Research Article
Feb 1976
Factors Affecting Reliability of Urban Bus Services
Publication: Transportation Engineering Journal of ASCE
Volume 102, Issue 1
Abstract
Attitudinal surveys have indicated that travel time reliability is an important attribute of urban transportation services affecting choice of mode of travel. Yet there is no generally accepted measure of transport reliability, nor is much known about factors affecting this parameter. This study was conducted to test a particular measure of reliability, the inverse of the standard deviation of point-to-point travel times, using data from bus services in the Chicago area. The selected measure was found to be a useful and easily collected indicator of service reliability. Reliability measured in this form was found to be significantly degraded by increasing route length, increasing intensity of intersection control (particularly traffic signal density), increasing traffic volumes, and, with less certainty, increasing bus passenger loadings. Several strategies for increasing urban bus transit reliability are suggested.
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Published In
Transportation Engineering Journal of ASCE
Volume 102 • Issue 1 • February 1976
Pages: 147 - 159
Copyright
© 1976 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published in print: Feb 1976
Published online: Feb 5, 2021
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Authors
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Brian P. Sterman, AM.ASCE
Assoc. Transit Planner, Office of Transit Planning, Urban Mass Transportation Admin., U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Washington, D.C.
Joseph L. Schofer, M.ASCE
Prof., Dept. of Civ. Engrg., Northwestern Univ., Evanston, Ill.
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ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.