Public Transport Supply Research Articles

PERCEPTION OF COMMUTERS ON THE QUALITY OF SERVICE RENDERED BY LAGBUS IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

This paper examines the perception of commuters on the quality of services rendered by LAGBUS. Lagos state has continously witnessed unprecedented population growth as well as traffic congestion. This growth has resulted to pressure on existing transport infrastructure which necessitated the introduction of LAGBUS by the state government to improve transport service. The study made use of primary and secondary sources of data. The primary data was obtained through the distribution of one hundred and twenty (120) copies of questionnaire to respondents through random sampling technique to LAGBUS users but only 106 copies were returned. Descriptive statistics including tables cross tabulation and charts were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that 92.5% of the respondents have been using LAGBUS for more than a year due to cheaper cost and stable price of travel as compared to other forms of public transport providers in the state. 37.7% and 39.6% of the respondents were of the view that they patronize LAGBUS due to its comfortability (comfort seats) and restriction of preaching and trading respectively. The rating of the services of LAGBUS showed that 88% and 58.5% of the respondents were of the view that their services were satisfactory and regular respectively. Long waiting time is the most challenging problem faced as revealed by 58.5% of the respondents. The study recommends that more buses should be designated to strategic or populated bus stops to reduce passengers’ long waiting time as well as the provision of more road infrastructure such as parking space, alternative routes and road expansion.

A nationwide mobility service guarantee for Austria: possible design scenarios and implications

BackgroundWe present a sketch for a nationwide “Mobility Service Guarantee” (MSG) for Austria. The approach follows a new paradigm, turning away from car-centric transport policy and planning and towards the extensive provision of public transport. The approach is complemented by the provision of demand-responsive transport services and the support of vehicle sharing as well as active mobility. This combination should serve as an effective alternative option to the use of private cars.PurposeThe aim of this study is to develop a tangible definition of a nationwide MSG in the Austrian context as well as possible design scenarios.MethodsWe took a multi-dimensional approach, using literature review to research existing concepts of mobility guarantees, analysing secondary data on current mobility behaviour and public transport provision and conducting stakeholder workshops.ResultsWe define possible scenarios envisioning a nationwide MSG including different extents of maximum distance to public transport stops and minimum frequency. We discuss the limitations of the MSG with respect to spatial, temporal and modal coverage, as well as how such a guarantee could be embedded in the existing legal system.ConclusionsWe conclude that a nationwide MSG could be an important element of sustainable transport policy that should be embedded in a wider strategy of infrastructure and service design as well as demand management.

Exploring the Effects of Transportation Supply on Mixed Land-Use at the Parcel Level

The interactive relationship between transportation and land use has become more difficult to understand and predict, due to the economic boom and corresponding fast-paced proliferation of private transportation and land-development activities. A lack of coordination between transportation and land-use planning has created an imbalanced provision of transportation infrastructure and land-use patterns; this is indicated by places where a high-density land-development pattern is supported by a low-capacity transport system or vice versa. With this, literature suggests that Mixed Land-Use (MLU) developments have the potential to provide relevant solutions for urban sustainability, smart growth, inclusive public transit use, and efficient land-use. Therefore, this study employed deep neural network models—Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP)—for forecasting the effect of transportation supply on the MLU pattern at the parcel level in the Jiang’an District, Wuhan, China. The findings revealed a strong relationship between the supply of public transportation and MLU. Moreover, the study results indicated that MLU is widely available in areas with high accessibility, high density, and proximity to the city center. The forecasting results from the MLP and LSTM models showed an average error of 5.55–7.36% and 3.62–4.28% for mixed use, respectively, while most of their 90th percentile errors were less than 13.73% and 10.46% for mixed use, respectively. The proposed models and the findings from this study should be useful for stakeholders and policy makers for more precise forecasting of MLU at the urban level.

The Analysis of the Effects of a Fare Free Public Transport Travel Demand Based on E-Ticketing

The traditional approach in public transport planning was to collect travel demand data for a more extended period and compose timetables to serve this demand. There are two significant identifiable issues. In the rural areas and off-peak hours, public transport operators provide much more capacities than needed. On the other hand, more capacities than scheduled are needed on certain lines at certain departures on some sporadically occurring occasions. The problem is how to react to short-term changes (daily) triggered by exceptional circumstances and events and midterm changes (weekly, monthly basis) in travel demand. We can trigger changes in travel demand chiefly by introducing a desirable (almost for free) tariff system applied to specific populations. No long-term travel response data exists for this kind of intervention, but an immediate response in public transport supply is needed. In Slovenia, public transport for free for the whole population over 65 years was introduced. With the modern ticketing system, which was designed to be as simple as possible for users (that means »check-in only« at the moment of boarding), the research task was to analyze the travel behavior of the retired population, faced with a new attractive option to travel, based on data of purchased tickets and their afterward validation, for better mid-and long-term planning. Our study finds that ITS technology (in this case, e-ticketing system) can satisfactorily solve the discussed planning and management task.

