AN EVALUATION GUIDEBOOK FOR RURAL AND SMALL URBAN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS IN THE MOUNTAIN-PLAINS REGION

In a recent survey of rural transit operators in the Mountain Plains Region, less than half reported the use of any kind of performance evaluation. Many of the systems that reported the use of performance evaluation only used a ridership survey. Because of the lack of performance evaluation taking place by rural and small urban transit systems in the Mountain Plains Region, and because of an absence of targets for these transit systems to measure their performance against, this guidebook has been formulated. This guidebook is designed to provide transit operators with a tool for evaluating performance against other similar systems in the region. Recommended performance measures are provided, along with explanations of each, and formulas for converting raw data elements into these performance measures. Moreover, target ranges for performance measures of peer groups are provided, along with an explanation of how to evaluate performance and some remedies for poor performance. This guidebook is separated into specific topic areas, and is meant to be used as a guide for rural and small urban transit systems in the Mountain Plains Region in evaluating their performance on an ongoing basis. The guidebook is organized as follows: (1) An explanation of performance evaluation is presented, including a discussion of the uses of performance evaluation and its value to rural and small urban transit operators; (2) A discussion of the types of performance evaluation is presented, along with the merits and deficiencies of each; (3) The recommended performance evaluation method is presented, along with the recommended performance measures and explanations of each; (4) A description of the peer groups formulated is presented, along with a description of how to place your system into one of these peer groups; (5) Formulas for converting raw data into performance measures is presented; (6) Target ranges for the various performance measures are presented by peer group; (7) Possible causes for exemplary or poor performance along with strategies for improving performance are presented, including a checklist of things to look for when a given performance measure is out of line; and (8) Performance measure averages, outliers, and values are presented for each peer group.

• Record URL:
  https://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/details.php?id=322
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This study was funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation's University Transportation Centers Program through the Mountain-Plains Consortium.
• Corporate Authors:

  Mountain-Plains Consortium

  North Dakota State University
  Fargo, ND  United States  58108
• Authors:
  • Bitzan, John
  • Hough, J
• Publication Date: 1994-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Tables;
• Pagination: 208 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Guides to information; Performance evaluations; Rural transit; Urban transit
• Old TRIS Terms: Guides; Small urban transit
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00669030
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: MPC Rept No. 94-36
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 23 1994 12:00AM