A study that asked regular drivers in Boston and San Francisco to go car-free found that access to real-time mobile information was key to raising the status of public transit for study participants.
Participants in the car-free study (conducted by Latitude Research and Next American City) cited mobile apps as a factor that made the experience more "convenient, personalized, and enjoyable."
Participants also made suggestions for mobile apps they would like to see in the future (From Next American City):
"Participants suggested apps that would help plan their routes easily and efficiently, but would also track progress toward their goals in terms of fitness achievements and positive environmental impact. Relatedly, there may be a role for apps with game elements that tap into people's deeper, intrinsic motivations like doing good for society (e.g., a points system to track small sustainable choices tied to an online local leader board with the highest-scoring citizens)."
Read the full story: http://americancity.org/buzz/entry/2956/
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