Does the built environment matter for active travel among older adults: Insights from Chiba City, Japan

Demographic ageing in most countries around the world is significant. Japan, the most ageing country in the world, is expected to reach an ageing rate of over 40% by 2055. A better understanding of the daily mobility patterns of older people is fundamental for an ageing society to meet the needs of their daily life. Active travel (cycling and walking) is recognised to deliver a positive effect on physical and mental health, as well as fulfil daily necessities for older people. Most of the existing studies are based on investigation from Western countries' contexts, as well as younger generations. The situation of older adults in the Japanese backgrounds remains largely unknown. As such, this study aims to explore the determinants of older adults' walking and cycling behaviour with a particular focus on built environment factors. A suite of regression models is constructed to analyse active travel frequency and duration in relation to a suite of built environment characteristics respectively. The results show that built environment factors have profound effects on walking and cycling patterns. Specifically, older people are significantly sensitive to the availability of transit facilities, such as the number of bus stops, and distance to the nearest rail transport station. In addition, higher population density and mixed land use contribute to higher walking frequency and duration, while having a negative effect on cycling frequency and duration. These findings provide evidence for policymakers to develop effective land use strategies, public transport provision implications, and public facility distribution to promote older adults' active travel for the Japanese hyper-ageing society.

Fuzzy AHP-Based Design Performance Index for Evaluation of Ferries

Within waterborne public transportation (WPT), one often observes a mismatch between the operational requirements and ferry characteristics. A method to holistically evaluate ferries with respect to local requirements could lead to tailored procurement and targeted refurbishment of existing fleet. In this study, we develop a structure for operational requirements and use it as a basis for a ferry evaluation methodology. The requirements’ structure follows a three-level hierarchy starting from broad vessel design to mandatory requirements to performance requirements. The performance requirements are based on the three pillars of sustainability, aided by commuter surveys carried out in Stockholm ferries, interviews with public transport providers (PTP) and previous literature. The evaluation of the ferry is performed using analytic hierarchic process (AHP) to convert the PTP’s subjective preferences and ferry performance into a single dimensionless index. Rules for quantification of performance metrics including social performance are proposed. The uncertainties associated with AHP are addressed by employing fuzzy AHP based on extent analysis and fuzzy AHP in combination with particle swarm optimization. Two applications including performance assessment of existing ferries and assembly of a modular ferry are discussed. The method can lead to objective decision making in ferry evaluation, potentially leading to a more efficient WPT.

A Multi-Perspective Assessment of the Introduction of E-Scooter Sharing in Germany

Electric scooter sharing (e-scooter sharing) is a new urban micro-mobility service that is expected to shape individual urban mobility. The introduction of e-scooter sharing systems poses challenging questions for cities and transportation planners regarding their effects on their transportation system. This study addresses the question concerning the strategies which are applied for the introduction of e-scooter sharing systems in different operation areas in Germany. An interview study with 21 stakeholders with different backgrounds (local transport authorities, public transport providers, e-scooter sharing operators, municipalities, associations, planning offices and consulting companies, and other mobility providers) was conducted to reflect upon the introduction of e-scooter sharing systems in Germany and stakeholders’ involvement in planning. The qualitative content analysis provides insights into the stakeholders’ assessment of the introduction process and thus contributes to a multi-perspective understanding on the topic. Derived hypotheses and recommendations further contribute to knowledge sharing and learning from experience. The paper concludes with a description of three introduction styles: protective, pro-active, and laissez-faire.

