In Toyako Town, Hokkaido, it had become increasingly difficult to maintain the long-running bus routes that had supported the community for many years. As an alternative, the town introduced Toya Connect Taxi — a reservation-based shared community taxi using minivans — to sustain residents’ daily lives and mobility. Panasonic ITS Co., Ltd. (a group company of Panasonic Automotive Systems) was selected as the town’s project partner. Known for its hands-on approach, Panasonic ITS immerses itself in the field, listens to residents’ voices, and proposes new public transportation solutions.
From the background that led to the project’s launch, through the trials and adjustments during its early phase, to the insights gained through its operation — Tatsuya Ando from Toyako Town Office and Kei Takahashi from Panasonic ITS, who led the system’s introduction and improvement in partnership with residents, talk about their experiences.
Sustaining public transportation:
the challenges
facing Toyako Town
To begin with, could you tell us about the situation before the launch of Toya Connect Taxi?
Ando
For many years, our route and community buses had supported the daily lives and mobility of our residents. However, the number of passengers gradually decreased, and there were even routes where buses ran almost completely empty. Continuing these services under private contracts had become difficult. At the same time, if we simply stopped operating them, both the local economy and community interaction would come to a halt. Losing the vitality of the town would have been a serious problem. As we considered how we could continue the service in a sustainable way within our limited budget, our encounter with Panasonic ITS eventually led to the launch of Toya Connect Taxi.
Takahashi
The impetus for our collaboration with Toyako Town came from a regional development project we were conducting in nearby Muroran City, which included public transportation demonstration trials. News of our activities reached Toyako Town, and we began discussions. After hearing about their situation, we thought, “Our MaaS initiative, IttekiMaaS,* might be able to help.” That was how it all started.
- ※ A service that allows users to hail taxis through a dedicated app or via LINE. By promoting shared rides and offering discounts, it provides affordable and convenient transportation for everyone. The service helps address mobility challenges in areas that have become less accessible due to the aging population and the reduction of bus routes, thereby contributing to creating an environment where everyone has easy access to transportation.
Ando
While exploring alternative transportation options, we chose Panasonic ITS as our partner for two reasons: their right-sized, practical design approach that fit our town’s scale, and their sincere desire to solve local challenges rather than simply provide a product. As they have a base in Muroran, they dispatched staff to our town, listened closely to residents, and worked alongside us to make continuous improvements. Their attitude of “working to solve, not to sell” was exactly what our town needed.
Takahashi
Operations of Toya Connect Taxi began in October 2024. Around the same time, I was assigned to the town office under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ Regional Revitalization Personnel Program, working there about half of each week. In the early stages of operation, I often rode in the taxis myself to hear feedback directly from users.
How did residents respond when they heard that conventional transportation services such as route buses would be discontinued?
Ando
When the decision to end the bus route was announced, many residents expressed feelings of sadness. At the same time, some reacted with resignation, saying, “If no one rides them, there’s nothing we can do.” As our once-bustling town has seen its population decline, supermarkets have closed, bank ATMs have disappeared, and one thing after another has gone away. People took it as just another loss — thinking, “So now, even the buses.” Furthermore, communities in Toyako Town are scattered across the lake, and some areas lack nearby hospitals or supermarkets. The town felt a real sense of urgency, knowing that if transportation options for non-drivers disappeared, people would inevitably struggle to get medical care or do their shopping.
Takahashi
Toyako Town was created through the merger of the former Abuta Town and the former Toya Village. That former Toya Village is located some distance away from the urban area of what used to be Abuta Town. The “Connect” in Toya Connect Taxi also reflects the idea of linking three key areas: Toya Village, Abuta Town, and the hot spring area of Toyako Town.
How technology
and human touch
come together
to truly
support the community
How was Toya Connect Taxi designed, and what are its key features?
Ando
Most of the people who use public transportation are elderly. So, making it easy and comfortable for seniors to use was our first priority. At the same time, we also wanted to ensure that students without cars could use it for commuting to school.
Takahashi
One notable feature of the service is the “virtual stop.” To provide convenience close to the idea of “coming right to your doorstep,” especially for elderly users, we made it possible for passengers to set points near their homes as “stops” along the operational route. This reduces walking distances for seniors while maintaining timetable accuracy. Designing the routes was challenging, but by keeping the original intent and making small adjustments based on feedback from the field, we ultimately found a stable and effective system.
