DEFENDING PUBLIC TRANSPORT OR WHY AND HOW TO PROTECT A SYSTEM AND ITS USERS

Rural public transport is declining gradually in sparsely populated parts of the Netherlands. This is due in part to a steady depopulation of small villages but decline is selfsustaining and confirmed by the national standards for level of service (nvs) based on mean ridership levels. In 1981 an application of somewhat stricter standards (for reasons of economy) caused considerable decreases of the level of service in some areas. A before and after study was undertaken by the first author on about 40 buslines. It was subsidized by two provinces - worried about livableness of the countryside - and carried out in cooperation with the regional bus operators - worried about their prospects. Two-thirds of the passengers experienced problems especially those on weak lines with a sharply decreased level of service were severely affected. Regarding the apparent value of rural transport for its users we set out to develop a transport system integrating conventional public transport with specialist and community transport. Its purpose was threefold: to increase the general level of service without increasing deficits, to serve the needs of different user-categories as indicated by the study mentioned, and to protect conventional public transport. This might be attained by dropping traditional geographic (and legal) boundaries between different systems and by utilizing different components dependent on changes in volume and character of demand during the day and the week. The second author surveyed transport provisions in an area of approximately 160 sq km and designed a new network. (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0860501124
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Public Transport Planning and Operation. Proceedings of Seminar L held at the PTRC 11th Summer Annual Meeting.
• Corporate Authors:

  PTRC Education and Research Services Limited

  110 Strand
  London WC2,   England 
• Authors:
  • de Boer, E
  • KLINKENBERG, J
• Conference:
  • Planning & Transport Res & Comp, Sum Ann Mtg, Proc
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 21-30

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Before and after studies; Bus transit; Buses; Conferences; Coordination; Demand; Level of service; Networks; Paratransit services; Public transit; Routing; Rural areas; Subsidies; Transportation planning; Vehicle occupants
• Uncontrolled Terms: Decreases; Transportation networks; Use
• Geographic Terms: Netherlands
• Old TRIS Terms: Bus services
• ITRD Terms: 9148: Before and after study; 1272: Bus; 8525: Conference; 9009: Decrease; 285: Demand (econ); 653: Level of service; 8078: Netherlands; 1054: Network (traffic); 1128: Paratransit; 744: Public transport; 328: Rural area; 9084: Use; 1715: Vehicle occupant
• Subject Areas: Highways; Passenger Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00382785
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• ISBN: 0-86050-112-4
• Report/Paper Numbers: Volume P240
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 30 1984 12:00AM