Service contracting as a policy response for public transport recovery during the Covid-19 Pandemic: A preliminary evaluation

We examine and assess the service contracting (SC) program implemented for the first time in Metro Manila, Philippines as a response to the impact of the pandemic on road-based public transport sector. We develop an evaluation framework, consisting of three indicators: social amelioration, increase in transport supply and performance improvement. These indicators are the purported objectives of SC. Using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, our evaluation suggests that although SC has brought positive impact in terms of the first two indicators, there is no robust evidence so far that may suggest that SC has improved the performance of public transport service delivery. We also find that while the primary objective of providing social amelioration to affected operators is appropriate during the time of the pandemic, this has also brought challenges in financially sustaining the program and in effecting improvements to public transport services. Our work aims to contribute as an empirical case study on the upsides and downsides of service contracting implemented as a business model for public transport provision during the pandemic.

User expectations and perceptions towards new public transport infrastructure: evaluating a cable car in Bogotá

Cable cars are a viable alternative to improve citizens’ accessibility in zones with limitations on urban public transport supply due to the topography. In Latin America, such systems have recently been implemented in zones with high levels of poverty and vulnerability. Although the social implications of their implementation are relevant, individual expectations of these systems and how current changes in travel conditions and quality of life are perceived have not been widely reported in the literature. This paper aims to evaluate users’ expectations and perceptions of a new cable car in the southern periphery of Bogotá (Colombia). We conducted a panel survey before (n = 341) and after (n = 301) the cable car started operations to evaluate the ranking of preferences toward a set of possible benefits of the project. We estimated discrete choice models to analyze the statistical differences between the expectations and perceptions before and after changes. Results suggest that travel time reductions, comfort improvements, and in-vehicle security are the benefits most valued by the users. Even though the project meets expectations of these aspects, it seems to fall short in expectations of reductions of pollution. Individuals’ experience with the cable car shapes their perceptions of the system. We found that perceptions differ between those who have used the service at least once and those who never did. Policy implications derived from this study might be of interest to decision-makers seeking to guarantee the public acceptability of urban projects.

The roles of physical and social environments on the behavioural intention of passengers to reuse and recommend bus systems

The service environment has been considered to be an important factor contributing to customer loyalty towards a service in the context of marketing; however, very few studies have provided an understanding of the linkage between such factors in the literature of behaviour towards public transport services. Consequently, this study develops a comprehensive model to explain the relationships between service atmosphere, suitable behaviours of other passengers, passenger-passenger interactions, and experience quality on the behavioural intention of passengers to reuse and recommend bus services, as well as the interrelationship among these constructs. Data was gathered through a face-to-face questionnaire survey of 910 bus passengers in two Vietnamese cities over the two months of September and October 2019. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to investigate the research gaps, with the findings providing important insights into the strength and significance of the hypothesised model relationships. The study also offers practical suggestions for public transport providers to enhance passenger loyalty by improving their understanding of the roles of physical and social environments and experience quality.

The level of air quality at public transport stations: The Case of Torhailoch-Ayat main road in Addis Ababa

IntroductionThe increase of population and rapid spatial expansion of urban areas generate high travel demand and increase of motorization, which is directly related to air quality of urban environment. The continuous increase in traffic congestion and fuel consumption deteriorates air quality. Public transportation stations are places where people spend a considerable amount of time in the open and get exposed to transport-related emissions. The aim of this study is to investigate the level of air quality at public transport stations in Addis Ababa city along the major route from Torhailoch to Ayat focusing on the concentration of PM2.5, PM10, Air Quality Index (AQI) and CO2. Methods and materialsObservation, vehicle count and field measurements of air quality were used to collect the data. Primary data were collected via field surveying using IQAir AirVisual® pro model air quality measuring device from five public transport stations at peak and off-peak hours. ResultsThis study found that increase in peak hour traffic volume at stations contributes high concentration of PM2.5, PM10, AQI and CO2. High levels of air pollutants were found during peak hours compared to off peak hours. The maximum 30 min’ average concentrations of PM2.5 were found to be 89 μg/m3 during peak hours and 61 μg/m3 during off peak hours, which is far exceeding the WHO air quality standard (35.4 μg/m3). Regression model shows dependent variable (PM2.5) and independent variables is statistically significant. ConclusionThe temporal and spatial distributions of the air pollutants in this study demonstrated that rush hours were the most polluted, having high concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 while an off-peak hour have low concentration of air pollutants. RecommendationIt is recommended that the city government should encourage zero emission vehicles, provision of efficient public transport and green development in order to reduce the current condition of transport-related air pollutants.

