As well as adapting to changing urban environments, the ways governments plan, design and operate transport must take account of the diversity of Australian communities.
Language: Digital information technologies, and greater use of graphics on signs, offer ways for people who speak or read a language other than English to navigate the transport system more easily.
Lifestyles: Demand-responsive public transport services suit people who might previously have relied on driving for multipurpose Journeys that combine school drop-off, commuting and other needs.
Safety: Designing transport interchanges as busy places, so users wait for a service outside a shop or cafe, results in a safer travel experience for everyone, especially people in vulnerable groups.
Demographic change: The design of transport services should address the needs of people with disability and an ageing population.
Pets: As average household sizes reduce and cities become denser, more urban Australians will rely on pets for companionship. Helping people travelling with pets to be better serviced by public transport is another way to reduce dependence on cars.