Section 4: Transit Route Location and Analysis

Transcription

1 Section 4: Transit Route Location and Analysis Introduction: Who wants to be a Transit Planner? Computer Assisted Instruction Alternatives: Strategies for Transit System Change Alternatives: Strategies for Transit System Change power point Principles oftransit Route Location Transit Route Location power point

2 Introduction to Transit Route Location and Analysis In this section, we are going to look at transit route location and analysis. The There are a huge variety of options that can be used to solve transit problems. We will concentrate on transit service options. For this section, you should first go through the Computer Assisted Course (CAI), who wants to be a Transit Planner? Do the first module. It works well to do this with another person. Who wants to be a Transit Planner? In this topic, you should go through the transit route relationships questions of the transit CAI (computer aided instruction) course. The transit planning CAI course is a lot like the TV show, "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" In the CAI course, you will be given a series of multiple choice questions that will help you learn the basics of transit planning terminology and principles. There are three modules - Transit Route relationships Principles of Route Location and Transit Ridership Forecasting The course is in a zip file that you can download. Unzip the file and begin with the file called CAITRAN.exe It should show up with a blue letter T as its icon. Go to the start menu and pick the transit route relationships module and give it a try. You can get more instructions by pushing the letter A button, or just begin by pushing B and then try to answer the questions. There are some useful diagrams and hints in this file cai.pdf. You will probably want to print it out for reference. A couple other points If you get a wrong answer, there will be more questions on the same topic, if you get it right, it will skip to another topic. Like "Who wants to be a Millionaire? the questions get harder as you go along. Also like "Who wants to be a Millionaire? you can take away a wrong answer Save your place often if you want to go back and try some questions again. Go to the Tasks item on the menu to save (or quit) You may disagree with some of the answers; let us know where you think they may be wrong. Transit Route location Once you have done this, look at the following sections. These deal with the options transit agencies have to modify their route system or level of service. You should do the second module Principles of transit route location - that goes along with these topics. Also do the fleet size problems. H:\Projects\Transit course\intro to Route planning and analysis.doc 1 of 2

3 Alternatives for transit operations Principles of Route Location Fleet Size Calculations Fleet Size Problems Solutions to Fleet Size Problems Transit Scheduling Transit Ridership and cost analysis for operations The final topics related to transit operations planning are demand and cost analysis. These topics need to be understood to determine the impacts of transit operations changes on ridership and on costs. Read these topics and do the third module of the CAI course transit ridership forecasting Transit Demand Estimates Transit Operations Cost Analysis The Belle Crisis Once you have done all of the above, you should work on the Belle Crisis project. This is ideally done as a group of 3-4 people. See detailed instructions with the project description. Belle Crisis Project Description The Belle Crisis is a realistic exercise dealing with a financial crisis in a small transit system. In this project, you take on the role of transit manager and planner and must find ways to balance the transit system budget and to still provide a good level of service for the community. Belle Crisis Follow up Questions: Once you have done the Belle Crisis, consider the following questions: 1. What was the actual process that you followed to do the project, in what ways was it similar or different than the planning process as you have been taught? What methods should be used in the future to assure that the planning process as actually practiced is the same as that which is taught? 2. What assumptions had to be made to do the project? If you had more time and resources, what data or information should you have on hand to cope with a proble such as the Belle crisis? 3. How is the process for planning for transit similar or different than that for other modes such as highways? 4. How effective was the teamwork on your project? How could it have been done better? H:\Projects\Transit course\intro to Route planning and analysis.doc 2 of 2

4 TRANSIT ROUTE PLANNING CAI COURSE Alan Horowitz Edward Beimborn John Corbin Helen Johnson Center for Urban Transportation Studies University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee Revised January 1997 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS The course can be successfully run from a floppy drive. If desired, all the files may be copied to a directory (folder) on your hard drive. Initiate the course by double-clicking the T icon in Windows Explorer or by double-clicking the name Caitran.exe in the File Manager (Windows 3.1). Alternatively, enter a:\caitran.exe on the Run dialog box from either the Start Menu (Windows 95) or the Program Manager (Windows 3.1). Once initiated, chose a module by first selecting File Open from the course s main menu. Additional instructions are included within the modules. H:\Projects\Transit course\cai course exhibits.doc 1 of 7

5 Exhibits for Modules 1 and 2 EXHIBIT A SOME TIME DEFINITIONS layover deadhead pull-in pull-out revenue service Revenue Hours Platform Hours vehicle time overtime guarantee time spread time Pay Hours H:\Projects\Transit course\cai course exhibits.doc 9/5/2006