Ando
While users can now board closer to their homes than with the route buses, reservations have become necessary. We considered various reservation methods. Phone reservations are familiar for seniors, but they significantly increase labor costs. In contrast, LINE reservations can be accepted 24 hours a day. Assuming that we would provide support through briefing sessions and home visits, we decided to implement a dual reservation system — via LINE and by phone. Many seniors said they could manage, as they were already using LINE to stay in touch with their families.
Takahashi
We put a lot of effort into explaining the system to the people who would actually use it. To make sure it felt easy and familiar, we taught each person with care — as if we were their own grandchildren. I believe these small, steady efforts became the foundation of the service.
Could you also tell us about any improvements made during the operation?
Ando
We hold regular meetings once a month to exchange opinions and feedback. Most of the discussions focus on adjusting routes based on requests from users. Of course, we can’t respond to every single request, so our rule is to prioritize improvements that address the real inconveniences faced by people who are actually using the service.
Takahashi
The biggest improvement since the service launched was changing the reservation number system. Initially, each reservation was assigned a random four-digit number. However, we received many comments saying that users couldn’t remember the numbers or often forgot to write them down. To address this, we switched to a system that links each reservation to an individual ID number. This approach reduces the amount of personal information we handle while making the service more convenient for users.
Ando
What we always keep in mind is maintaining public transportation that suits the scale of our town. Our biggest goal is to keep it going sustainably, without overextending ourselves. If we try to add too many features, the system becomes larger and more expensive to maintain. So, we continue making improvements while asking ourselves, “What does this town truly need?”
Takahashi
It may sound counterintuitive for an IT company to say this, but as developers, we’re careful not to overload the system with too much technology. With our technology, we could even provide instructions such as, “This passenger will board here, so please drive on this side of the lane.” But in practice, it’s often smoother when the driver simply talks with the passenger on the spot — saying, “Please cross over here to get in.” Rather than letting systems decide everything, we believe it’s better when the final touch comes from human communication and consideration.
Never give up on local mobility:
sustaining
community transportation
through a system built
to fit our scale
What kinds of changes have you seen since the launch of Toya Connect Taxi? Have you also received any positive feedback from users?
Takahashi
I once heard directly from a mother with school-age children. She told me how helpful it was that she could now use Toya Connect Taxi instead of spending 30 to 40 minutes driving her children herself. She said she was able to make lunch boxes for them, thanks to the time she saved. Hearing that made me realize this is exactly what makes our work worthwhile.
Ando
I’ve heard users say things like, “It’s so much easier to go shopping from home now.” Others tell us, “The drivers are always so kind.” We have several drivers, and all of them have earned a great reputation. While technology is important for making things more convenient, in the end, it really comes down to people. I’ve come to realize how essential it is to keep providing a service with warmth and a human touch.
Takahashi
On the first day I rode along in Toya Connect Taxi for research, I was surprised to see a full car where passengers started chatting away — like neighbors catching up in a lively conversation, saying, “Hey, aren’t you so-and-so from such-and-such a place?” The ride itself has become a kind of community hub. Conversations naturally sprang up inside the car, creating moments where new connections began to grow.
Could you tell us about your outlook for the future?
Takahashi
We’re currently developing a system to automate route changes. At the moment, engineers make adjustments based on requests from the town, but our goal is to let the town office make those changes instantly whenever they wish to. The ideal system is one that’s convenient for everyone involved. Striving for that not only lightens the daily operational workload but also helps build a sustainable model for public transportation. Going forward, we’ll continue to support operations and development that stay close to the needs of the town’s residents and users.
Ando
Above all, ensuring continuity is what matters most. Given our limited budget and manpower, it’s important not to overextend the system— to keep the system right-sized for our town and invest only where it’s truly needed. By listening to the voices of our current riders and continuing to make improvements, we believe we can achieve truly sustainable public transportation. Moving forward, we hope to keep operating Toya Connect Taxi for the long term, in close collaboration with Panasonic ITS.
※ The content of the article is at the time of publication.
Tatsuya Ando(Toyako Town Office Employee)
Joined the Toyako Town Office in 2016 and has been involved in community development work since 2023, focusing on initiatives related to local transportation and mobility. Aiming to ensure reliable mobility options and to help create a comfortable, livable town for generations to come.
What brings him comfort?
Drinking a café au lait while enjoying the view of Lake Toya.
Kei Takahashi
Joined Panasonic ITS in 2018 and has been engaged in EV onboard charger development in the Mechanism Development Department. Currently responsible for public transportation services primarily in Muroran City, Hokkaido, with the aim of creating a sustainable environment where mobility is barrier-free.
What brings him comfort?
Walking or driving along the shores of Lake Toya.