A MACRO ANALYSIS OF VARIABLES INFLUENCING TRANSIT USAGE

The author discusses the measurement of the success of A transit system. The development of the following transit quality indicators is outlined: (1) average system speed; (2) average system frequency; (3) system speed variation along lines; (4) system frequency variation along lines; (5) degree of commuter orientation; (6) degree to which a system concentrates on the central business district; (7) coverage of metropolitan area by the system. Computations using the formulae developed for these indicators were made for transit systems in San Diego, New Orleans, Detroit, Seattle, Toronto and San Francisco, and the results are summarized. These indicate that transit patronage is strongly related to the orientation of the system and to the average system mid-day headway, and somewhat less related to population and system coverage. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  British Columbia Bureau of Transit Services

  700 Georgia Street
  Vancouver, BC  Canada 
• Authors:
  • Thompson, G L
• Publication Date: 1973-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 16 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Business districts; Central business districts; Commuting; Evaluation and assessment; Frequency (Electromagnetism); Headways; Level of service; Mathematical models; Metropolitan areas; Population; Public transit; Ridership; Speed; Urban areas
• Geographic Terms: Canada; United States
• ITRD Terms: 302: Business district; 8018: Canada; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 6997: Frequency; 6473: Mathematical model; 335: Population; 744: Public transport; 5408: Speed; 313: Urban area; 8122: USA
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society; I71: Traffic Theory; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00147503
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: Monograph
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 20 1981 12:00AM