6 EXHIBIT B CYCLE AND ROUND-TRIP TIME RELATIONSHIPS RT CT A LT = Round-trip time (minutes) = Cycle time (minutes) = Layover as a fraction of round-trip time = Layover time (minutes) LT = RT x A A = CT / RT - 1 RT = CT / (1 + A) CT = RT x (1 + A) EXHIBIT C INTERESTING RELATIONSHIPS CT L S LT PDH PPD LF SC VC NV RC = Cycle time (minutes) = Length of route (route) = Average bus speed (miles per hour) = Layover time (minutes) = Peak demand headway (minutes) = Peak point demand (riders) = Maximum load factor = Seating capacity (riders) = Total vehicle capacity (riders) = Number of vehicles = Route capacity (riders) NV = CT / H CT = (120 x L/S) + LT PDH = 60 x LF x SC / PPD RC = 60 x VC x NV / CT H:\Projects\Transit course\cai course exhibits.doc 9/5/2006

7 EXHIBIT D PERCEIVED TRAVEL TIMES ACTIVITY Time riding while sitting Time riding while standing Time walking Time waiting Time transferring Initial wait Each transfer (regular) Each transfer (timed) x 1.0 minutes per actual minute x 3.0 minutes per actual minute x 1.3 minutes per actual minute x 1.9 minutes per actual minute x 1.6 minutes per actual minute minutes penalty in addition to wait time minutes penalty in addition to transfer time minutes penalty in addition to transfer time EXHIBIT E Bus time = automobile time + number of stops x (5/12) + number of riders / 12 RUNNING TIME FORMULA Note: Only count places where the bus actually stops. H:\Projects\Transit course\cai course exhibits.doc 9/5/2006

8 Exhibits for Module 3 EXHIBIT A COMMON FARE ELASTICITIES FARE CHANGE FARE INCREASE FARE DECREASE CITY SIZE POPULATION GREATER THAN 1 MILLION POPULATION 500,000 TO 1 MILLION POPULATION LESS THAN 500, TRANSIT MODE BUS RAPID RAIL TIME PERIOD PEAK OFF-PEAK INCOME GROUP LESS THAN $5,000 PER YEAR $5,000 TO $14,999 PER YEAR MORE THAN $15,000 PER YEAR AGE GROUP 1-16 YEARS YEARS YEARS YEARS MORE THAN 65 YEARS TRIP PURPOSE WORK SCHOOL SHOPPING H:\Projects\Transit course\cai course exhibits.doc 9/5/2006

9 EXHIBIT B ELASTICITY DEFINITIONS SYMBOLS: CURRENT FUTURE FARE F1 F2 RIDERSHIP R1 R2 POINT ELASTICITY, E: E = {(R2 - R1)/R1} / {(F2 - F1/F1} ARC ELASTICITY, A: A = {(R2 - R1)/((R1+R2)/2)} / {(F2 - F1)/((F1+F2)/2)} H:\Projects\Transit course\cai course exhibits.doc 9/5/2006

10 EXHIBIT C REGRESSION ANALYSIS VERTICAL AXIS IS THE Y-AXIS; HORIZONTAL AXIS IS THE X-AXIS Y = F(X) (Y IS A FUNCTION OF X) THAT IS, THE VALUE OF Y DEPENDS ON THE VALUE OF X ( IS A DATA POINT, GRAPHED LINES REPRESENT TESTED EQUATIONS) PEARSON CORRELATION COEFFICIENT, r: r = +1.0 r = +0.1 r = -1.0 r = -0.1 R-SQUARE, R 2 R 2 = 1.0 R 2 = 0.01 H:\Projects\Transit course\cai course exhibits.doc 9/5/2006

