Mobility & Transport Glossary

The movement of people and the wider ecosystem of transport services, systems, technologies and organisations that enable people to travel from place to place. In MobilityTalent's scope, this includes public transport, shared and on-demand mobility, micromobility, passenger platforms, autonomous passenger services, mobility software and emerging modes.

The first or final part of a passenger journey that connects an origin or destination with a main transport service, station or mobility hub.

A change in the proportion of journeys made by one transport mode versus another, such as shifting trips from private cars to public transport or cycling.

A location where multiple forms of passenger transport and mobility services connect, making it easier for people to transfer between modes.

Using two or more different transport modes, such as bus, rail and cycling, within a single journey, often coordinated through shared ticketing or planning.

The design of passenger transport services, infrastructure, vehicles and information to enable people of all abilities to travel safely, independently and confidently.

A high-capacity bus system designed to provide faster and more reliable journeys through features such as dedicated lanes, priority at junctions and enhanced stations.

A passenger transport system using cabins moved by cables, including aerial systems that can form part of an urban public transport network.

The European Rail Traffic Management System, a single EU-wide standard for train signalling and control, replacing the many separate national systems previously used across Europe.

Passenger transport that operates along predetermined routes, stops and schedules rather than adapting the service to individual passenger requests.

A service that allows passengers to park a private vehicle at a designated location and complete their journey using public transport.

A passenger transport system designed to move relatively large numbers of people over short distances, commonly used at airports, major developments and other high-demand locations.

A passenger vehicle or service capable of operating on both conventional railway infrastructure and urban tram networks.

A passenger boat service used for point-to-point or short-distance travel on rivers, harbours, lakes or coastal waterways.

A flexible passenger transport service where routes, stops or schedules can change in response to passenger demand rather than operating entirely to a fixed route and timetable.

A flexible shared passenger transport service, often using smaller vehicles and digital technology to adapt routes or stops to passenger demand.

Passenger transport services that can be requested when needed, often through digital platforms rather than fixed routes or schedules.

Passenger transport designed for people who cannot easily use conventional public transport, often providing more flexible or accessible journey options.

A vehicle that must be booked in advance to provide passenger transport services, typically through an operator or digital platform.

A service that allows passengers to request a private journey from a driver or vehicle, usually through a mobile app.

A shared passenger service where people travelling in similar directions use the same vehicle for part or all of their journeys.

A passenger shuttle service used by multiple travellers, often connecting workplaces, airports, stations, residential areas or other destinations.

A service that allows people to use bicycles for short journeys without owning them, typically through docking stations or app-based systems.

A ticketing system that allows passengers to access or pay for travel using contactless bank cards, smartcards, mobile phones, watches or other compatible devices.

A ticketing arrangement that allows passengers to use multiple transport services, modes or operators through a common ticket or payment system.

A digital service that helps passengers identify routes, connections, departure times and different transport options for a journey.

A digital approach that brings different passenger transport and mobility services together so users can plan, access, book and potentially pay for journeys through a connected service.

A digital account or wallet used to hold travel credit, tickets, passes or payment methods for one or more passenger transport services.

A transport payment system that allows passengers to use standard bank cards, mobile wallets or other widely accepted payment methods instead of a dedicated transport card.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems: in-vehicle technology that assists the driver, such as lane-keeping assist and automatic emergency braking, generally SAE Level 1 or 2 automation.

A driverless passenger transport system designed for frequent journeys over relatively short distances, often at airports, large developments or dedicated urban networks.

A self-driving passenger vehicle designed to transport multiple people, usually along defined routes or within specific operating areas.

A vehicle capable of communicating with other vehicles, infrastructure or digital systems to improve safety, operations and passenger experience.

A driverless vehicle that provides taxi or ride-hailing-style passenger journeys without a human driver controlling the vehicle.

The six-level scale (0 to 5) defined by SAE International describing how much of the driving task is handled by the vehicle versus the human driver.

Communication technology that allows vehicles to exchange information with other vehicles, infrastructure, pedestrians and networks.

Software used to coordinate, schedule and dispatch vehicles and services across passenger transport and mobility operations.

A digital representation of a transport network, service, vehicle or infrastructure asset used to monitor performance, test scenarios, simulate changes and support planning or operations.

A virtual boundary around a real-world location that triggers an action, such as an alert or speed limit, when a vehicle or device enters or exits it.

Live information provided to passengers about arrivals, departures, delays, disruptions and other changes affecting a transport service.

Technology combining telecommunications and monitoring to track a vehicle's location, performance and driver behaviour remotely, widely used in fleet management.

An emerging form of passenger transport using electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft for short-distance journeys, particularly in and around urban areas.

Emerging passenger transport using advanced aircraft, particularly eVTOL vehicles, to provide short-distance journeys within and around urban areas.

Infrastructure designed to support the take-off, landing, charging and operation of eVTOL aircraft and air taxi services.