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Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (Part E)

1. we ate Wee RSET A Beis cu A PLEO ERS HT eT NEN T BEIT za T 2 FT Calculate the area household and employment density for each sub TAZ Next determine which sub TAZs are transit supportive and which are not Finally determine which transit supportive TAZs are served by transit and which are not a DER ai Fi Sa Ea j iBA Streets Transit Supportive Areas Not Served by Transit 9 Served by Transit Sum the areas of the transit supportive sub TAZs served by transit and divide by the sum of the areas of all the transit supportive sub TAZs to obtain the service coverage LOS Page 5 50 Chapter 6 Example Problems Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual The Results The total transit supportive area is 33 8 km and 29 1 km of it is covered by transit As a result 86 1 of this system s transit supportive area is covered corresponding to LOS B Using a service coverage area based on bus stop locations rather than bus routes results in a smaller area being served by transit than that calculated by the manual method Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 51 Chapter 6 Example Problems Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Transit auto travel time LOS manual method Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Example Problem 5 The Situation As part of a regional study of traffic congestion the Anytown MPO wishes to compare existing travel times by transit and
2. e Shelters to provide protection from wind rain and snow in northern climates and from the sun in southern climates In cold climates some operators provide pushbutton operated overhead heaters at shelters located at major transit centers e Informational signing identifying the routes using the stop their destinations both intermediate and ultimate and or scheduled arrival times e Trash receptacles to reduce the amount of litter around the transit stop e Telephones to allow passengers to make personal calls while waiting for a transit vehicle as well as providing for the ability to make emergency calls e Vending facilities ranging from newspaper racks at commuter bus stops to manned newsstands flower stands food carts transit ticket and pass sales and similar facilities at rail stations and bus transfer centers e Air conditioning on board transit vehicles to provide a comfortable ride on hot and humid days Transit operators usually link the kinds of amenities at a stop to the number of daily boarding riders at that stop TCRP Report 19 provides guidelines for installing various kinds of transit amenities Transit Information Potential riders need to know where and when transit service is available before they can begin using it Regular riders need to be informed about service changes that will affect them This information can be provided by a variety of means e Printed maps schedules and brochures tha
3. see lane reversible ride check see check ride ride one zone see one zone ride ride shared see shared ride ride quality a measure of the comfort level experienced by a passenger in a moving vehicle including the vibration intensity and frequency accelerations longitudinal transverse and vertical jerk pitch yaw and roll rider l A passenger on any revenue service vehicle also known as a patron 2 In government reporting someone making an unlinked trip rider captive a person limited by circumstances to use one mode of transportation see also transit dependent and transportation disadvantaged rider captive transit a person who does not have a private vehicle available or cannot drive for any reason and who must use transit to make Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 29 Glossary Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual the desired trip see also transit dependent and transportation disadvantaged rider choice a person who has at least two modes of travel available and selects one to use riders group riders who have a common origin and destination or some demographic variable in common and travel together in the same vehicle ridership patronage the number of people making one way trips on a public transportation system in a given time period ridesharing a form of transportation other than public transit in which more than one p
4. see union transit transportation department of see organizations department of transportation and U S Government Department of Transportation transportation elderly and handicapped see definition of elderly and handicapped transportation intercity see intercity transportation transportation mass see mass transportation transportation private see private transportation transportation public see public transportation transportation purchased see purchased transportation transportation urban public see urban public transportation transportation demand management TDM the concept of managing or reducing travel demand rather than increasing the supply of transportation facilities It may include programs to shift demand from single occupant vehicles to other modes such as transit and ridesharing to shift demand to off peak periods or to eliminate demand for some trips transportation disadvantaged low mobility group people whose range of transportation alternatives is limited especially in the availability of relatively easy to use and inexpensive alternatives for trip making Examples include the young the elderly the poor the handicapped and those who do not have automobiles See also transit dependent rider captive and rider captive transit transportation facilities see accessible transportation facilities transportation handicapped see
