Technical Report Draft 1.2

stu1800879

Background Information

This report has been developed in response to the request for a proposal to develop a solution for engineering problems.

As Singapore strives to be more urbanized and sustainable, there have been great efforts to promote public transportation. The “Walk, Cycle, Ride” (See figure 1) was launched by Land Transport Authority (LTA, n.d.) to enhance Singapore’s transportation system further to have a “travel car-lite” society. As Singapore’s population is increasing and land is in short supply, it is important that Singaporeans commute to their destinations using public transportation to reduce the reliance on cars.

LTA conduct a survey to monitor the commuting patterns of Singaporeans and the outcome shows that 70% of the commuters engaged in the “walk, cycle and ride” prior to using public transportation system (Straits Times, 2018). According to a government survey, 58.7% prefers taking the public transport in 2016 when compared to 54.6% in 2010 (Straits Times, 2016). As seen from the results, there has been an increase of reliance on public transportation, and this demand can be expected to increase in the many years to come.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Oj_-77zJjnv8G5MVY4H9QN6dq7XFALBkndLYw4dvbR8YyjEqcywqJ0ipZ1lCS27FtH80pnQLDds4QyDNzw0alDHEbnzp2P8zzCAGE5xaHHwPuiGLhOeymZIaarCwh1FECl9R6iux

Figure 1. Seamless mobility, future of mobility (Lee Kuan Yew School of public policy, 2017)

There is an increasing demand of e-scooters as a mode of transport due to its effectiveness for short journeys (Straits Times, 2017). E-scooter is an environment friendly, portable and a convenient mode of transport. However, to operate the e-scooter, an approval and license from LTA is required. The cost of the e-scooter is between SGD $500 to $2000 and it depends on the size and specifications of the e-scooter. E-scooter is also in line with Singapore’s transformation to travel “car-lite” and be environment friendly. The e-scooter sharing systems has been in operations at various parts of Singapore. This shows the public’s reliance on public transportation and it can be deduced that accessibility and mobility was a high priority amongst Singaporeans. According to Moovit (n.d), Singaporeans walked an approximate distance of 0.56km or more to take public transportation.

In order to better understand the needs of students at Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) in terms of mobility, the team interviewed and surveyed 30 current SIT students and staff on their feedback about their mode of transport choice within the university campus. The results show that around 80% of students and staffs of SIT find that accessibility and mobility within the campus compound are vital. A solution must be developed to help tackle the issue of accessibility and mobility within the new SIT@Punggol campus.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/jioF-b0J7-x3rDQ7x7duS2feimFMD8Z1DBnkIYDK33WG1evxBilkNZVWuvaBl_DAd_Ss9_t8la2LbwgU4DvXnwGx_tMatZwIhZYx6bw0h6A40l2XDai1K08SpuHpX4xoySI9UK2Q

Figure 2. The Punggol Digital District (TODAY Online, 2013)

SIT at Punggol campus will be located at the Punggol Digital District under the ownership of Jurong Town Corporation (JTC) land. JTC’s master plan at Punggol Digital District is designed to be environmentally friendly and travel car-lite. In line with JTC’s master plan, this pilot project will be a great platform to incorporate with.

Since the SIT Punggol campus is still in the planning stage and the is not usage of solar-powered scooter in Singapore, the team proposes a pilot project of a solar-powered e-scooter sharing system to be implemented at the new SIT Punggol campus. This pilot project would allow the students and staff of SIT Punggol campus to better navigate through the university campus. The e-scooters would help in the mobility of the students and staff as well as improve the connectivity and accessibility of the different buildings within the campus. As the e-scooters are charged using solar power, this would mean a decrease in the reliance on the power grids, meaning a cheaper and more sustainable way of getting energy.

Problem statement

In a campus community, it would be ideal for a sharing system

SIT@Punggol should implement a self-sustaining solar powered e-scooter for better mobility for students. However, there is no proposed solar powered e-scooters to be used in SIT punggol yet.

The team proposes a solar-powered e-scooter sharing pilot project to be launched in SIT@ Punggol after it is built. A solar-powered scooter would serve the needs of the students and staff of SIT@Punggol in terms of mobility, is environmentally sustainable and also serve as an educational tool for future research.

Purpose statement

The purpose of this report is to propose to the planning committee of SIT@Punggol the implementation of solar powered personal mobility system within the vicinity of SIT@Punggol. The team also aims to highlight that this pilot project is environmentally sustainable, provides better mobility for students and serves as an educational purpose to the community.

Proposed solutions

The team’s proposed solution is to implement a solar powered e-scooter sharing system that would be incorporated into the SIT Punggol campus, specifically at areas with high human traffic flow as an option to the public transportation system. The overall goal of the e-scooter sharing system would be to provide better accessibility for staff and students of SIT to the entire campus using clean and sustainable energy. The team would like to further elaborate on the planning procedures; the signages and advertising, integration with public transportation, rules and regulations, e-scooter routes and use of solar power as an energy source.

