Potentials and Requirements of Mobile Ubiquitous Computing for Public Transport

Public transport plays an important role in our society which is characterized by mobility, individuality, comfort and ecological constraints. It is common opinion that public transport offers a high level of comfort but lacks individual flexibility compared to individual transport. While navigation systems and other context-aware services enhance the feeling of self determination for car drivers, no comparable means for customers of public transport are currently available. In this paper we show that ubiquitous computing can supply customers of public transport with convenient attendance and flexibility. We describe typical scenarios, carve out general and technical requirements, and sketch a solution for a concrete implementation example. Our findings give evidence that ubiquitous computing can leverage public transport for both customers and providers.