11 Alternatives: Strategies for Transit Systems Change There is a broad array of options for modification of transit operations to make it more cost effective and efficient. These are typically examined to deal with financial pressures or to improve the quality of service to customers. The options listed below can be used to reduce costs or to increase revenues. Costs depend on how many vehicles are operated. Question: What does it cost to add one vehicle to a transit system? Assume it will operate for two drive shifts (16 hours per day) and operate 300 days per year (weekdays, Saturdays, some holidays) Answer: The vehicle operates 4800 hours per year. Costs depend on the hourly operating costs of a vehicle. At $50 per hour, this gives an annual cost of $240,000. Adding or removing a vehicle from service can change the costs of transit operations substantially. Care must be taken to provide a good match with vehicle provided and demand. Vehicle supply and operating costs depend on the cycle time on a route. Cycle time is the total time it takes for a vehicle to travel the length of the route and return including layovers at each end. The number of vehicles needed is the cycle time divided by the time interval between vehicles (headway) on the route. For example, a route with a cycle time of 100 minutes and a 20 minute headway requires five vehicles, If the headway is changed to 25 minutes, four vehicles are needed. If the headway is changed to 30 minutes, four vehicles are still needed, not 3.33, since it cannot be a fraction of a vehicle. The headway would have to be 34 minutes for three vehicles. Note the tradeoff between headway, demand and level of service. If there is high demand, headways are low and vehicles can be cut from a route with little impact on passengers. The following tables give a list of some of the options available for transit operations changes. Cost (number of vehicles) Tradeoff between level of service and costs Headway in minutes H:\Projects\Transit course\alternatives for transit operations.doc 1 of 13

12 Changes in the Level of Transit Service Increase headways (cut buses from routes) Change hours of operation Change days of operation (Saturday, Sunday, summer) Add new routes Eliminate routes Turn back buses Split routes Shorter routes Reroute Eliminate overlapping portions of routes Change running time Deadheading routes Schedule coordination Improved transfer facilities Coordinate with trip generators Express service Running time improvement Modify layover time Revenue Changes Increase base fares Increase pass fare Increase tickets or token price Zone fares Change fares for special groups Change transfer policies Change hours for special fares Peak/off-peak pricing Employee pass sales Marketing campaign Special Events Service H:\Projects\Transit course\alternatives for transit operations.doc 2 of 13

13 Equipment Changes Small bus/large bus Articulated buses Taxicab substitute; route ends, off peak Preventative maintenance Cost Changes Renegotiate labor contract Use of part-time labor Change phase in period for new employees Insurance pooled risk Cooperative purchasing Cooperative maintenance Private contractors H:\Projects\Transit course\alternatives for transit operations.doc 3 of 13

14 The following charts are useful in analyzing a particular route. The top diagram shows and ideal situation where the route serves multiple trip generators and has a relatively uniform ridership along the route and begins and ends at substantial destinations. In this case, few changes can be made. In the second diagram, ridership is low at the ends of the route and peaks at the middle. Service can be cut back on the ends of the route to provide a better match with demand. ROUTE PROFILES -- BY LOCATION Number of passengers Shopping Center University Central Area Industrial Shopping Center 6 buses Number of passengers 3 buses End Central Area H:\Projects\Transit course\alternatives for transit operations.doc 4 of 13

15 OPERATING STRATEGIES 1. Turnbacks or short-turning Turnback trip CBD Suburbs 2. Route branching or splitting CBD Suburbs 3. Zone scheduling CBD Suburbs H:\Projects\Transit course\alternatives for transit operations.doc 5 of 13

16 OPERATING STRATEGIES (continued) 4. Overlapping service types Turnback trip Local Limited CBD Suburbs CBD 5. Skip stop operation "A" Vehicles B A AB A B A B AB B A AB "B" Vehicles CBD 6. Interlining or through routing Suburbs CBD Suburbs H:\Projects\Transit course\alternatives for transit operations.doc 6 of 13

17 Pulse transit: Pulse transit systems are common in smaller communities and typically operate out of the central area with vehicle meeting at a fixed interval, say every 30 minutes. Routes are located and designed so that the cycle time for each route is the same and equal to some multiple of the pulse interval. Pulse transit minimizes transfer time between routes. However, trips between outlying points have to go into the city center and transfer and this can lead to longer travel times For the pulse transit system shown, how many vehicles are required, if vehicles are to meet at the central area every 30 minutes? Answer: The vehicles that take 13 minutes to get to the end of the route can make one cycle in 30 minute which includes a brif layover. The branches that take 26 minutes to the end of the route require two vehicles each. Thus the needs are: Route A: 4 vehicles, 2 for northeast side, 2 for south side Route B: 2 vehicles, 1 for northwest, 2 for southwest Route B: 3 vehicles, 1 for west, 2 for southwest 9 vehicles needed. Pulse transit can also be used in larger cities with a series of timed transfer centers. Ideally these are located and major trip generators that are destinations themselves and provide opportunities for joint use. The centers could also be linked by trunk line or express transit services. H:\Projects\Transit course\alternatives for transit operations.doc 7 of 13

