Tariffing in Integrated Passenger Transport Systems: A Literature Review

Designing tariff systems in public passenger transport is a complex issue of optimization by means of satisfying the wants and needs of all the engaged parties. An integrated passenger transport system (IPTS) stands for the concept of organization and management of public passenger transport based on a uniform tariff system. The issue of transport disadvantage of certain peri-urban and rural areas is the result of poorly organized transport systems. Social and spatial isolation in the framework of mobility is partly the fault of the way in which tariff systems have been designed with no regard to the social factors of the engaged parties for which such systems are designed – its users. Special emphasis in the research of tariff systems is placed on resolving issues of designing tariff zones, maximizing social welfare, transport equity, and transport disadvantage. An outline of the existing research and a review of literature concerning tariffs in integrated passenger transport systems is given, and proposals are put forward for future research due to the need for designing socially beneficial tariff systems, which would eliminate social exclusion, i.e., the transport disadvantage of individuals or parts of society.