How ‘gamification’ can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of transport systems and choices for us

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It’s clear that individual users and their actions play a crucial role in the operation of transport systems. The key question is how we can better motivate their behavior to fulfill policy objectives, such as promoting alternative transport modes and minimizing road accidents and traffic congestion. For instance, peak-hour congestion and excessive demand during peak times are major challenges for public transport agencies worldwide. Finding cost-effective “solutions” for these problems is an ongoing task. By 2031, it’s expected that the number of public transport users in many cities will have doubled or tripled over a 25-year period. Australian authorities at various levels are aware of this growing demand, but progress in infrastructure investment is stalled by funding shortages. Instead of investing in expensive new infrastructure, such as Brisbane’s A$5 billion bus and train tunnel, can we make more efficient use of existing transport capacity to postpone such investments? In other words, how can we encourage demand to shift from peak times to off-peak periods?

A game is typically described as “an activity that is voluntary, enjoyable, and governed by rules.” Gamification involves integrating game-like elements into interactive systems without creating a full-fledged game as the end product. It’s defined as the “use of game design elements in non-game contexts” and introduces competition and social interaction into behavior modification initiatives. Participants, such as public transport users, become “players” who can earn rewards individually or in groups if they modify their behavior. Recent studies highlight the effectiveness of a gamified approach to changing behavior. Currently, few case studies in the transport sector explicitly identify as gamification, but many concepts borrow from it.

Gamified design has been successful in the health sector, significantly improving people’s health and activity levels. For example, the UK’s “Beat the Street” initiative in Reading has inspired thousands to walk or cycle, reaping health benefits. In Australia, the “Healthy Active School Travel” program is another example. This free, customized program encourages primary school students, parents, and teachers to leave their cars at home and use sustainable travel methods for school commutes, such as walking, cycling, riding scooters, or using public transit. In Brisbane, this program has successfully shifted 35% of single-family car trips to school to healthier and more active transport modes. Leaderboards track competition results at all levels, fostering strong peer encouragement. Low-cost incentives, like stickers, motivate students to change their travel habits or participate in events like scooter safety sessions. Engagement is sustained throughout the year by focusing on different themes and prizes each month, such as rewarding the “most children walking to school” in March, “most children biking” in April, and “most children using scooters” in May.

For the first time, gamification concepts have been applied to public transport through Singapore’s INSINC program. This initiative aims to shift demand from peak to off-peak periods within Singapore’s public transport system, providing incentives for travelers to choose less crowded times. These incentives may include random (raffle-style) rewards, social influence, and personalized offers. A six-month research pilot launched in January 2012 successfully achieved a 7.49% demand shift from peak to non-peak hours for all commuter trips.

Numerous gamified interventions aim to enhance road safety, particularly for young drivers, who are disproportionately involved in road accidents. In Australia in 2014, individuals aged 17-25 made up 12.4% of the population but accounted for 20.5% of driver fatalities and 20.2% of all deaths. To promote safer driving among young people, various programs have been developed, some by car insurance companies. Examples include GAMETUNED in the UK, S-Drive in Australia, pay-per-kilometer accident insurance in the Netherlands, SmartDrive in New Zealand, a return insurance premium scheme in Norway, and starting bonuses in Sweden. These gamified schemes encourage safe driving and generally fall into two categories: monetary rewards and point-based reward systems.

Gamification relies on robust psychological and social theories and has proven effective in the transport sector. The critical questions transport agencies face are not about whether or how gamification works, but where it’s beneficial and how to design effective interventions. While we have substantial knowledge about its success with school children, less is known about its impact on adults and within the transport context. There’s significant potential to leverage gamification in Australia to achieve transport-related goals. Technology like Radio Frequency Identification cards or apps could promote more efficient use of new bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure or encourage local walking and cycling. The opportunity to blend games and incentives with public transport use is substantial, as it could offer further behavioral rewards for off-peak travel, encourage walking to public transport instead of driving, or incentivize the use of less congested transport stops.

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