Public Transport Providers’ Perceptions of Benefits and Limitations of Digitalized Communication and Service: The Case of Sweden

Public Transport Providers’ Perceptions of Benefits and Limitations of Digitalized Communication and Service: The Case of Sweden

Car Free Zone as Planning Vision to Enhancements Transportation in City Centers (Holy Najaf City Center-Iraq)

The idea of a car-free city represents a solution to the problem of fuel consumption and air pollution caused by the use of cars and replaces the idea of owning and using private cars with an efficient transportation system, and it doesn’t mean living without cars, because cars have become an integral part of a modern city. On the contrary, people can still drive in city but will not park their cars at home. Instead, they park elsewhere on their way home. Research problem: Weak regulation of the movement of vehicles in the center of the holy city of Najaf, which leads to the danger of pedestrian movement in the city center. The aim of the research: to provide a safe and effective movement for pedestrians in the center of the holy city of Najaf. Research hypothesis: The use of the car-free zone strategy in the city center transportation system achieves security for the population in the old city. The research examines reasons behind suggesting free-of-vehicle areas It gives a number of policies to achieve the strategy in the center of the holy city of Najaf, including the provision of public transportation, furniture and comfort for pedestrians in the streets, as well as easy access for the residents of the area. Thus, it is possible to draw the conclusion that there is a possibility to achieve this strategy in religious centers according to a number of policies that suit the specificity of the area.

GIS based methodology to analyse the public transport supply: Hungarian case studies

The paper aims to introduce a new way of comparing the efficiency of public transport operations based on publicly available data. It draws on four main sources, the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, public transport provider data, GTFS and OSM map layers. Methodologically, it combines the use of the GTFS format and corresponding static timetable component files, Thiessen polygons and empirical selection of relative indicators. As places of research, three comparable Hungarian cities have been selected by their population size; Pécs, Szeged and Miskolc. The comparison consists of 8 quantitative indicators that cover six major geographical aspects of transport operation (accessibility in terms of proximity, capacity, connectivity, density, frequency and velocity of vehicles). The analysis does not consider the mode of public transport, thus opening up the possibility of an independent comparison of efficiency regardless of various infrastructure characteristics. The results show that Miskolc and Pécs achieved the best values in four indicators. On the contrary, the city of Szeged, despite its diverse structure of transport modes, does not have an advantage in any aspect. The relatively loosely anchored methodology leaves room for an extension to include economic, environmental, and other specific factors.

Alternative Approach to Sustainable Urban Mobility in Developing Countries

Cities in developing countries are facing intertwined urban mobility challenges: urban sprawl and traffic jam.Having not enough reliable and standardized public transport supply means the residents are forced to opt fortraveling by private vehicles such as cars or motorcycles. There is a swell of tailpipe emission and economiclosses due to traffic jam. Overcoming urban sprawl and at the same time building massive public transport isnot an easy feat to accomplish, as both require immense investments and years of construction. Therefore, citiesmust have innovative plans to increase public-transport coverage and articulate density through paratransitformalization & digitalization, demand management, and land consolidation.

Public Transport in Rural Roads: Measures to Increase Its Modal Share in Iran

The supply and demand management of rural public transport has gained an important place in Iran, given its decreasing trend over the last decade. Accordingly, an effective approach is to analyze stakeholders’ opinions in this field to identify the effective local solutions for increasing the share of this transport method. The used methodology was to design a mixed questionnaire, a part of which included fuzzy pairwise comparison, while, in its first layer, the variables were classified using rotary analysis. In the other two sections of the questionnaire, the respondents were asked to express their opinions regarding the questions in the form of qualitative and words cloud. According to the inquiries made from the users in 20 selected terminals of Iran providing services to more than 85% of rural passengers, the indicators were weighted and divided into two groups based on the rotary analysis. The weighted results obtained from the users’ opinions revealed that the safety, dynamics of incentive policies, and traffic system performance in the rural transport had the highest effects on the micro- and macro-level indicators. In the second section, based on the qualitative questions, a multivariate linear estimation model of the number of rural passengers was constructed. Moreover, in the third section, the users’ suggested keywords focused on policy-making, travel time optimization, quality of services, and safety. Both the second and third sections had an acceptable agreement with the pairwise comparisons. Given the vast area of Iran and the distance between the population centers in the country, the obtained solutions to increase the share of public rural road transport included reducing the desirability of travel with private cars in short rural distances through interaction with industrial towns around metropolises, along with providing such areas with special services to attract passengers to rural transport with occupational goals.

