Discover with Africa Urban Mobility Observatory
Get insights with Big Data to enable inclusive, Low-Carbon Mobility. Support Sustainable, Low-Carbon and Inclusive Mobility in your City.
Documentation
View resources and download reports to gain insights into urban mobility planning and research
Observatory
Explore the Africa Urban Mobility Observatory through multiple indicators
Project Charter
The key objective of the Africa Urban Mobility Observatory research project is to promote inclusive, low-carbon mobility in African LIC cities, by piloting Big Data applications to generate data, benchmark performance, and draw policy insights in six African cities, which will be used to develop Action Plans in two of these cities, and catalyse broader uptake via this web data platform, through workshops and webinars, and a peer-reviewed journal article.
Cutting edge tech to track movements
- User Movement
- Analytics (UMA)
- Web Surveys
- USSD Surveys
- WhatsApp Surveys
- Web Surveys
Cutting edge tech to track movements
- UMA Trip & Mode
- Detector algorithms
- GTFS (Mapping)
- Travel time calculations
- KPI value & accuracy calculations
Cutting edge tech to track movements
- 6 Cities
- Shapes / City &
- Census data
- Statistical targets per Zone / City
- Storage & Data Management
- Survey Questions / Calibration
- Viewer / Reports
- Maps Builder
- In-App UMA integrations
Cutting edge tech to track movements
- Web base Mobility
- Observatory
- 7 Workshops
- 3 Training Webinars
- Action Plans (2 Cities)
- 3 Research Reports
- 1 Peer Reviewed
- Published Journal Article
Project Background and Research Questions
- What are the main levers for mode share and what is the role of data?
- What are the opportunities and risks of Big Data applications in HVT cities?
- What is the role of informal transport in the global South and how to enable transition towards a clean, affordable and efficient solution for HVT?
6 Cities and Growing
Research Indicators and Disaggregation Categories
Accessibility
Affordability
CO2 Emissions
Congestion
Distance Travelled
Modal Split
Condition of PT Vehicles
Crime on PT
Driver Behaviour
Period of Travel
Public Transit Comfort
Public Transit Reliability
Sexual Harassment
Traffic Fatalities
Mode/Vehicle Transfers
Travel Time
Vehicle Occupancy
Disaggregation Categories
Gender
Income
Transfers
Trip Purpose
Trip Mode(s)
Peak / Off-Peak
Survey Instruments – User Movement Analytics (UMA)
UMA is a digital product which is able to passively observe mobile phone telemetry data (including GPS and accelerometer) to allow interpretation of individuals’ modes of travel, origins and destinations, travel times, periods of travel, and transfer activity. Each journey produces thousands of data points. It is able to function as a stand-alone application, or integrate with any host/partner app. The ability of UMA to operate is not dependent on the host app’s functionality, since it merely uses the partner app as a gateway to observe the devices telemetry data. Therefore, we are able to integrate UMA with any partner app.
Research Partners
GoMetro
GoMetro is a leading international provider of mobility technology and planning solutions for public transport. GoMetro delivers award-winning mobile and desktop applications and expertise to support professional public transport data collection, planning insights, fleet management, and operations. The GoMetro team has generated detailed demand and supply data, powered by the award-winning GoMetro Pro app, on over 1 million kilometers of public transport in emerging markets, more than any other entity. GoMetro has advised cities like Kigali, Cape Town, Mbombela, Polokwane, Rustenburg, and Johannesburg on how to optimize their formal and informal transport services. It has implemented its multi-modal commuter app, location-aware SDK, and USSD feedback solutions to support millions of public transport trips across several South African cities. GoMetro’s end-to-end technology and planning solutions can help governments and operators to:
– Measure: Collect detailed data on mobility demand and supply with a powerful suite of technology solutions, including the award-winning GoMetro Pro app.
– Model: Model transport supply and transport demand, improve business intelligence and optimize services to effectively serve demand.
– Manage: Manage fleets and operations with world-class GoMetro Move and Fleet software as well as digital control centers for large data collection projects.
– Move: Help travellers and operators plan their journeys with our integrated, multi-modal Rider App, Driver App, and flexible trip engine.
Website: gometroapp.com
GoAscendal
GoAscendal empowers cities to implement greener, equitable mobility for all, by driving transformative mobility solutions and harnessing the potential of data and technology. We believe that high-quality public transport is the lifeblood of inclusive, low-carbon cities. We envision cities for people, built around vibrant urban neighborhoods and gender-inclusive, efficient mobility. This vision is possible when cities and operators apply the world’s best mobility expertise and technology to solve unique local challenges. GoAscendal is a global mobility advisory company founded by Ascendal Group and GoMetro.
Website: goascendal.com
Wuppertal Institute
Wuppertal Institute is a prestigious, internationally recognized NGO think tank specializing in climate change, energy and transport policy and transitions. Based in Germany and featuring some of the world’s leading researchers, Wuppertal develops models, strategies and instruments for transitions to sustainable development. Sustainability research places special emphasis on analyzing and stimulating innovations that decouple economic growth and wealth from natural resource use. Applied sustainability research is the Wuppertal Institute’s stated mission. Sustainable development requires an integrated approach to policy and science because many issues cannot be addressed within a single department or scientific discipline. This is where the Institute’s research program begins – by taking an interdisciplinary approach and working towards systems understanding. The Wuppertal Institute collaborates with a multitude of universities and institutes around the world. A scientific International Advisory Board supports the Institute in defining fundamental research strategies as well as ensuring the quality and independence of its research.
Website: wupperinst.org
UN-Habitat
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (“UN-Habitat”) was established by the General Assembly of the UN in December 1977, and transformed into a Program in 2001. UN-Habitat is headquartered in Nairobi and is the coordinating agency within the United Nations System for human settlement activities. UN-Habitat is responsible for promoting and consolidating collaboration with all partners, including local authorities, private and non-governmental organizations, in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular, Goal 11 of “Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. UN-Habitat is also the task manager of the human settlements chapter of Agenda 21 and focal point for the monitoring, evaluation and implementation of the New Urban Agenda adopted during the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), in Ecuador, Quito, 2016. UN-Habitat has been identified by the UN Statistical Division as the “custodian agency” responsible to monitor, track and report on SDG target 11.2: “Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons”. UN-Habitat’s work is driven by a vision of cities as engines of economic and social development. UN-Habitat’s growing portfolio of urban mobility work reflects this vision and a unique people-centered approach towards better urban mobility. The portfolio combines a set of projects on the ground in partner cities and countries that demonstrate innovative approaches, with normative work to develop better tools and guides for planners and city managers.
Website: unhabitat.org
UEMI
Urban Electric Mobility Initiative (UEMI) was initiated by UN-Habitat and the EU-funded SOLUTIONS project and launched at the UN Climate Summit in September 2014 in New York. The UEMI aims to contribute significantly to the overall goal of limiting the increase in global mean temperature to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by decreasing urban CO2 emissions globally. As one of the Action Areas of the UN Climate Summit the UEMI aims to phase out conventionally fueled vehicles in cities and integrate electric mobility into a wider concept of sustainable urban transport. The UEMI secretariat develops partnerships with local authorities, industry, SMEs, knowledge and network partners to implement innovative urban electric mobility solutions. The UEMI partnership currently comprises over 150 partners collaborating on implementation-oriented projects. The UEMI secretariat acts as a resource center and facilitates direct collaboration on projects focusing on sustainable urban mobility and the role of e-mobility. The UEMI secretariat pools expertise, facilitates exchanges and initiates implementation-oriented actions. The resource center aims to bridge the gap between urban energy and transport, and to boost sustainable and urban e-mobility.
Website: uemi.net