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Baby Bullet: Reinventing Caltrain Service

This paper describes how, like many other transit agencies, Caltrain has been faced with increased expenses and declining revenues over the past four years. In light of the need to make drastic changes in order to close deficits, Caltrain has adopted an unconventional approach. Caltrain is aggressively pursuing productivity gains (increased earned revenue per employee) and service and revenue enhancement rather than drastic service and workforce cuts. With the last 2 timetable changes, the intention has been to transition from the push model (demand based on lack of choice) that had previously been employed, to the pull model (demand based on preferred alternative). The nonintuitive assumption on the part of Caltrain staff was that this transition would be achieved through capacity enhancement/optimization rather than conventional demand modeling. During this transition, the role of Caltrain management as a supporter and agent of change cannot be overemphasized. This paper provides the framework and background for the Caltrain experience and outlines the techniques employed to affect the changes. Finally, it reveals the results that have far surpassed what Caltrain operations and planning staff had anticipated and looks to the future.

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Print
  • Features: Figures; Tables;
  • Pagination: 4p
  • Monograph Title: Investing Today for a Brighter Tomorrow. Proceedings of the 2006 Rail Conference

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01033532
  • Record Type: Publication
  • ISBN: 1931594236
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Sep 29 2006 10:37AM