GOALS FOR BUS TRANSIT SCHEDULING

Like other transit agencies, the Southern California Rapid Transit District schedules buses using a peak point constraint on crowding. As a way of clarifying implicit scheduling goals of maximizing seat use while minimizing crowding, two indicators were studied, load factor and standee factor. Riding checks carried out on many lines over an extended period allowed computation of 24-hour averages of these indicators for three types of lines: urban local, suburban local, and express. Weighted linear regressions produced a relation between standee factor and load factor for each service type. Elasticities were estimated to give predictions of increases in crowding due to ridership growth. A scattergram of standee factor versus load factor can be used as a diagnostic tool for scheduling management to indicate which lines should be given attention and improvement or deterioration following schedule revisions. The loci of hour-by-hour values of standee factor and load factor give both manager and scheduler a quick overview of the reasonableness of a schedule. Periods of schedule deficiency are readily apparent.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1985/1011/1011-011.pdf
• Summary URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=GOALS+FOR+BUS+TRANSIT+SCHEDULING&author=J.+WOODHULL&author=J.+Simon&author=D.+Shoemaker&publication_year=1985
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309038235
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Bus Transit Systems.
• Authors:
  • Woodhull, Joel
  • Simon, Jesse
  • Shoemaker, Dennis A
• Conference:
  • 64th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1985-1-14 to 1985-1-17
• Publication Date: 1985

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 72-76
• Monograph Title: Advances in bus service planning practices
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1011
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus routes; Bus transit; Load factor; Passenger counting; Passenger handling; Scheduling
• Identifier Terms: Southern California Rapid Transit District
• Uncontrolled Terms: Passenger loading
• Old TRIS Terms: Bus services; Standees
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00454959
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309038235
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jul 31 1986 12:00AM