Determining adjustment variables for rationalising a design for fleet operation in public passenger transport

Abstract

This investigation was aimed at establishing aspects leading to adjusting the operational design of public transport fleet operation to make it more profitable for private investors. Data obtained from more than a year’s operation by the Alianza Sat S.A. was used (this being a bus-company alliance grouping about 100 buses from some of Bogota’s collective transport companies) for carrying out the present investigation regarding fleet administration and operation. Simply implementing conventionally-designed routing plans is not enough for rationalising fleet operation, as most public collective transport is not directly operated by companies The Alianza Sat S.A. bus fleet was used for testing hypotheses demonstrating that current operational design for the company’s routes (in Bogota’s current public transport market conditions) leads to reducing the company’s income. The investigation revealed that public passenger transport bus fleet revenue can be increased if aspects different to those considered in standard route design methodology are controlled. The investigation has determined alternative rationalisation for operational collective public passenger transport company design regarding adjusting aspects such as the demand pattern, operating scheme, route variability, etc. This will provide an innovative and useful tool for rationalising the operational design of bus routes operating in cities having weak public transport control and excess bus supply.