Keolis Reports Keoscopie Global Mobility Study Findings

PARIS, FRANCE – Keolis, in partnership with market research firm Toluna, released its global Keoscopie public transit study between 2025 and 2026, surveying 8,000 residents across 20 metropolitan areas in 11 countries to identify passenger priorities. The findings show a stark consensus, with up to 52% of respondents in public transit-dense countries advocating for increased network investment over road infrastructure. However, the report also highlights that nearly one-third of global passengers have abandoned certain transit services due to a lack of digital skills.

What Does This Regulation Cover?

The Keoscopie study outlines the critical policy and regulatory challenges facing transport authorities worldwide as they attempt to reconcile universal passenger demands with local operational realities. Globally, passengers prioritize a trio of priorities: lower fares, higher service frequency, and improved safety, with 80% of users adopting personal strategies to avoid perceived safety threats. The study reveals a significant policy divide between transit-centric regions and car-dependent areas, where up to 30% of residents in cities like Boston and Melbourne still prioritize road traffic conditions and parking over transit expansion. Furthermore, a glaring digital divide is exposed, as 52% of respondents in Hyderabad and 38% in Copenhagen and Dubai have stopped using some transit services due to insufficient digital literacy. This digital exclusion highlights a broader structural challenge: while 80% of passengers rely on digital ticketing and real-time apps, transit agencies risk alienating vulnerable demographics if they completely phase out non-digital access.

Key Regulatory Data

How Does This Compare to Global Standards?

The high expectations for public transit systems require substantial regional infrastructure investments and workforce readiness that vary heavily by market. In the Netherlands, where public transit culture is highly established and support for free transit is exceptionally strong in cities like Amsterdam, the railway signalling market is projected to grow steadily through 2035 to support high-density, high-frequency operations (Source: IndexBox, 2026). This contrasts with car-dependent regions like the United States, where only 36% of hypothetical investment budgets are allocated to public transit compared to 52% in the Nordic and Benelux regions. In comparison, the UITP Global Public Transport Barometer indicated that European cities allocate an average of 45% of municipal budgets to sustainable mobility, which aligns closely with the 52% transit investment preference found in the Nordic and Benelux countries in the Keoscopie study (Source: UITP, 2024).

Furthermore, the digital skills gap identified in the study—where up to 52% of Hyderabad residents struggled with digital transit tools—mirrors broader technical readiness challenges. Just as rapid network evolution causes telecom workforce readiness issues due to outdated training methods, transit operators face performance gaps and passenger friction when deploying advanced digital ticketing without corresponding public literacy programs (Source: RCR Wireless, 2026). This operational strain is occurring amid a broader industrial expansion; for instance, railway supply chain partners are seeing increased financial activity, with Indef Manufacturing Consolidated reporting a 28.44% year-on-year net sales increase to Rs 68.04 crore and Delta Standalone growing 17.59% to Rs 18.49 crore in March 2026, indicating strong capital expenditure in supporting industrial sectors (Source: Moneycontrol, 2026). Comparable global data on the exact percentage of passengers who abandon transit due to digital skill gaps was not publicly available at the time of publication.

Editor’s Analysis

The stark contrast between universal passenger expectations and actual policy execution highlights a critical bottleneck: operators are trying to solve modern mobility demands with outdated funding frameworks. To bridge the digital divide and address safety concerns, public transport authorities must treat digital inclusivity and physical security as core infrastructure rather than operational afterthoughts. This strategic shift aligns with the broader European trend of prioritizing smart, decentralized transit networks to reduce urban car dependency (Source: European Commission, 2025).

FAQ

Q: What are the primary demands of public transportation passengers globally?
A: According to the Keoscopie study, passengers globally prioritize more frequent services, lower fares, and higher levels of safety on board and around transit networks. These expectations remain uniform across diverse urban contexts, from Amsterdam to Hyderabad.

Q: How does car dependency affect public transit funding preferences in different regions?
A: In highly car-dependent regions like Boston and Melbourne, up to 30% of residents prioritize road congestion and parking improvements over transit. Consequently, respondents in the US allocate only 36% of hypothetical budgets to public transit development, compared to 52% in Benelux and Nordic countries.

Q: Why do many passengers oppose completely free public transportation?
A: Many passengers associate free public transit with increased risks of overcrowding, safety concerns, and a potential decline in overall service quality. Instead of completely free access, the majority of surveyed citizens prefer highly affordable and subsidized fares that preserve reinvestment in network quality.