Planning procedure

1.     Integration with public transportation

As LTA continues to strive to improve connectivity, speed and convenience for commuters from home to destination (LTA, 2013) the implementation of solar powered e-scooters within the SIT Punggol campus would help in LTA’s vision for better connectivity. This would also aid staff and students of SIT to reach their destinations in the fastest possible time.

To ensure the ease of usage of the e-scooters, there will be parking spaces for the e-scooters to be set up outside the MRT station as well as bus stops. This would mean that the users would be able to use the e-scooter to continue their journey inside the campus itself. Once the user has arrived at their destination, the e-scooters would be parked at the allocated park spots that are set up alongside the footpaths.

The implementation of this e-scooter system would potentially solve the first-and-last-mile issue related to public transit access. Users are now able to commute easily to and fro their homes and destinations with ease.

2.     Rental system

The team understands that the payment system would have to be in place in order to  facilitate the e-scooter rental system. Thus, the team has come up with a proposal for the payment system.

  • Collaboration with LTA

To achieve this plan the team proposes a collaboration with LTA. The process for the rental of the e-scooter is fast and convenient for users. Users would use their ez-link cards and tap on the back of the e-scooter where a device would be placed. The user will tap their ezlink at the start of the journey and also at the end of the journey. The fares would be deducted based on the distance of travel. This system mimics the current system used by public transport providers. (LTA, n.d.) Once the journey is done, users will then park the e-scooter at the demarcated parking boxes around campus.

As this plan is in line with LTA’s vision to have a more connected public transport system (LTA, 2013), the team is confident that this collaboration would be successful. The e-scooter rental system would be fully integrated with the public transportation system.

3.     E-scooter routes, signages and advertising

  • Routes

The proposed e-scooter path would be alongside the pedestrian footpaths throughout the campus. The e-scooter path would be an extension of the pedestrian pathway. A line would divide the pathway between pedestrians and e-scooter users. (see figure 2)

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/WYW1b0PogO-s09or0_F9WBsqqWGuljMQuLx7gZiAfJCEO7MQbc8E3qsp8fqWPOxFE5V5PMWZrF9XRDZ6DyRcjZCPNQk9sgEh3lrALc1uJLEKFBsXdctdvETsE9C3G_YSnuMuG7O7

Figure 3. Shared cycling paths in Ang Mo Kio. (Channel Newsasia, 2016)

  • Signages

Indicators such as signages would be placed at strategic locations to show the direction of the campus buildings and direction of the nearest e-scooter parking space. This would ensure that users are able to identify the nearest parking spot and would be able to rent and return the e-scooters with ease. The proposed placements of the signages would be on e-scooter routes, inside the lift lobby of each building, the MRT stations and bus stops.

  • Advertisements

Advertisements for the e-scooter rental system would be placed all around campus to promote the use of the e-scooters. MRT stations, bus stops and canteens are suitable placements of e-scooter advertisements.

The main aim of placing signages and advertisement at the locations mentioned above is because of the high human flow at the location. With locations of e-scooter parking locations close to area of high human flow, it would be easier for users to find e-scooters. Placing advertisements at locations with high human flow is vital for the continued support of this e-scooter system as this would increase the students exposure to the e-scooter rental system.

4.     Rules and regulations

SIT@Punggol can set up a pathway in addition to the existing footpaths to cater for bicycles and PMDs. One example will be similar to the shared path adopted by LTA which creates a save environment for both pedestrians and riders. Rules and regulations will be made known to all students and staff of SIT. Failure to do so will result in being barred from future usage of the e-scooter sharing system. Some examples are:

  1. Only to ride on allowed routes
  2. Park at demarcated areas
  3. Adhere to speed limit 25 Km/h
  4. Do not tamper with the e scooter system
  5. Do not exceed weight limit
  6. Handle equipment with care
  7. Be considerate of other path users
  8. Adhere to traffic signages
  9. No riding out of premises

5.     Solar power as an energy source

Solar power is a renewable energy that generates zero carbon emissions and helps environmental sustainability (EMA, n.d). With e-scooters powered by solar energy, it can improve the accessibility in the campus. Additionally, it will create a modernized image of SIT which attracts future students to enrol into SIT. The team would like to propose a solar panel in-built e-scooter sharing system and its rules and regulation for handling the e-scooters in SIT@Punggol.

Firstly, photovoltaic (PV) cells will be installed into the e-scooters, which take in sunlight and convert directly into electricity to run the device. Since solar energy generated by the PV cell is a direct current (DC) electricity (Knier, 2008). DC is compatible with solar panels and could be incorporated into the e-scooters.

To illustrate the effectiveness of solar energy, the mars rover called ‘opportunity’ ran for almost 15 years in mars (NASA, 2019) with mainly solar energy from its PV cells. This shows the efficiency of having a stand-alone solar power which can reduce its costs for electricity, be self-reliant and also requires minimum maintenance.

Benefits

The benefits that we could gain from the proposed solution is a reduction of the travelling time taken by staff and students, a reduction on expenses by the school, an increase in economic activity and a decrease of vehicles on the campus roads

  • Reduction in travelling time

With the incorporation of the e-scooter system to the upcoming SIT punggol campus, it would mean that the travelling time taken for students and staff of SIT would be significantly reduced. With the reduction on travelling time, student would be better able to optimise their time wisely.

