Service Availability

• Network Coverage

Network coverage measures the extent to which the defined service area is being served. Network coverage is commonly measured by the percentage of the population that resides within 1000 m walking distance of a station.

Guidelines for quality control and quality assurance for public transport in motorcycle dependent cities

The population should be considered as “served” when it is within 800 m from a station for express or rapid service (cited in Milwaukee County TDP 2005-2009). 800m air distances from rail and BRT stations are used as its serve area (TRB, 2004).

Maximum 1000 m distances from stations of urban trains, metro, S-Bahn in urban areas and maximum 3000 m distances from stations of S-Bahn in suburban areas (Birgelen, 1998)

This study uses the LOS thresholds in TRB (2004) for the serve area in MDCs. Table 6-19: Network coverage LOS

Level of Service

(LOS) Percent of areas served Comments

A 90.0 – 100.0% Virtually all major origins & destinations served B 80.0 – 89.9% Most major origins & destinations served C 70.0 – 79.9% About ¾ of higher-density areas served

D 60.0 – 69.9% About two-thirds of higher-density areas served E 50.0 – 59.9% At least ½ of the higher-density areas served F < 50.0% Less than ½ of the higher-density areas served Source: TRB(2004)

• Service Directness

Service directnessrefers to the degree to which a route deviates from the shortest path between the start and end points of the route. Service directness is measured by terms of the ratio of public transport route distance to transport route distance or the time spent for deviations to the main service.

A public transport route distance divided by transport route distance of no higher than 1.5 (Florida Department of Transport, 2007).

Public transport travel distances should not exceed auto travel distances for the same trip by more than 20 to 40 percent (TRB, 1995).

Routes should not be more than 50 percent longer in route mileage distance than a comparable route by car (Service Evaluation & Performance Measurement Program - Madison Metro 2000).

Route deviations will not exceed eight minutes roundtrip and will only be permitted if the market potential is 10 passengers per roundtrip (Service Policy for Surface Public Transportation - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, 1975).

Deviations from a direct path from end-to-end of the route shall account for no more than ¼ of the end-to-end travel time of the route (Regional Transportation Authority - RTD 2002).

For a specific deviation, the total additional travel time for all through passengers should not exceed three minutes for each rider boarding or alighting along the deviation (Regional Transportation Authority- RTD 2002).

Guidelines for quality control and quality assurance for public transport in motorcycle dependent cities

LOS thresholds for service directness are expected to be the same in the HBS (FGSV, 2001a). Table 6-20: Service directness LOS

Level of Service (LOS)

Travel time ratio

TPUBLIC TRANSPORT MODES/TIV [-]

A < 1.0 B 1.0 to < 1.5 C 1.5 to < 2.1 D 2.1 to < 2.8 E 2.8 to < 3.8 F ≥ 3.8

Source: Adapted from HBS - FGSV (2001a)

• Frequency

This study keeps the LOS thresholds that are recommended in Table 6-4.

• Span of Service

LOS thresholds are expected to be the same in Table 6-9.

• Station Spacing

Bus stops are usually located to provide a balance of passenger convenience and vehicle operating efficiency. Having too many stations along a route results in slow and unreliable service, whereas too few stations means that many passengers will have to walk a long way to get to stations.

VDV (2001) have concluded that the optimal station spacing for urban trains, metro, and S- Bahn is somewhere between 600 - 1000m.

According to TRB (2004), average rail station spacing are automated guideway public transport - 700 m, light rail - 800 m, heavy rail - 1,500 m, and commuter rail - 5,600 m.

Standards for station spacing are expected to be the same in the TRB (2004).

6.2.2 Accessibility

• Walking Distance

A maximum walking distance of 800m to transit is considered for the sevice during peak periods. A walking distance of 400m is required for high density areas and 1600 walking distance for night (owl) service (CTA Service Standards, 2001).

Maximum walking distance is 500 meters in the daytime (Monday‐Saturday), and 1000 meters for all other periods. The objective of this standard is to provide service to approximately 90 percent of the urban area (York Region Transit – Transit Service Guidelines 2006).

According to TRB (2003), average walking distance are automated guideway public transport - 700 m, light rail - 800 m, heavy rail - 1,500 m, and commuter rail - 5,600 m. Based on these

Guidelines for quality control and quality assurance for public transport in motorcycle dependent cities

values, this study adapts the LOS thresholds in the TRB (2004) for the maximum walking distance.

Table 6-21: Walking distance LOS Level of Service

(LOS) Percent of areas served Comments

A 90.0 – 100.0% Almost people within the accepted walking distance are served

B 80.0 – 89.9% Most people within the accepted walking distance are served

C 70.0 – 79.9% About ¾ of people within the accepted walking distance are served

D 60.0 – 69.9% About two-thirds of people within the accepted walking distance are served

E 50.0 – 59.9% At least ½ of people within the accepted walking distance are served

F < 50.0% Less than ½ people within the accepted walking distance are served

Source: Adapted from TRB (2004)

• Catchment areas

In accordance to VDV (2001), the catchment areas for different public transport modes are listed as follows:

Table 6-22: Reasonable catchment areas (air distance)

Centralityand Situation

U-train S-train SPNV

Upper-centers Middle-centers Lower-

centers Commune

Root zone Central areas (-) (-) 400 m

Other than root zone with high use density

Other than central areas with high use density

Central area (-) 600 m

With low use density

With low use density

Rest area Entire area 1000 m

Source: VDV (2001)

6.2.3 Time

• Punctuality

Guidelines for quality control and quality assurance for public transport in motorcycle dependent cities

• Travel Speed

LOS thresholds for travel speed are expected to be the same in the HBS (FGSV, 2001a). Table 6-23: Travel speed LOS

Level of Service (LOS)

Average travel speed V (km/h) A ≥ 24 B ≥ 22 C ≥ 19 D ≥ 15 E ≥ 10 F < 10

Source: Adapted from HBS - FGSV (2001a)

6.2.4 Information

• Information Availability

Information including route, numbers, schedule information, and other appropriate information should be supplied at all stations and vehicles. Table 6-24 lists the standards for passenger information system.

Table 6-24: Requirements of information

Information availability

External communication: • On-line information service • Printed information

Information provided in both languages (Vietnamese, English) Complaint:

• Providing the –toll free telephone number to call or the website for complaints Timetable:

• Timetable to be posted at each stop Schedule:

• Dynamic and visual information Interconnection:

• Coordination of timetables to ensure optimal connections

Announcement

Announcement system to pre-announce stops

Announcements in the Vietnamese language and in English All stations provided with indicators of real waiting time Adapting vocal and visual announcements for the disabled Source: Grimaldie Association (2012)

Guidelines for quality control and quality assurance for public transport in motorcycle dependent cities

6.2.5 Comfort

• Waiting Time

The LOS ranges for passenger loading should be applied as listed in Table 6-5.

• Passenger Loading

The LOS ranges for passenger loading should be applied as listed in Table 6-13.