18 PULSE TRANSIT 13' Route A 26' Route B 13' Route C Vehicles meet every 30 minutes at the Transit Center Route B 13' 26' Route C Route A 26' H:\Projects\Transit course\alternatives for transit operations.doc 8 of 13

19 TIMED TRANSFER Transfer Center Park and Ride Lot Central Area Hospital Express Routes Shopping Center Note: Routes should be of equal cycle time and operate on a pulse schedule into each center. H:\Projects\Transit course\alternatives for transit operations.doc 9 of 13

20 Relationships between problems, performance measures and actions The following table links problems with performance indicators and actions that can be used to deal with the problems. Problem 1. Financial A. High Total Operating Cost B. Poor Cost Effectiveness Indicators PRIMARY INDICATORS Expense/vehicle mile Expense/vehicle hour Expense/passenger SECONDARY INDICATORS Expense/revenue hour Administrative expense/expense PRIMARY INDICATORS Revenue/revenue hour Revenue/passenger SECONDARY INDICATORS Pass revenue/revenue mile Pass revenue/revenue hour Pass revenue/passenger Pass revenue/expense Fares/revenue Pass revenue/revenue Possible Actions Decrease expenses Reroute service Expand ridership Decrease deadhead Modify fares Eliminate marginal routes Part time help Renegotiate labor contract Shorten phase-in for new employees Cooperative purchasing and maintenance Insurance pooled risk Private contractors Increase speed Increase service Stop unproductive routes Decrease headways Increase stop locations Increase fares Reduce administrative cost Increase fare paying passengers Increase contract service Increase ancillary services C. Limited Subsidy Revenue PRIMARY INDICATORS Revenue/expense Subsidy/vehicle mile Subsidy/vehicle hour Subsidy/pass Reduce administration Reduce staff Streamline procedures Reduce service Reroute and reschedule Improve promotions Increase fares Modify fare structure Increase contract service Improve fleet reliability H:\Projects\Transit course\alternatives for transit operations.doc 10 of 13

21 2. Quality of Service A. Poor Service Quality B. Schedule Adherence Problem C. Unacceptable crowding PRIMARY INDICATORS % stops on time Complaints/driver SECONDARY INDICATORS Stops with signs/stops Vehicle mile/road call PRIMARY INDICATORS Percent of trips late PRIMARY INDICATORS Load factor Monitor drivers Change stop dwell time Reroute congested areas Speed up fare collection Increase stop spacing Improve on-time performance Improve vehicle reliability Improve employee training Improve bus cleanliness Improve preventative maintenance Rehabilitate and replace vehicles Improve passenger amenities Holding strategy Increase run time and/or layover Modify route Increase frequency Articulated buses 2. Efficiency A. Poor Productivity B. Poor Vehicle Utilization 4. Ridership PRIMARY INDICATORS Revenue/cost Load factor Passengers/vehicle hour PRIMARY INDICATORS Rev/cost Pass/vehicle hour PRIMARY INDICATORS Passengers/vehicle mile Pass/vehicle hour SECONDARY INDICATORS Fare pass/pass Elderly pass/pass Percent change pass/year Decrease frequency Split route Short turn strategies Local/express/zonal strategies Partial deadheading Eliminate route segments Eliminate trips Extend route Modify schedule Improve cleanliness, safety, and reliability Modify fare structure Fare incentives Alter routes and schedules Increase vehicle speed Improve marketing Decrease deadhead Increase number of fare passengers H:\Projects\Transit course\alternatives for transit operations.doc 11 of 13

22 Data required for primary and secondary indicators Performance Concern 1. Financial A. Expense B. Revenue C. Subsidy 2. Quality of Service A. System Quality B. Schedule Adherence Data Needed for Primary Indicators Passengers Total expense Vehicle hours Vehicle miles Passengers Revenue hours Revenue miles Total revenue Passengers Subsidy Total expense Total revenue Vehicle hours Vehicle miles Complaints Drivers Stops Stops on time Trips late Trips Data Needed for Secondary Indicators Administrative expense Total expense Vehicle hour Expense Fares Passengers Passenger revenue Revenue hours Revenue miles Total revenue Road calls Stops Stops with signs Vehicle miles C. Crowding Load factor H:\Projects\Transit course\alternatives for transit operations.doc 12 of 13

