1. The Rising Spotlight on Mid-Tier Cities
From the Sunshine Coast to Ballarat, regional and coastal cities and urban areas outside of the main capitals in Australia are experiencing a wave of growth and transformation. Traditionally overshadowed by their larger metropolitan neighbours, these cities are now stepping into the spotlight with booming populations and increasing economic significance. Yet, with growth come new mobility challenges such as limited public transport systems, car dependence, lack of active travel infrastructure and poor data sources on travel behaviour.
Digital journey planning solutions can help these mid-tier cities and regions tackle their mobility issues head-on, while also providing the valuable data local authorities need to plan effectively for the future.
In this article, we explore:
- The common pain points mid-tier cities and regions face, especially in Queensland and Victoria
- How digital journey planning solutions can generate powerful data for transport planners
- Why SkedGo’s tools and locally relevant expertise align with city strategies for sustainability, accessibility and smart innovation
2. Challenges Facing Regional and Coastal Cities and Corridors
2.1. Rapid Population Growth and Infrastructure Strain
Councils such as Ipswich, Ballarat and Latrobe are seeing steady population increases, putting pressure on roads, public transport and active travel infrastructure. With limited budgets, councils struggle to keep pace and maintain systems that support their expanding communities.
2.2. Car Dependence and Limited Public Transport
In cities like Mackay or Shepparton, buses often run on infrequent schedules. Heavy reliance on private vehicles contributes to congestion and higher emissions. These problems are more commonly associated with major cities but are now increasingly also felt in smaller urban centres.
2.3. Fragmented or Under-Used Data
Data availability is vital for planning, yet many councils rely on infrequent manual counts or outdated assumptions about travel habits. City planners across cities like Toowoomba or Bendigo often note a lack of detailed, real-time insights into how residents move around, hampering efforts to optimise bus routes, design safer pedestrian infrastructure or advocate for state funding.
2.4. Accessibility Gaps
Ensuring equitable access to transport can be a challenge for regional hubs like Fraser Coast and the Latrobe Valley. Some residents – particularly the elderly or people with disabilities – may face difficulties reaching essential services if public transport is sparse or inaccessible. Councils aim to address these gaps but need better tools to understand and respond to demand.
3. Why Data-Driven Mobility Solutions Matter
3.1. Evidence-Based Decision-Making
Digital journey planning platforms capture real-time and historical trip data, revealing travel patterns by time of day, origin-destination pairs and mode choice. This information helps:
- Tailor bus routes to actual rider demand
- Identify priority areas for new cycleways or pedestrian improvements
- Coordinate with state authorities when lobbying for infrastructure funding
3.2. Boosting Public Transport Adoption
Mid-tier cities often aspire to shift travel away from private cars. A multi-modal journey planner enables residents to compare bus, train, bike, e-scooter and car trips in a single interface. Showing real-time bus arrivals or step-free routes makes public transport more attractive and fosters a culture of sustainable travel.
3.3. Inclusive Access for All
Digital tools let users filter routes by accessibility, highlight first-and-last mile services or find on-demand shuttles. In regions where standard fixed-route services cannot cover every area (e.g. Mackay and Bundaberg in QLD, or Shepparton in VIC), the inclusion of alternative transport modes and real-time data helps those with accessibility requirements.
3.4. Community Engagement and Transparency
By integrating journey planning data into open data portals, councils can keep the community informed about real usage patterns and planned improvements. This kind of transparency fosters trust and empowers residents to advocate for better services, aligning with local initiatives (like the Sunshine Coast’s Smart City Program or Ballarat’s Open Data platform).
4. Skedgo’s Approach: Enabling Smarter Mobility
4.1. A Proven Track Record
As a B Corp certified Australian business with almost 15 years of local and global experience, we deliver advanced Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platforms and journey planning tools. We work closely with local governments across the globe to provide user-friendly apps that bring public transport, on-demand services, micromobility and walking routes together in one seamless interface.
Our software is flexible enough to handle city-specific needs – whether that’s integrating an on-demand minibus trial for suburban Ipswich or ensuring e-scooter routes are highlighted in Geelong’s city centre.
4.2. Empowering Planners With Data
Central to our solutions is the data engine that collects anonymous trip requests, mode choices and feedback from end users. We share these insights with councils – always respecting privacy – to create evidence-based transport policies. For example, if a significant number of travellers prefer to combine bus and e-bike for their commute, city planners can quickly act on that trend with new bike racks or improved bus-bike connectivity.
4.3. Seamless Multi-Modal Integration
Our products show travellers how to piece together multiple modes – train + bike + rideshare, for instance – and compare travel times and costs at a glance. By simplifying complex journeys, we help reduce friction and close the gap between rural or suburban areas and city centres.
4.4. Customisable and Scalable
We understand mid-tier cities have unique constraints: smaller budgets, limited staff, and the need to tailor solutions to local conditions. SkedGo’s platforms are modular, allowing local governments to start with essential features (real-time bus data, route planning) and add more (vehicle occupancy insights, carpool matching) as resources become available.