  • Better connectivity

Connectivity within campus is important for any university. With the introduction of this e-scooter system, students and staff would be more connected and would be able to travel to further parts of the campus with ease. As the e-scooter also supplements the public transportation system, it would mean that that users are able to reach locations on campus that are considered far by foot.

  • Save on expense

With the implementation of the e-scooters that are powered by solar energy, this would mean that SIT Punggol would be able to utilize the money that is otherwise used to pay for a conventional electric powered e-scooter. With the money that is saved, SIT could potentially use the funds to be used to further the vision of sustainability within campus itself. SIT could install solar panels around the campus to power streetlights or infrastructure around the campus itself.

  • Increased economic activity

With the increased mobility and accessibility of students and staff, there would be more opportunities for them to engage in economic activities on campus. Shopping and eating at locations around campus would be increased as people are mobile. Places such as MRT Station and economic hubs such as shopping plazas on campus would also see an increase in customers.

  • Reduction in cars on campus (Environmental sustainability)

The implementation of e-scooters would reduce the reliance of cars on campus. Due to the ease of mobility available on campus, staff and students would forego personal transport such as cars in favour of public transport and e-scooters to move around campus.

Evaluation

The proposed solution of implementing solar powered e-scooter within the vicinity of SIT Punggol to enhance accessibility and mobility is doable as our project will be in line with JTC master plan at Punggol Digital District to fully utilise the land space and travel car-lite. JTC has included to design a Personal Mobility Device (PMD) friendly pavements within their Punggol Digital District which will falls at the vicinity of SIT at Punggol campus. In line with JTC master plan, the solar powered e-scooter will reduce the reliance on power grid and reduce the time taken to arrive to a destination significantly.

Daymak Photon supplies solar powered mobility system which also functions as a solar charger for your phone and a speaker sound system installed together (Odditymall, 2015). The solar panel is placed at the base of the e-scooter which takes up 4 to 6 hours to fully charge. The best thing about solar powered mobility system is that it can recharge on the go while cruising through the journey.

Since SIT@Punggol is still at its planning phase, the width and structure of the pavements are not determined. The pavements might be thin and are not gradually elevated.

Since there are regulations on the size and weight for e-scooter in singapore (LTA, 2016), incorporating PV cells into e-scooters might increase its weight.With the additional load of solar panels onto the e-scooter, it might not meet LTA regulations requirements.

  • NUS Case study

According to NUS News (2018), National University of Singapore (NUS) has collaborated with Grab for Grabwheels as a trial to understand the human behaviours towards using e-scooter other than the existing shuttle buses as their option to travel across the campus. The e-scooter sharing system has shown to improve the travelling time taken at unrestrained part of the campus for the students and staffs.

The e-scooters are ready to serve the staffs and students at assigned strategic positions on NUS campus. To activate and deactivate the e-scooter, students and staffs are required to scan the QR code through an app designed by Grab. While the e-scooter battery life can be used up to a minimum of one day, the e-scooter are required to be taken away every evening to recharge for the next day and then being transported back again to the assigned stations.

  • Challenges

While there are no projects on solar powered personal mobility system conducted in Singapore, the recommended plan of action to improve the current situation in NUS would be to enhance the sharing personal e-scooter to a sharing solar powered mobility system. The project will save time taken to transport the device to and fro to recharge the e-scooter.

Methodology

  • Primary Research

The primary research was a online survey questionnaire conducted by dissemination of a google form link to 100 current SIT students located in different campus via WhatsApp Mobile application. Current SIT students were chosen as the survey participants as they are stakeholders that would spend the most amount of time travelling around the campus. The objective of the survey are to find out more about the opinions of  SIT students on having a e-scooter sharing system in the new SIT@Punggol campus.

The team also had a email conversation with a member of the planning committee for the SIT@Punggol and found out that there are currently no plans on having a e-scooter sharing system in the new campus as of yet.

  • Secondary Research

The secondary research was to conduct case studies on similar e-scooter sharing systems in Singapore. One reference will be the creation of Grabwheels, a collaboration between NUS and Grab to establish a e-scooter sharing system on campus. Another reference would be a e-scooter sharing company called Telepod, which plans to establish its e-scooter sharing system in Republic Polytechnic, Nanyang Technological University and National University of Singapore.

  • Findings

99% of the respondent for the online survey questionnaire were keen on having a e-scooter sharing system in the new SIT@Punggol campus and 98.5% believe that the e-scooter sharing system will be of a great aid to reduce travelling time on campus. The survey results supports the team’s proposal and shows the high demand for a e-scooter sharing system in the new SIT@Punggol campus.

Conclusion

In view of LTA’s vision of a more connected society, the team believes that having a e-scooter sharing system in the new SIT@Punggol campus will bring greater accessibility to the campus itself. The solar powered e-scooter does not only reduce the travelling time for students and staff, it is also environmentally sustainable as it brings singapore closer to a carlite society.

References:

Published by stu1800879

Leave a comment