LIMITED-STOP BUS OPERATIONS: AN EVALUATION

Limited-stop bus services have the capability of serving a ridership demand market between that of regional express and that of local bus operations. Limited-stop bus services in New York City's borough of Manhattan were evaluated by comparing performance characteristics and passenger use to those of local service on the same routes. Random spot-survey results and recent secondary data sources revealed considerable travel time savings, faster average operating speeds, rider preference for limited buses (where available), and attraction levels comparable to those of local bus service. Modest operating cost savings were computed, with stopping frequencies closer to express service being the most economical. Among the types of service-related cost savings cited from employing limited scheduling, annual savings from peak vehicle reductions amount to more than 60 percent of total possible economies expected through using limited bus runs for roughly half the peak period trips on suitable routes. Two sets of bivariate regression models were computed and calibrated to serve as general sketch-planning guides for reviewing routes that may benefit from limited-service implementation. Five warrants explaining what service revisions and performance modifications are essential if limited bus operations are to be feasibly used to cut costs and attract ridership are presented.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1984/994/994-004.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=LIMITED-STOP+BUS+OPERATIONS%3A+AN+EVALUATION&author=J.+Ercolano&publication_year=1984
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309038030
• Supplemental Notes:
  • 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. Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Bus Transit Systems.
• Authors:
  • Ercolano, James M
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 24-29
• Monograph Title: Recent advances in bus transit operations planning
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 994
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Average travel speed; Bus stops; Bus transit; Express buses; Motor vehicle operations; Operating costs; Ridership; Routes and routing; Spacing; Thermodynamics
• Identifier Terms: New York City Transit Authority
• Uncontrolled Terms: Skip stops (Bus transit)
• Old TRIS Terms: Bus services; Operating strategies
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00450895
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309038030
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Aug 27 2004 9:57PM