mobility
shape together.
Now things are really getting underway! Vaccination centers are opening everywhere, eligible groups are being invited, and suddenly there are a lot of questions.
Since I am fortunate enough to work for both public transportation companies and a vaccination center, I would like to take this opportunity to share my experiences and ideas on this topic.
I currently work at the Messe Berlin vaccination center. It is well connected to public transportation via bus (very close by) and the U-Bahn and S-Bahn (a bit further away). However, people are making much better use of the services offered by taxi dispatch centers. The taxi dispatch centers have established a voucher system with the Senate Department for Health, Care, and Equality that ensures, in a very unbureaucratic way, that those getting vaccinated can quickly reach the vaccination center and that the taxi companies receive fair compensation for their services. And I think we can learn a great deal from such unbureaucratic, simple, and quickly implemented projects.
Given the current priority list for vaccination, we are often dealing with elderly people and those with physical disabilities. This means we face an enormous logistical challenge when it comes to transportation. This challenge involves transporting wheelchairs and walking aids, as well as accommodating limited mobility. Therefore, the small vehicles operated by taxi companies are certainly a good choice at this time, even if they cannot carry as many people. This means that if you have shared-ride taxi services, ride-pooling, or on-demand bus services in your service area, these are certainly the best option right now for transporting people to get vaccinated. However, buses equipped with plenty of wheelchair spaces also offer a very good alternative.
Be sure to factor in extra time! Transporting the current vaccination group requires time and resources. And almost everyone is accompanied by a caregiver who also needs to be transported. However, you should also expect that the driver may need to assist with getting on and off the vehicle. Or, it’s best to plan for your own support staff right from the start.
We don’t have time to create detailed schedules and then enter them into the systems. Soon, once enough vaccine is available, large crowds will want to go to the vaccination centers. These people will be younger and more agile, but there will simply be a lot of them. We’re currently estimating several thousand people per vaccination center per day. Until the IT systems include a “vaccination center” stop, we’ll have to do a lot of manual work, station staff at the respective stops, and expect to encounter passengers for whom the public transit experience is new—people who are excited and need to be guided accordingly.
Information and support are essential in the current situation. While it is certainly important and appropriate to ensure that the information in the timetable service is accurate, the target audience right now is not tech-savvy young people!
Based on our experience here in Berlin, I can only emphasize that the voucher program established with taxi companies has been a major factor in the success of the vaccination campaign. Therefore, please contact your local health department to set up a quick and streamlined transportation arrangement!
When the vaccination centers open, transportation must also be organized. Of course, there will be few people at first, but the number is expected—and must—rise rapidly. And only public transportation can handle such growth. That is why it is essential to respond just as quickly and efficiently.
Would you like more details on specific points? Feel free to contact me: kay.tewes@geminiptc.com