Overview
ISO 37167:2021 - Smart community infrastructures - Smart transportation for energy saving operation by intentionally driving slowly - specifies how to organize scheduled transportation (trains, buses, trucks, ferries) to save operational energy by modifying speed profiles and using built‑in buffer time. The standard explains the principle of running vehicles as slowly as service timetables permit to reduce acceleration/deceleration cycles, lower energy use and improve passenger comfort while maintaining scheduled arrival times.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope: Applies to transportation dispatches that follow pre‑arranged service schedules (rail, BRT, buses, trucks, ferries).
- Core principle: Replace early arrival + waiting with intentional slower running en route to consume buffer time and reduce energy consumption.
- Definitions: Transportation dispatch, service schedule, section, line, route, division, buffer time, speed profile.
- Adoption procedure (three-step):
- Find and quantify buffer time available in schedules.
- Allocate buffer time to individual divisions within sections/lines/routes.
- Operate dispatches following modified speed profiles that realize allocated buffer time.
- Speed profile preparation: Draw primary speed profiles minimizing running time, then modify profiles to allocate buffer time while considering service requirements.
- Rail-specific parameters: maximum running speed, coasting periods, suppression of sudden acceleration/deceleration (jerk control), acceleration/deceleration management, and speed‑limited section strategies - to maintain passenger‑friendly driving.
- Quality maintenance: Monitor operational parameters, observe energy and service performance, and modify speed profiles/schedules as needed.
- Informative annexes: Typical speed profiles and examples of energy‑saving performance in rail operations.
Practical applications and users
Who will use ISO 37167:
- Transit agencies and rail operators (including BRT planners)
- Bus and fleet managers (local and intercity)
- Freight and logistics planners using scheduled truck dispatch
- Ferry operators and maritime route schedulers
- City planners, sustainable mobility policymakers, and ITS engineers
Practical benefits:
- Lower energy consumption and fuel costs through optimized driving profiles
- Reduced vehicle emissions and improved contribution to climate goals
- Better ride comfort and reduced wear from aggressive driving
- Integration into timetable design, dispatch software, driver guidance systems and operational policy
Related standards
- ISO 37154, ISO 37161 (sustainable urban transportation and community infrastructure guidance)
- ISO Guide 82 (sustainability considerations)
Keywords: ISO 37167:2021, smart transportation, energy saving, speed profiles, buffer time, scheduled transport, passenger‑friendly driving, sustainable cities.