Title: A cloud-based approach to dynamically manage service contracts for local public transportation

Authors: Antonella Longo; Marco Zappatore; Mario A. Bochicchio

Addresses: Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, via Monteroni sn, 73100, Lecce, Italy ' Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, via Monteroni sn, 73100, Lecce, Italy ' Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, via Monteroni sn, 73100, Lecce, Italy

Abstract: Public contracts regulate how public services are managed by the stakeholders. However, the current technological trend is creating a significant bias between the pace at which service data are produced and that at which contracts change. This increased availability of service data can be exploited in public procurement processes by fostering novel approaches to manage contracts, making them more dynamic and improving the Quality of Service (QoS) delivered to customers. In this paper, a cloud-based approach for assessing the QoS in Local Transportation Services (LTSs) in Apulia Region (Southern Italy) is proposed. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) between providers and the Regional Authority, as well as the minimal guaranteed QoS levels between providers and passengers, are modelled as contracts enacted via a cloud-based system, which gathers data from sensors and passengers. In this way, changes in contract conditions for improving the perceived and delivered QoS can be fastened and facilitated based on data. In order to validate the pilot case, a set of quality indicators and service levels grounded in European and Italian regulatory frameworks has been considered.

Keywords: public contracts; cloud computing; quality of service; quality of experience; local public transportation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGUC.2019.102750

International Journal of Grid and Utility Computing, 2019 Vol.10 No.6, pp.694 - 707

Received: 19 Oct 2018
Accepted: 15 Feb 2019

Published online: 02 Oct 2019 *

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