23 3. Efficiency A. Productivity B. Vehicle Usage Cost Load Passengers Total revenue Vehicle hours Cost Passengers Total revenue Vehicle hours 4. Ridership A. Low Ridership Passengers Vehicle hours Vehicle miles Elderly passengers Fare passengers Passengers Prior year's number of passengers Year's number of passengers H:\Projects\Transit course\alternatives for transit operations.doc 65 of 13

24 Alternatives for transit operations E. Beimborn, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1 Overview There are a broad array of options for modification of transit operations to make it more cost effective and efficient. These are typically examined to deal with financial pressures or to improve the quality of service to customers. The options listed can be used to reduce costs or to increase revenues. Costs depend on how many vehicles are operated. 2

25 What is the cost of one vehicle? Assume it will operate for two drive shifts (16 hours per day) and operate 300 days per year (weekdays, Saturdays, some holidays) The vehicle operates 4800 hours per year. Costs depend on the hourly operating costs of a vehicle. At $50 per hour, this gives an annual cost of $240,000. Thus, adding or removing a vehicle from service can change the costs of transit operations substantially. 3 What is the revenue if one more person uses transit? A new user that uses transit regularly will add revenue to the system at very little or no additional cost If the person uses transit twice a day for 5 days per week and pays an average fare of $1.00, this generates $500 per year of new revenue. 4

26 Cycle time The time it takes for a vehicle to return to the beginning point of the route. Travel the length of the route outbound, layover at point A, return and layover at point B or sum of running time in both directions plus layover. Number of vehicles required (cost) is cycle time /headway Example: a 100 minute cycle time and a 20 minute headway requires 5 vehicles Must be an integer, i.e. a 30 minute headway requires 4 vehicles, not Headway vs. quality of service If headways are large, a reduction of one vehicle on a route has a big impact on wait time and convenience. Tradeoff between level of service and costs Cost (number of vehicles) Headway in minutes 6

27 Level of Service Alternatives - 1 Increase headways (cut buses from routes) Change hours of operation Change days of operation (Saturday, Sunday, summer) Add new routes Eliminate routes Turn back buses Split routes Use shorter routes 7 OPERATING STRATEGIES 1. Turnbacks or short-turning Turnback trip CBD Suburbs 2. Route branching or splitting CBD Suburbs 3. Zone scheduling CBD Suburbs 8

28 Route profiles ROUTE PROFILES -- BY LOCATION 6 buses Number of passengers Number of passengers 3 buses Shopping Center University Central Area Industrial Shopping Center End Central Area 9 Level of Service Alternatives -2 Reroute Eliminate overlapping portions of routes Change running time Change deadhead routes Improve schedule coordination with improved transfer facilities, coordinated with trip generators Express service Running time improvement Modify layover time 10

29 Revenue Alternatives -1 Increase base fares Increase pass fare Increase tickets or token price Zone fares Change fares for special groups 11 Revenue Alternatives -2 Change transfer policies Change hours for special fares Peak/off-peak pricing Employee pass sales Marketing campaign Special Events Service 12

30 Equipment Changes Equipment Changes Small bus/large bus Articulated buses Taxicab substitute; route ends, off peak Improved maintenance 13 Other Changes Renegotiate labor contract Use of part-time labor Change phase in period for new employees Pool insurance risk Cooperative purchasing Cooperative maintenance Use private contractors if it reduces cost (including contract administration) 14

31 Acknowledgements Some of this material was developed as part of work being conducted by the Great Cities University consortium under the lead of the University of Alabama at Birmingham using funds provided by the Federal Transit Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The opinions expressed are the product of independent university work and not necessarily those of the sponsoring agencies or of the agencies supplying data for the project. 15

32 Transit Route Location Basic Principles Transit routes should be located in such a way as to provide the highest quality service to potential users within a given budget. User oriented transit: transit service developed to meet the particular needs of a selected group of travelers. Such a service would provide: - Direct linkage between the user's origin and destination with no transfers - At a time convenient to the user - At a cost competitive with the automobile Attempt to minimize out of vehicle time spent in travel (walking to bus stops, waiting, transferring). Such time is perceived two to seven times greater than in-vehicle time (time spent actually in the vehicle). Work with parking agency, regulations. Parking policy can be utilized to cause shift to transit for work or school trips, and also encourage shopping use. Carrot and stick approach. Two basic questions in route location: - Where? Where the route is located will affect quality of service to the user. - How much? Route length and headways will also affect the quality of service, but more directly determines the cost of providing service. Costs increase directly with route length and passenger demand, decrease inversely with vehicle capacity, speed and headways. Generally route length and headways must be balanced to meet cost goals. Major changes can occur in urban land use and travel patterns over time. Growth/decline of shopping, employment centers. Look for new markets; serve existing markets better. D:\Courses\CE590\UTP 2002 Word version\transit planning\route location.doc 1 of 14