Measuring regional accessibility with public transport – case of Koroška region, Slovenia

Public transport plays a major role in sustainable mobility planning. This is even more obvious on regional level, where distances are often too long for cycling, therefore public transport remains only viable sustainable travel mode. In the process of preparation of regional SUMP, evaluation of accessibility is one of crucial steps. However, accessibility measurement can be a challenging task. In Slovenia, there have been several studies measuring frequency and access to closest stop, ignoring travel speed and destinations that could be reached. However rapid increase in computing power, software development and availability of schedule data in GTFS format, opened an opportunity to evaluate accessibility more precisely. We performed an analysis for Koroška region in Slovenia. Accessibility was measured with OpenTripPlanner with OpenStreetMap data for road network and schedules in GTFS format. Travel times were measured in both directions for all inhabited cells in a grid resolution of one hectare and central settlements of intermunicipal importance. The results of the analysis are important in terms of understanding how many citizens can access settlements of intermunicipal importance with public transport. This will serve as a baseline measure in regional SUMP preparation and will enable future iterations and comparisons. It also enables us to see the gaps in public transport supply and propose improvements. Open-source tools and open data enables this method to be used in other regions as well.

Measuring regional accessibility with public transport – case of Koroška region, Slovenia

Public transport plays a major role in sustainable mobility planning. This is even more obvious on regional level, where distances are often too long for cycling, therefore public transport remains only viable sustainable travel mode. In the process of preparation of regional SUMP, evaluation of accessibility is one of crucial steps. However, accessibility measurement can be a challenging task. In Slovenia, there have been several studies measuring frequency and access to closest stop, ignoring travel speed and destinations that could be reached. However rapid increase in computing power, software development and availability of schedule data in GTFS format, opened an opportunity to evaluate accessibility more precisely. We performed an analysis for Koroška region in Slovenia. Accessibility was measured with OpenTripPlanner with OpenStreetMap data for road network and schedules in GTFS format. Travel times were measured in both directions for all inhabited cells in a grid resolution of one hectare and central settlements of intermunicipal importance. The results of the analysis are important in terms of understanding how many citizens can access settlements of intermunicipal importance with public transport. This will serve as a baseline measure in regional SUMP preparation and will enable future iterations and comparisons. It also enables us to see the gaps in public transport supply and propose improvements. Open-source tools and open data enables this method to be used in other regions as well.

Transportation policy potholes: analyzing Metro Manila’s COVID-19 response

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippine government was already implementing policies and building infrastructure aimed at improving the country’s road-based public transportation system and alleviating impacts of traffic congestion, especially in Metro Manila. However, with the pandemic, new priorities emerged. Public transportation now plays a vital role in controlling the spread of the disease while, at the same time, ensures that essential services are accessible, and public transport providers are sufficiently supported. This paper analyzes the road-based public transportation policies of the government during the pandemic using a multi-dimensional framework. In general, and in principle, we see that the government policies issued are consistent with the recommended transport policies that must be implemented during such crisis. However, there are some strategies that are untimely implemented, such as the mandatory utilization of the integrated terminals, the forced consolidation of transport providers, and the continuing modernization of jeepneys.

Factors influencing the usage of shared E-scooters in Chicago

The rapid popularity growth of shared e-scooters creates the necessity of understanding the determinants of shared e-scooter usage. This paper estimates the impacts of temporal variables (weather data, weekday/weekend, and gasoline prices) and time-invariant variables (socio-demographic, built environment, and neighborhood characteristics) on the shared e-scooter demand by using four months (June 2019- October 2019) period of data from the shared e-scooter pilot program in Chicago. The study employs a random-effects negative binomial (RENB) model that effectively models shared e-scooter trip origin and destination count data with over-dispersion while capturing serial autocorrelation in the data. Results of temporal variables indicate that shared e-scooter demand is higher on days when the average temperature is higher, wind speed is lower, there is less precipitation (rain), weekly gasoline prices are higher, and during the weekend. Results related to time-invariant variables indicate that densely populated areas with higher median income, mixed land use, more parks and open spaces, public bike-sharing stations, higher parking rates, and fewer crime rates generate a higher number of e-scooter trips. Moreover, census tracts with a higher number of zero-car households and workers commuting by public transit generate more shared e-scooter trips. On the other hand, results reveal mixed relationships between shared e-scooter demand and public transportation supply variables. This study's findings will help planners and policymakers make decisions and policies related to shared e-scooter services.