ISO 37169:2021

Overview

ISO 37169:2021 - Smart community infrastructures - Smart transportation by run-through train/bus operation in/between cities specifies procedures for implementing run-through (through) train and bus operations as a form of smart transportation. The standard promotes direct, one-seat ride services in high-quality corridors connecting cities and transportation hubs, reducing forced transfers and improving accessibility without requiring major new infrastructure. It also covers run-through applications for bus services licensed to different carriers using public roads.

Key topics and requirements

• Concept and objectives: Define run-through operation to provide continuous services across city centres and metropolitan areas, improving mobility and corridor-based coverage.
• Operational planning: Reprioritizing timetable, service patterns and dispatching to enable through services while maintaining existing network operations.
• Interchange and rental use arrangements: Use of contractual agreements that let carriers share rolling stock, vehicles or drivers so passengers can remain onboard across service territories.
• Agreements between carriers: Legal and organizational frameworks for coordinating multiple rail/bus operators, fare allocation and responsibility for service quality.
• Technical specification adjustment: Align vehicle, signaling, platform and operational parameters where different carriers operate in the same corridor.
• Installation and quality maintenance: Procedures for implementing run-through services and monitoring operational parameters; processes for modification and continuous improvement.
• Applicability to modes: Primary focus on rail and bus; applicable to other modes operated in the same mode (see ISO 37154 for mode guidance).
• Sustainability alignment: Supports UN SDGs by improving accessibility, reducing transfers, and encouraging efficient transport operations.

Practical applications

• Create one-seat regional commuter or interurban routes that pass through city centres without terminal transfers.
• Implement through bus services across license boundaries using driver/vehicle interchange or rental agreements to eliminate forced transfers.
• Optimize corridor capacity and increase fare revenue by dispatching more direct services without constructing new tracks or tunnels.
• Improve accessibility for elderly, people with disabilities, families with luggage and long-distance travelers.
• Reduce operational costs (fewer dispatch centers, streamlined maintenance) and stimulate economic activity through better connectivity.

Who should use this standard

• City and regional transport planners
• Public transport authorities and regulators
• Rail and bus operators and carriers
• Transit system integrators and consultants
• Urban planners focused on smart community infrastructures

Related standards

• Referenced: ISO 37154 (for applicable transportation modes)
• Developed under ISO/TC 268 (Sustainable cities and communities)

Keywords: ISO 37169, smart transportation, run-through operation, one-seat ride, run-through train, run-through bus, smart community infrastructures, interchange agreements, urban mobility, sustainable cities.