Public Transport Accessibility Level
For public transport planning it is important to evaluate the current status of the transport service. Geographical, demographic and traffic information must be combined in this service analysis. Practically all of the data in a timetable flows into this analysis (route selection, transfers, shortest journey, number of journeys etc.).
IT support is needed to process this comprehensive range of data. Typical questions concerning the quality of the service can be answered using IJP (with additional geographical and demographic information), i.e.:
- at any point in time, such as when timetable changes occur or for planning variants
- with modifiable values
- with graphic and tabular output on the display and on the printer
- with display of results on a topographic map if possible (screen and printer)
The program package for this IT-supported service quality assessment was created on behalf of the VGN (Transport Authority of Nuremberg). The data material for the map originates from the "Bayerisches Landesvermessungsamt" (Bavarian Ordnance Survey Office).
The program package is based on the ?Public transport Planning Guideline" from the "Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft und Verkehr" (Bavarian State Ministry for Economy and Transport), but can also be used for general public transport accessibility level.
Analysis
The program package contains the following analyses.
Journeys per square km and journeys per 1000 inhabitants
The two criteria of journeys/square km and journeys/1000 inhabitants are calculated for the political structures of sublocation, municipality and district. The journey destination is not taken into consideration.
The sublocation areas are not statistically recorded, but can be calculated at program run time depending on the accuracy of the cartographic material.
Connecting sublocations
This is where the percentage of inhabitants that live in particular stop catchment areas is determined for the sublocations. The part of the sublocation area that is covered when circles are drawn around the stops is calculated here in a practical way. This is based on the assumption that the inhabitants are ?evenly distributed? throughout the sublocation area.
Accessibility of neighbouring areas
Each subdistrict should be able to reach its main location within a certain travel time, and a minimum provision of pairs of journeys is required. The program calculates the travelling time for the journey pairs for each sublocation and displays the results in tables and on the map.
Accessibility of higher-level main locations
Each sublocation is assigned to a sub-centre, a mid-centre and an upper centre. The travelling times to the centres and the number of journey pairs are calculated here, and the travel time distribution for public transport areas is determined. Public transport areas consist of different municipalities.
Transportation speed in kilometres/hour
The transportation speeds are calculated for each route and each public transport area. Different minimum values can be specified for different operating branches and public transport area categories.
Headway time in minutes
The headway times are calculated for each route and each public transport area. A distinction is made between peak traffic time, normal traffic time and late traffic time. It can be shown on the map whether a standard value has been complied with for any route. The headway times are shown on the map in colour (optional).
Stop catchment areas as linear distance in metres
In this case there is no calculation, but the stops are marked on the topographic map and a circle is drawn around each stop depending on the operating branch and public transport area category. This makes it possible to identify areas that are not covered.
Journey frequency (journey pairs/day)
The journey pairs between 6 am and 10 pm are determined for each sublocation. Depending on the number of inhabitants in the sublocations a certain number of journey pairs must be achieved for the sublocation to be considered to be developed.
Defect list
The results of the above-mentioned analyses are shown in a general display if possible, in a table and on the map. In order to make the results comparable the results may need to be related to sublocations, and as far as the defect list is concerned, it is only shown whether or not the respective standard values are achieved.
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 IT-supported service quality assessment |
