RELIABILITY OF FARE-COLLECTION SYSTEMS FOR RAIL TRANSIT: AN OVERVIEW

The present performance of graduated-fare automatic collection equipment is compared with that of similar fare-collection systems, desirable performance is estimated, and research and development needs are identified. A series of flowcharts for three actual rail systems that indicated the range of functions and approaches that could be incorporated into a fare-collection system were developed. Queuing models could not be used directly to estimate the impact of the collection system on passenger flow without developing a two-stage model by use of the binomial probability distribution. Reliability data were collected by using interviews and the review of operating records. The data-collection methods varied greatly. Mean transactions between failures was found to be a useful and practical measure for comparing equipment reliability. The operating costs of rail transit fare-collection systems vary between 7 and 31 percent of revenues collected. The reliability of fare-collection equipment varies between 40,000 transactions/failure for a token-accepting turnstile to several hundred transactions per failure for a stored-value farecard vendor. Improved performance is obtainable, but the potential extent is unclear. Systems with a combined reliability of 0.22 percent failures/passenger can function without station attendants. It is important to specify failures in terms of component replacement and in terms of clearing of jammed tickets or money. The results provide an initial basis for comparing the performance of alternate fare-collection systems and focusing development resources.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1980/760/760-009.pdf
• Summary URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=RELIABILITY+OF+FARE-COLLECTION+SYSTEMS+FOR+RAIL+TRANSIT%3A+AN+OVERVIEW&author=L.+Rubenstein&publication_year=1980
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Rail Transit Systems. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Rubenstein, Louis D
• Conference:
  • 59th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1980-1-21 to 1980-1-25
• Publication Date: 1980

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 46-53
• Monograph Title: Rail Transit Planning and Rail Stations
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 760
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automatic fare collection; Fare collection; Fares; Operating costs; Rail transit facilities; Reliability; Ticketing
• Identifier Terms: Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation; Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation; Railroads; Terminals and Facilities; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00330174
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309031001
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 15 1981 12:00AM