ASSESSING EFFECTIVENESS OF LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEMS: AN APPLICATION OF MALCOLM BALDRIGE NATIONAL QUALITY AWARD CRITERIA

Light rail transit (LRT) has recently become an attractive urban transit system alternative in the United States. To enhance this momentum of increasing public acceptability, LRT quality and performance should be continuously improved by implementing principles of total quality management and closely monitored through the use of systematic evaluation methods. A structure and framework for conducting an internal assessment of quality and performance of an LRT system using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) criteria are presented. This approach is applied in an LRT case study as a self-assessment of LRT operations in the Santa Clara County Transit District (SCCTD). The self-assessment examination form was developed using the 1994 MBNQA examination criteria. The majority of SCCTD Quality Council members reported that the MBNQA criteria-based self-assessment methodology was a useful tool for evaluating the status of quality and performance of LRT operations, as well as for suggesting areas for improvement.

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: p. 315-326
  • Monograph Title: SEVENTH NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, NOVEMBER 12-15, 1995. VOLUME 1
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00716792
  • Record Type: Publication
  • ISBN: 0309061520
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: Jan 30 1996 12:00AM