33 Information Sources for Transit Route Analysis 1. U. S. Census Socioeconomic, demographic and housing data are available in census tracts or block groups, always aggregated, sometimes incomplete. Critical information: Location of place of work Income distribution Automobile availability Mode to work Age distribution Can be available in a Geographic Information Systems format or hard copy, usually from planning agency. 2. Planning Agency Data Current land use plan Current zoning Raw data Employment locations Centers of commercial activity sales tax data Locations of special trip generators Elderly housing Medical facilities Schools Employment Shopping 3. Traffic Department Traffic volumes/capacity Intersection geometry/control Parking and other regulations Construction plans 4. In-House Data Collection Running time information Time between checkpoints Schedule adherence Running time on alternative routes Passenger comments/complaints Driver comments/complaints D:\Courses\CE590\UTP 2002 Word version\transit planning\route location.doc 2 of 14

34 Surveys On-board Site interviews at major trip generators Factua1 information, i.e. residence location, schedule Opinions and attitudes Ridership counts Rate revenue On-off counts Number of transfers issued/accepted 5. Community Sources Political leaders Other community leaders/knowledgeable persons Informal contacts Task forces Public hearings D:\Courses\CE590\UTP 2002 Word version\transit planning\route location.doc 3 of 14

35 Routing Patterns: Linear Through Routing Split Routes Loop Local/Express D:\Courses\CE590\UTP 2002 Word version\transit planning\route location.doc 4 of 14

36 Considerations in Route Location In locating transit routes, the following factors should be considered: Integration with rest of network Other competing services Transfer opportunities Similar parallel routes Simplicity and clarity Directness Imageability Reasonable Marketing Factors Attraction to choice riders Relate to travel needs of target groups Alternative to parking congestion Serve established travel patterns of existing users Rider Access Kiss-n-Ride Park-n-Ride Walk-n-Ride Safety Considerations Pedestrian Rider Highway Geometry Continuity, width, volume/capacity, traffic control, intersection problems Utilization of Special Facilities Bus on freeways Good stop locations Transit centers Major trip generators Weather protected areas Political Considerations D:\Courses\CE590\UTP 2002 Word version\transit planning\route location.doc 5 of 14

37 Route Location Guidelines: 1. A route should, if possible, begin and end at traffic generators. 2. Routes should attempt to touch as many traffic generators as possible. 3. Buses should, if possible, enter a traffic generator such as a shopping center, apartment complex, or an industrial plant. 4. Routes should be linear -- providing direct two-way service between all points on the route. 5. Where transit rider origin-destination linkages exist between one sector of the city to another, through routes should be developed. 6. Loop and reverse routing -- being circuitous and inconvenient to the riders -- should be avoided. 7. Unless patronage demands require, placing of several routes on one street should be avoided (generally, it is better to run four routes on four streets than four routes on one street). 8. A corollary to guideline number 7 is that routes should be spaced no closer together than the average acceptable walking distance to a bus stop in a given service area. (In most instances, this is a 1/2 mile spacing or a maximum walking distance of 1/4 mile.) 9. The traffic operational characteristics of potential transit route streets must be carefully considered. 10. Transit routes should be considered as flexible and should be reviewed and evaluated periodically. Coverage vs. Directness A fundamental problem with transit is the conflict between good coverage (location near origins and destinations) vs. providing a direct route between an origin and destination. When trip generators are located off of a direct route, it will require additional time and expense to serve them and it will inconvenience other users. D:\Courses\CE590\UTP 2002 Word version\transit planning\route location.doc 6 of 14

38 Access to transit Generally. people will be unwilling to walk more than 1/4 mile (1200 feet, 400 meters) to a transit stop. This distance could be greater for some types of transit such as rail transit and may also vary for different types of users. Transit dependant users may be willing to walk greater distances. Also it will depend on the quality of the walk environment. It the walking portion of a trip is pleasant, then people may be willing to walk greater distances. If on the other hand it is difficult, because of terrain, street crossing, lack of pathways, or perceived dangers, then it is unlikely that any distance will be acceptable. The true walk distance is important rather than the air distance as shown in the following maps. The map at the top shows the service area of a route within a ¼ mile air distance and the one at the bottom shows it within a ¼ mile walk distance. The walk distance map is correct since it shows the actual areas that can be reached by walking D:\Courses\CE590\UTP 2002 Word version\transit planning\route location.doc 7 of 14

