2022

Trial Operation of an On-Demand Transit Service in Ishikari City Launches

Sep. 29, 2022
Ishikari City
Hokkaido Chuo Bus Co., Ltd.
Daikokukotsu Co., Ltd.
Sanwakotsu Co., Ltd.
Ishikari Bay New Port Complex Liaison Council
Marubeni Corporation
Moovit App Global, Ltd.
TMJ Inc.

Ishikari City, Hokkaido Chuo Bus Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, “Chuo Bus”), Daikokukotsu Co., Ltd (hereinafter, “Daikokukotsu”), Sanwakotsu Co., Ltd (hereinafter, “Sanwakotsu”), Ishikari Bay New Port Complex Liaison Council (hereinafter, “Liaison Council”), Marubeni Corporation (hereinafter, “Marubeni”), Moovit App Global, Ltd. (hereinafter, “Moovit”), and TMJ Inc. (hereinafter, “TMJ”) will jointly launch a trial operation of an on-demand transit service in Ishikari City from October 2022 until March 2023 (hereinafter, the “Trial Operation”).

Ishikari City, with its proximity to Sapporo City, its vital port “Ishikari Bay New Port,” and its 3,000 ha Ishikari Bay New Port Area, plays an important role in the industry and distribution sectors of Hokkaido. There are currently more than 700 companies located in the Ishikari Bay New Port Area and more than 20,000 employees working there during the day. However, less than 2% of these employees use public transportation on their commute to the area, with most relying on private cars (about 68%) and buses individually arranged by local companies (about 30%). Therefore, the introduction of new public transportation services has become a significant challenge for the city. In urban areas (such as city centers), the number of bus users as well as the number of buses themselves have also been decreasing due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On-demand transportation is a new transportation service that has been attracting attention in recent years as a new means of transportation that combines the convenience of taxis with the efficiency of public buses by utilizing IoT and AI technologies. Ishikari City is also considering the introduction of a new transportation service utilizing a state-of-the-art on-demand transportation system as a measure to address the above-mentioned issues.

Eight companies will jointly operate the Trial Operation to gather feedback from Ishikari citizens, workers in the Ishikari Bay New Port Area, and local transport operators who will operate the service, and aim to introduce a sustainable transportation service that meets the needs of the local community.

Roles in the Trial Operation:

Company Name Role
Ishikari City Project Owner, Administration of the Local Public Transit Activation Meeting
Chuo Bus Operation of the on-demand transit service
Daikokukotsu Operation of the on-demand transit service
Sanwakotsu Operation of the on-demand transit service
Liaison Council Sharing information about companies located in the area
Marubeni Providing an on-demand location system, plans for the trial run, and business projections
Moovit Providing on-demand software for intelligent shared mobility planning and operations
TMJ Operation of a customer center

Name of Service:
“Itsumo”
The name is an acronym for the service’s concept: “Itsudemo Tsunagaru Mobility”—in English, “Always Connected Mobility.” The following service logo will be displayed on the vehicles in operation and on a dedicated smartphone app for users.

Itsumo

Overview of the Trial Operation:
The Trial Operation will provide two services: the “Commuter On-Demand” service for commuting to the Ishikari Bay New Port Area, and the “City On-Demand” service for travel within the city center. Both services can be reserved and used with the same “Itsumo App.”*
*Reservations can also be made by phone (limited to the City On-Demand service).

Details of each service:

  Commuter On-Demand City On-Demand
Duration From October 3, 2022 (Monday) To March 31, 2023 (Friday) From November 1, 2022 (Tuesday) To March 31, 2023 (Friday)
Operation Days Weekdays only Weekdays only
Operation Time Peak hours for commuting
(Details to be available in the Itsumo App)
10:00–16:00
Operation Method Smart shuttle
(To operate stops which have been booked in advance)
Full demand
(Flexible travel in a designated area)
Booking Required in advance Advance booking & real-time booking
Stops Existing public bus stops Existing public bus stops and additional stops
(e.g., in front of convenience stores, supermarkets, post offices, etc.)
Operation Area and Route Asabu Station/Teine Station to the Ishikari Bay New Port Area Oyafuru, Ryokuendai, Hanakawa, Tarukawa
(Note: Travel within Hanakara and Tarukawa not permitted)
Vehicles Large bus (2) Jumbo Taxi (2)
Free Ride Period From October 3, 2022 (Monday) To October 31, 2022 (Monday) From November 1, 2022 (Tuesday) To November 14, 2022 (Monday)
Fare Collection In-app payment, payment by companies In-app payment, cash
Fare Less than 5.0 km: JPY 400/ride
5.1km–12.0 km : JPY 600/ride
Over 12.1 km: JPY 800/ride
JPY 300/ride
(Children: JPY 150/ride)

Commuter On-Demand Operation Route: Commuter On-Demand Operation Route:

City On-Demand Operation Area: City On-Demand Operation Area:

How to use each service:

Commuter On-Demand: Bookings can only be made through the Itsumo App
City On-Demand:

Bookings can be made through the Itsumo App or by phone (calls to the customer center)

Itsumo App:
Available at Apple App Store and Google Play Store

Customer Center: 
+81 120-994946 (Planned opening: October 3, 2022)

App Snapshots : App Snapshots :

Inquiries:
Please use the following contact information if you have any inquiries.

Transport Project, Planning Sec., Planning & Economic Dept., Ishikari City
Email: ki-kotsu@city.ishikari.hokkaido.jp
TEL: 0133-72-3193
Official Website: https://ishikari-itsumo.jp/

Ishikari City
Name: Ishikari City
Address: 30-2 Hanakawa North 6 Jo 1 Chome, Ishikari City, Hokkaido
Representative: Tatsuyuki Kato
Website: https://www.city.ishikari.hokkaido.jp/
 
Chuo Bus
Name: Hokkaido Chuo Bus Co., Ltd.
Address: 8-6, Ironai 1 Chome, Otaru City, Hokkaido
Establishment: 1943
Representative: Takahito Nikaido
Website: https://www.chuo-bus.co.jp/
   
Daikokukotsu
Name: Daikokukotsu Co., Ltd
Address: 769-3, New Port West 1 Chome, Ishikari City, Hokkaido
Establishment: 1964
Representative: Tsunehiro Nakamura
Website: https://daikoku-web.com/content/koutsu/
   
Sanwakotsu
Name: Sanwakotsu Co., Ltd
Address: 5-16, Shinkotoni 4 Jo 16 Chome, Kitaku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido
Establishment: 1962
Representative: Iwao Yamazawa
Website: https://sk-sanwa.jp/
   
Liaison Council
Name: Ishikari Bay New Port Complex Liaison Council
Address: 721-11, New Port West 1 Chome, Ishikari City, Hokkaido
Establishment: 1986
Representative: Hitoshi Abe
Website: https://www.ishikari-dev.co.jp/danchi/
   
Marubeni
Name: Marubeni Corporation
Address: 4-2, Ohtemachi 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Establishment: 1949
Representative: Masumi Kakinoki
Website: https://www.marubeni.com/en/
   
Moovit
Name: Moovit App Global Ltd.
Address: 2 Ilan Ramon Street, Nes Ziona, 7403635, Israel
Establishment: 2012
Representative: Nir Erez
Website: https://moovit.com/
   
TMJ
Name: TMJ Inc.
Address: Sumitomo Fudosan Nishi-Shinjuku Building, 7-20-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Establishment: 1992
Representative: Hideki Maruyama
Website: https://www.tmj.jp/en/

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