and outside the vehicle. Many newer vehicles on the road have some connected functions like navigation systems or integration with smartphone apps.

  Electric

  Electric vehicles are an important component of our transition to renewably powered transportation. Work on electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and a public network of charging stations is already well underway in Vancouver.

  Find out more about how we support electric vehicles

  Shared

  Shared services allow people to travel by car without the cost of owning and maintaining their own vehicle.

  Car-sharing services continue to grow in Vancouver, and 31% of adult residents are members of one or more of the four available services.

  Our Provincial government is currently exploring how ride-hailing, offered by companies like Uber and Lyft, might work in BC.

  Find out more about car-sharing in Vancouver

• 

  Goods movement

  Our economic health relies on efficiently moving goods including everything from large-scale port activity to small-scale local deliveries.

  New  technologies and trends are beginning to change goods movement at every scale. The trucking industry is experimenting with automated and connected technologies and exploring how platooning – a line of trucks travelling close together – could improve efficiency. The popularity of online shopping means that more packages are being delivered to homes and other pick-up locations, and retail companies are experimenting with flying and rolling delivery drones.

  There are also growing opportunities for “right-sizing” delivery vehicles in urban environments using familiar technologies like small electric vans and cargo bikes.

• 

  Data

  Digital and connected technologies make possible the production of large amounts of transportation data – like the starting and end locations of trips – that can be used in modelling and planning. Encouraging service providers to share data with governments can help cities to identify service gaps or manage competing demands for curb space.

  Storing and managing data can be a challenge. Access to transportation data also raises questions around personal privacy, ethics, and safeguarding against cyber-attacks.