39 Bicycle access to transit Bicycles can expand the service area of a transit route considerably. Since the distance traveled by bicycle can be greater, say two miles, the area served will be much greater. D:\Courses\CE590\UTP 2002 Word version\transit planning\route location.doc 8 of 14

40 New Services New services should be labeled as experimental to the transit board and specific target goals should be set in order to continue the service on a permanent basis. New services should be aggressively marketed to potential users. Develop route level market information that points out advantages of the service from the point of view of the user (a good idea for existing routes as well). When starting the new service, provide backup capacity for the first week to handle higher than expected demand if it occurs. Adjust vehicle supply to demand over time. Generally new routes take some time to build ridership, as shown below. Marketing can make this occur faster. GENERAL RIDERSHIP GROWTH CURVE FOR NEW BUS SERVICES PERCENT OF 12TH MONTH AVERAGE WEEKDAY PATRONAGE (ADJUSTED FOR SEASONAL VARIATION) 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% MONTH OF OPERATION D:\Courses\CE590\UTP 2002 Word version\transit planning\route location.doc 9 of 14

41 Deletion of a Route Deleting a route is far more difficult than adding service. Well-defined and accepted standards based on goals, objectives, performance indicators are needed. Real planning skills -- no longer engineering, but social policy, are needed. Work with community groups and affected citizens. Innovation is needed. Consider substitute service, taxicabs, etc. Flexibility is necessary. Route Diagnosis After once developing a route network, it should never have to be considered "good for all time." Transit rider requirements are apt to change over time, perhaps rapidly. Therefore, the usage of transit service along a given route should be monitored and evaluated at fairly regular intervals, perhaps once to twice a year, or more often in rapidly changing areas. The following pages provide forms that can be used to evaluate current routes (from "Transit System Performance Evaluation and Service Change Manual," prepared for the State of Pennsylvania and reprinted by U. S. Department of Transportation, February, 1981). D:\Courses\CE590\UTP 2002 Word version\transit planning\route location.doc 10 of 14

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46 Transit Route Location E. Beimborn, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1 Elements of Successful Transit Concentrated trip ends: Activities that relate to transit should be located close to transit stops. Quality access system: Provide safe, direct and easy access to transit by pedestrians, bicyclists and automobile users. Minimize distances from vehicle door to buildings. Transit oriented street patterns: Permit through routing, direct service, few turns. Control through automobile traffic if necessary. Market orientation User oriented transit 2 1

47 User Oriented Transit Services are designed to maximize customer satisfaction and needs Direct trip origin to destination No transfers Schedules match needs Reasonable cost Similar users Good access on both ends of the trip Clean, comfortable vehicles Good user information 3 Route Location Where should it be? Concentrate on service to users, maximize demand How long should it be? Determines vehicle fleet size, scheduling, costs 4 2

48 Route Location Guidelines Begin and end at major trip generators Serve as many major trip generators as possible Direct, two-way service, avoid loops or backtracking 5 Route Location Guidelines Avoid overlapping of routes, maintain good route spacing; ½ mile if there is good pedestrian access Consider traffic operations, geometry, turn around, layover point locations Consider rider access, walk, park, drop-off 6 3

49 Routing Patterns Routing Patterns: Linear Through Routing Split Routes Loop Local/Express 7 Pulse Transit Similar to airline hub and spoke system. Vehicles meet at fixed time intervals (i.e. every 30 minutes) at a central location (transit center) Transit route length should be just less than ½ of the interval, i.e. 13 or 26 or 39 minutes for a 30 minute pulse interval, this uses 1, 2 or 3 vehicles Routes can be through routes, but layover is at transit center 8 4

50 PULSE TRANSIT 13' Route A 26' Route B 13' Route C Vehicles m eet every 30 m inutes at the Transit Center Route B 13' 26' Route C Route A 26' 9 How many vehicles? Route A: 4 vehicles, 2 for northeast side, 2 for south side Route B: 2 vehicles, 1 for northwest, 2 for southwest Route B: 3 vehicles, 1 for west, 2 for southwest 9 vehicles needed. 10 5