5. Aligning With City Strategies in Queensland and Victoria
5.1. Queensland Examples
- Sunshine Coast & Moreton Bay: Rapid suburban growth has driven councils to invest in integrated transport strategies and smart city frameworks. A SkedGo journey planner supports “last mile” connections by integrating e-scooters, shared bikes and bus routes, aligning with these councils’ push for sustainable multi-modal travel.
- Ipswich & Logan: Both are part of the Council of Mayors (SEQ), which seeks consistent, innovative transit improvements across the region. Our platform can unify data from local bus operators, TransLink and future mass transit projects, giving Ipswich and Logan robust insights to shape iGO or Logan’s Integrated Local Transport Plan.
- Townsville & Toowoomba: Emphasis on city deals and the next wave of regional growth means bridging public transport gaps and improving reliability. Our real-time journey planner can help break down these silos – especially in Townsville, which has multiple transit modes (bus, ferry, potential bus rapid transit).
5.2. Victoria Examples
- Geelong & Ballarat: These growing regional powerhouses are investing in smart city programs, open data initiatives and integrated transport plans. SkedGo’s approach dovetails with their ambitions to promote public and active transport. Our solutions can build on existing sensor or IoT data (e.g. from real-time parking or bus occupancy) to make travel more convenient.
- Bendigo: With an ambitious integrated transport and land use strategy, Bendigo aims to curb congestion before it takes hold. A data-driven journey planner aids the Council in shaping new bus routes and encouraging active travel while giving them the evidence to advocate for better rail services to Melbourne.
- Latrobe Valley: Transitioning from a coal-based economy, the region is seeking ways to improve connectivity and liveability. Our solutions could support the Latrobe City Council’s push for stronger bus networks and better accessibility, which aligns with the area’s focus on equitable transport for health appointments and job access.
- Shepparton: As the leading city in the Goulburn Valley, Shepparton’s council is modernising its public transport and exploring new ways to integrate on-demand shuttles. Harnessing SkedGo’s digital platform can demonstrate measurable improvements in usage and highlight gaps that state agencies can address.
6. Key Benefits for Mid-Tier Cities and Regions
- Improved user experience:
- Single app for multi-modal trips, including public transport, active travel, and ride-hailing
- Accessibility filters (e.g. step-free routes) for inclusive travel
- Rich data insights:
- Understand peak travel times and common journey patterns
- Identify opportunities for bus route optimisations or new microtransit services
- Cost-effective innovation:
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- Modular deployment requires fewer resources, with the possibility to add features over time
- Potential to partner with local universities – like Federation University in Ballarat or Deakin in Geelong – to co-develop new data analytics and pilot projects
- Greater community engagement:
- Real-time updates, integrated fare information and personalised alerts encourage public transport use
- Open data collaboration fosters trust and transparency, so residents can see how decisions are made
- Alignment with sustainability goals:
- Encourages a shift away from private cars towards public and active transport
- Contributes to regional net-zero targets by helping track (and ultimately reduce) transport emissions
7. Why Choose SkedGo?
- Local & global know-how: We are an Australian-headquartered company with international reach. Our track record with existing clients in government and business as well as local partnerships in Australia, demonstrates we can adapt to local contexts, whether it’s small towns or larger regional centres.
- Flexible, future-proof technology: Our journey planning platform supports everything from real-time bus data to micromobility and on-demand shuttles. As cities in Queensland and Victoria evolve, our solution can expand or pivot without overhauling entire systems.
- Focus on accessibility & inclusivity: Australian regional and coastal centres share a commitment to equitable transport. We provide robust accessibility features, such as wheelchair-friendly options and step-free routing. This is vital in regional areas where door-to-door connectivity can be a challenge.
- Partnership ethos: We collaborate with councils, universities and community organisations, believing that local knowledge is indispensable. By working together, we ensure the solution addresses real, on-the-ground issues – from tourist routes in Cairns or Bundaberg to daily commutes in Bendigo or Geelong.
8. Conclusion
Mid-tier cities in Australia are at a critical juncture: they can either continue expanding with car-centric infrastructure – or boldly embrace new strategies that better serve residents, reduce congestion and foster sustainable growth. A digital journey planning solution not only improves the day-to-day reality of travelling in these cities but also empowers transport planners with data-driven insights to shape the future.
At SkedGo, we’re ready to partner with you. Our proven mobility platform can help your city or region:
- Quickly integrate multiple transport modes into a single journey planner at affordable rates
- Leverage valuable usage data for evidence-based transport and city planning
- Expand accessible and inclusive travel options for all community members
- Align seamlessly with local sustainability and smart city agendas
If you’re a council representative, transport planner, or academic researcher looking to bring digital mobility solutions to your city, we invite you to get in touch. Let’s work together to break down mobility barriers and create more liveable, inclusive and future-proof mid-tier cities across Queensland, Victoria, and beyond.
This article was originally published by SkedGo.
