On the use of “average delay” as a measure of train reliability

Authors

Maria Börjesson
Jonas Eliasson

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2011

Subject Area

mode - rail, place - europe, operations - performance, operations - reliability, economics - appraisal/evaluation

Keywords

Reliability, Value of delay time, Travel time variability, Train delay

Abstract

We investigate how passengers on long-distance trains value unexpected delays relative to scheduled travel time and travel cost. For scheduled services with high reliability and long headways, the value of delays is most commonly assumed to be proportional to the average delay. By exploring how the valuation of train delays depends on delay risk and delay length, using three different stated choice data sets, we find that the “average delay” approach does not hold: the disutility increases slower than linearly in the delay risk. This means that using the average delay as a performance indicator, a guide for operations planning or for investment appraisal will underestimate the value of small risks of long delays relative to large risks for short delays. It also means that estimated valuations of “average delay” will depend on the delay risk level: valuations will be higher the lower the risk levels in the study are.

Rights

Permission to publish the abstract has been given by Elsevier, copyright remains with them.

Comments

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

Recommended Citation

Börjesson, M., & Eliasson, J. (2011). On the use of “average delay” as a measure of train reliability. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Vol. 45, (3), Pp. 171-184.