51 Pulse Transit in Larger city TIMED TRANSFER Transfer Center Park and Ride Lot Central Area Hospital Express Routes Shopping Center 11 Note: Routes should be of equal cycle time and operate on a pulse schedule into each center. New Services New services should be labeled as experimental to the transit board and specific target goals should be set in order to continue the service on a permanent basis. New services should be aggressively marketed to potential users. Develop route level market information from the point of view of the user (a good idea for existing routes as well). 12 6

52 New Services When starting the new service, provide back-up capacity for the first week to handle higher than expected demand if it occurs. Adjust vehicle supply to demand over time. Generally new routes take some time to build ridership as shown below. Marketing can make this occur faster. 13 GENERAL RIDERSHIP GROWTH CURVE FOR NEW BUS SERVICES PERCENT OF 12TH MONTH AVERAGE WEEKDAY PATRONAGE (ADJUSTED FOR SEASONAL VARIATION) 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 1 EXPECTED PATRONAGE GROWTH RANGE MONTH OF OPERATION 14 7

53 Deletion of a Route Far more difficult than adding service Need for well defined and accepted deletion standards. Based on goals, objectives, performance indicators Need for real planning skills - No longer engineering but social policy - Work with community groups/affected citizens 15 Deletion of a Route (continued) Need for innovation - Consider substitute service, taxicabs, etc. Need for flexibility 16 8

54 Information Sources Census -Low income - Auto availability -Age - Journey to work Planning Agency -Land use - Major trip generators 17 Information Sources Traffic Department Traffic data Street Geometry Parking regulations Field Check Character of housing Neighborhood character Trip generators Community, Political comments 18 9

55 In-House Data Running times, speeds Schedule adherence Passenger, driver comments On-board surveys On-off counts Transfer counts 19 Route Diagnosis After developing a route network, it should never be considered good for all time. Transit rider requirements are apt to change over time, perhaps rapidly. Usage should be monitored and evaluated at regular intervals, perhaps once to twice each year, or more often in rapidly changing areas

56 Route Diagnosis The following pages provide forms than can be used to evaluate current routes (from Transit System Performance Evaluation and Service Change Manual, prepared for the State of Pennsylvania and reprinted by US DOT, February 1981)

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58 25 Basic Service Relationships L Cycle time = round trip travel time + layover time 2* Length Speed + Layover 2 * L * 60 = + TA + TB S 120L = + TA + TB S Varies by time of day and location. = 26 13

59 Vehicles Required Number of Vehicles is cycle time divided by headway NV = Cycle time/headway Example: a route with a 100 minute cycle time and a 25 min headway needs 4 vehicles, at a 30 minute headway, NV = 3.33, You must still provide 4 vehicles (round up to a whole number) Costs directly relate to number of vehicles operated 27 Headway Policy Headway: Set by transit board, i.e. a vehicle every 30 minutes, regardless of demand. Demand based headway: Provide capacity accommodate peak point demand in passengers per hour Peak location on route Peak direction Peak time of day Headway = Vehicle capacity/demand 28 14

60 Headway Vehicle capacity is the number of seats times a load factor Headway = 60*Seats*LF/Demand Example, a route has a peak demand of 200 persons per hour, uses 40 passenger buses and allows a load factor of 1.25 Headway = 60*40*1.25/200 Headway = 60 * ¼ = 15 minutes 29 Combined equation: Combining all factors, the required number of vehicles is: 2 * L * D NV = (S * C * LF) + D * (TA + TB) C * LF *

61 Combined Equation Costs decrease inversely with Vehicle capacity (seats/vehicle load factor Costs increase directly with: Route length Demand Layover time Average vehicle speed 31 Costs depend on daily hours and miles Daily hours = (peak veh. * peak length + base veh. * base length) * pay/platform ratio Daily miles = daily hours * speed * (1 + deadhead) * pay/platform ratio Pay/platform ratio, ratio of hours paid to drivers vs service hours Deadhead: Vehicle not in service, to and from garage 32 16

62 33 Example as a spreadsheet Estimated Route Performance for Next Year Route Red (1) Brown (2) Yellow (3) Blue (4) length (miles) headways weekdays peak weekdays base sat/hol speed (mph) hrs peak hrs base hrs sat/hol weekdays peak veh (calc) peak buses base veh (calc) base buses

63 Acknowledgements Some of this material was developed as part of work being conducted by the Great Cities University consortium under the lead of the University of Alabama at Birmingham using funds provided by the Federal Transit Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The opinions expressed are the product of independent university work and not necessarily those of the sponsoring agencies or of the agencies supplying data for the project