COPING WITH UNRELIABILITY IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT CHAINS: A CASE STUDY FOR NETHERLANDS

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2001

Subject Area

operations - reliability, infrastructure - interchange/transfer, mode - mass transit

Keywords

Trip chaining, Transit, Transfers, Timed transfer, Reliability, Public transit, Netherlands, Multimodal transportation, Multimodal systems, Mass transit, Local transit, Delays, Connections (Transportation)

Abstract

The article presents an analysis of the unreliability of public transport chains from the point of view of a consumer rather than a producer using a multimodal perspective. The aim of the article is to analyze the reliability of arrival times in public transport with particular emphasis on delays due to missing connections. Estimates of unreliability of public transport chains in Netherlands are provided. In addition, customer valuation of unreliability is estimated. The authors find that the valuation of a certain travel time loss of 1min is 27 cents, whereas the valuation of a 50% probability of a 2 min delay is 64 cents. This implies a strong attitude of risk aversion towards travel time of passengers. Based on these values, an evaluation of probability enhancing strategies has been carried out. The article concludes that among the most promising means of improving the overall quality of the chains is that travelers use the bicycle as an entrance of exit mode. Other measures, which are relatively inexpensive to implement and result in large gains for the average public transport passenger, are an increase in transfer times and a strict constraint on bus drivers to prevent them from departing early.

Comments

Transportation Research Part A Home Page: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09658564

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