BUS MAINTENANCE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT AND CURRENT PRACTICE

Choosing the right performance indicators to control the quality of vehicle maintenance has been and continues to be a problem of concern to the transit industry. Transit operators today see increasing pressure to obtain greater use from their existing equipment, a goal that can only be achieved by closer attention to the maintenance function. The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a recent survey sponsored by American Public Transit Association (APTA) regarding bus maintenance performance indicators and to compare those results with other surveys and related projects that have been conducted in the past. Generally, the survey shows clear points of agreement among the maintenance managers. Roadcalls are the predominant initial point of focus, followed by a search for cause (e.g., drivetrain performance) and a monitoring of costs, labor, and vehicle condition (i.e., inspections). Individual indicators ranking high on the list include miles per gallon, miles per quart of oil, miles per roadcall, periodic roadcalls, maintenance cost per mile and repeat work. There are differences of opinion, however, as shown by the list of 656 free form indicators submitted and ranked by the respondents. Compared to other lists of indicators, the survey shows close similarities with those developed recently, and marked differences with those developed some 30 years ago by the APTA (then known as the American Transit Association (ATA)). Among the recent surveys, all show roadcalls to be of primary importance along with costs, labor productivity, and quality control (through inspection programs). Compared to the indicators developed by the ATA, there is still a clear overlap, but the indicators deemed important then do not rank in the top 10 today.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1987/1140/1140-003.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=BUS+MAINTENANCE+PERFORMANCE+INDICATORS%3A+HISTORICAL+DEVELOPMENT+AND+CURRENT+PRACTICE&author=G.+List&author=M.+Lowen&publication_year=1987
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Transit Bus Maintenance. 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:
  • List, George
  • Lowen, Mark
• Publication Date: 1987

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 30-44
• Monograph Title: Transit bus maintenance
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1140
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Buses; Data collection; Inspection; Maintenance management; Motor vehicles; Motorist aid systems; Performance; Surveys; Vehicle maintenance
• Uncontrolled Terms: Bus maintenance; Maintenance costs
• Old TRIS Terms: Roadcalls
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Public Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment; I96: Vehicle Operating Costs;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00469714
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309046513
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jul 31 1988 12:00AM