5. shedding load see load shedding shelter see transit shelter shoe brake see brake shoe shoe overhead contact see overhead contact shoe shoe third rail see third rail shoe shoe trolley see overhead contact shoe shoofly a temporary track to allow rail operations to bypass construction activities shop see workshop shoppers special service see service shoppers special short haul transit service see service short haul transit short turn see turn back shunt in rail operations to shift or switch as a train car also the railroad switch itself shunt motor see motor shunt shuttle loop transit see transit system shuttle loop shuttle service see service shuttle shuttle system see transit system shuttle side platform see platform side side track see siding sidewalk moving see moving walkway siding passing track side track a track adjacent to a main or a secondary track for meeting passing or storing cars or trains see also pocket track sign dash see dash sign sign destination see destination sign sign dot matrix a type of destination dash side or rear sign consisting of electrically actuated dots that present either a matte black or bright usually fluorescent yellow face that make up individual letters or numbers Early designs had very poor visibility and reliability but improv
6. 3 Twenty four of the 174 transit supportive TAZs are only partially served by transit as depicted in the map below Estimate the percentage of the area of each of these TAZs served by transit For example TAZ 432 is about 50 served by transit L Service Coverage Area Streets Transit Supportive Areas Not 100 Covered 4 Divide the transit supportive area served by transit by the total transit supportive area to determine the percentage of the transit supportive area served and the resulting service coverage LOS The Results The total transit supportive area is 34 km and 29 km of it is covered by transit As a result 85 of this system s transit supportive area is covered corresponding to LOS B The parts of the city that can support at least hourly bus service for the most part receive at least some service during the day For policy reasons or simply to connect two higher density areas most operators will serve a considerably larger area than the transit supportive area Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 48 Chapter 6 Example Problems Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Example Problem 4 The Situation The same as Example Problem 3 except that GIS software is used The Question Where are the city s transit supportive areas and how well are they currently being served The Facts v Same assumptions as Example Problem 3 Comments v The transit agency contacts the local MPO which
7. Peak hour passenger load i is normally based on standing 4 passengers m 0 4 pitt of floor space in North America 4 5 p m 0 4 0 5 p ft in Europe and 5 6 p m 0 5 0 6 p ft in Asia after discounting space used for cabs stairwells and seated passengers at Ym 0 2 ft Crush loads are 6 6 7 and 8 p m 0 6 0 6 0 7 and 0 8 p ft respectively Caution some systems and manufacturers use different designations some systems report loading in excess of 8 standing passengers per m 0 8 p ft car equivalence passenger see passenger car equivalence carhouse see barn car operator see operator train carpool an arrangement in which two or more people share the use cost or both of traveling in privately owned automobiles between fixed points on a regular basis see also vanpool carpool casual an informal carpool where commuters gather at a location to be picked up at random by motorists who do not have sufficient passengers to use an HOV facility U S West Coast usage See also slug carpool lane see lane carpool and lane exclusive carpool carrier a person or company in the business of transporting passengers or goods carrier common in urban transportation a company or agency certified by a regulatory body to carry all passengers who fulfill the contract e g pay the required fare The service is open to the public catenary system that form of electric ov
8. SERVICE OFFERED UTILIZATION e Annual ridership e Vehicles operated in maximum service ECONOMICS e Passenger trips revenue mile e Passenger miles revenue hour e Vehicle operating expenses revenue mile PASSENGER POINT OF VIEW QUALITY OF SERVICE AVAILABLITY e Service coverage e Hours of service e Sidewalk condition e Park amp Ride spacing CONVENIENCE e Passenger loading e Transit auto travel time e Amenities e Safety VEHICLE POINT OF VIEW VEHICULAR CAPACITY e Bus berth capacity e Bus lane capacity e Rail line capacity SPEED DELAY e Average travel speed e Average intersection delay per vehicle Performance Measures Values without interpretation 15 hr 21 2 KMD Mf shetter p provided Service Measures Values grouped into LEVELS z a 7 4 F a OF SERVICE grading service 19 24 hr 17 18 hr 14 16 hr 12 13 hr 4 11 hr 0 3 hr quality from passengers A B Cc D E F perspective Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 3 Transit performance measures can represent the operator passenger or vehicle point of view Quality of service reflects the passenger point of view Levels of service are developed for some of these important passenger performance measures Performance measures provide values without interpretation service measures gro
9. Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual b Map Summary This method assumes that GIS software is available along with an existing bus route theme First create a summary table of hours of service for each bus route and link join this information to the bus route theme Then have the GIS select all routes operating at LOS C the best LOS provided in this city Create an 0 4 km buffer around these routes representing each route s service coverage area this assumes good pedestrian connections to these routes Next select and buffer all routes operating at LOS D and remove the area of overlap between the LOS C and LOS D areas from the LOS D area Follow a similar procedure for routes operating at LOS E and F When finished the following map results Streets Hours of Service LOS mp D CIE LCF The Results The central part of the city along with corridors running north south and east west from downtown receive the most service extending into the early evening The outer edges of the city receive the least service ranging from peak hour only to service about 11 hours a day City residents who do not work traditional 8 a m to 5 p m hours will not have transit as an option for their trips However university students will be able to go to a number of places around town in the evening hours using the bus system A number of areas of the city receive no bus service the next two example problems look at whether th
10. Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Exhibit 5 14 Passenger Load LOS Bus Rail Los mp p seat m p _p seat Comments gt 1 20 0 00 0 50 gt 1 85 0 00 0 50 No passenger need sit next to another 0 80 1 19 0 51 0 75 1 30 1 85 0 51 0 75 Passengers can choose where to sit 0 60 0 79 0 76 1 00 0 95 1 29 0 76 1 00 All passengers can sit 0 50 0 59 1 01 1 25 0 50 0 94 1 01 2 00 Comfortable standee load for design 0 40 0 49 1 26 1 50 0 30 0 49 2 01 3 00 Maximum schedule load lt 0 40 gt 1 50 lt 0 30 gt 3 00 Crush loads amoo Approximate values for comparison LOS is based on area per passenger Bus Rail LOS ft p p seat ft p p seat Comments l gt 12 9 0 00 0 50 gt 19 9 0 00 0 50 No passenger need sit next to another l 8 6 12 9 0 51 0 75 l 14 0 19 9 0 51 0 75 Passengers can choose where to sit 6 5 8 5 0 76 1 00 10 2 13 9 0 76 1 00 All passengers can sit 5 4 6 4 1 01 1 25 5 4 10 1 1 01 2 00 Comfortable standee load for design 4 3 5 3 1 26 1 50 3 2 5 3 2 01 3 00 Maximum schedule load lt 43 gt 1 50 lt 3 2 gt 3 00 _ Crush loads moov Approximate values for comparison LOS is based on area per passenger At LOS A load levels passengers are able to spread out and can use empty seats to store parcels bags etc rather than carry them on their lap At LOS B some passengers will have to sit
11. Passengers don t need schedules B 10 14 5 6 Frequent service passengers consult schedules C 15 20 3 4 Maximum desirable time to wait if bus train missed D 21 30 2 Service unattractive to choice riders E 31 60 1 Service available during hour F gt 60 lt 1 Service unattractive to all riders At the service frequencies of LOS A passengers are assured that a transit vehicle will arrive soon after they arrive at a stop The delay experienced if one misses a vehicle is low At LOS B service is still relatively frequent but passengers will consult schedules to minimize their wait time at the transit stop Service frequencies at LOS C still provide a reasonable choice of travel times but the wait involved if a bus or train is missed becomes long At LOS D service is only available about twice an hour and requires passengers to adjust their routines to fit the transit service provided The threshold between LOS E and F is service once an hour this corresponds to the typical analysis period and to the minimum service frequency applied when determining hours of service LOS Service at frequencies greater than one hour entails highly creative planning or considerable wasted time on the part of passengers Paratransit Service Paratransit includes all unscheduled transit service where service is obtained by notifying the service provider that a pick up is desired However as noted above deviated fixed route service is evaluated using the
12. The coefficient of variation a statistical measure has the disadvantage of being difficult to visualize but it provides a good measure of the transit vehicle bunching phenomenon At LOS A service is provided like clockwork with very regular headways At LOS B a number of vehicles may be a minute early or late or a few may be a couple of minutes off schedule At LOS C most vehicles are off the scheduled headway by several minutes Headways between vehicles at LOS D levels are quite irregular but bunching does not yet occur Bunching occurs occasionally at LOS E and frequently at LOS F The following examples illustrate some of these LOS ranges Calculation Examples Example 1 A bus route is scheduled to operate at 10 minute headways During the peak hour the actual measured headways between buses are 12 8 14 6 7 and 13 minutes The standard deviation of these values is 3 4 minutes and the coefficient of variation is 0 34 equivalent to LOS D Example 2 Another bus route is scheduled to operate at 5 minute headways The route experiences problems with buses bunching together as they travel the route During the peak hour measured headways between buses are 5 8 2 3 2 10 5 5 2 3 7 and 8 minutes The standard deviation of these values is 2 73 and the coefficient of variation is 0 55 equivalent to LOS F Example 3 A third route running every 5 minutes does not have bunching problems Peak hour headways are measured at
13. The movable rails of a turnout that divert the wheels of passing rolling stock from one track to either one of two branching from it 2 To move rail cars from one place to another within a defined territory such as an industry a yard or a terminal switch track see turnout switch throw and lock time see time switch throw and lock symmetrical monorail see transit system monorail synchronous motor see motor synchronous synfuel or synthetic fuel see fuel synthetic system see operator and property system automated highway see automated highway system system automatic train control see automatic train control system system automatic train stop see automatic train stop system system automatic vehicle location see automatic vehicle location system system bus priority see bus priority system system catenary see catenary system system command and control see command and control system system control see control system system fare collection see fare collection system system honor see fare collection system self service barrier free system propulsion see propulsion system system transit see transit system system transportation see transportation system system trolley see transit system streetcar system effectiveness system effectiveness is the probability that the system can successfully meet a prope
14. and delivery of goods the latter usually confined to certain time periods or some combination thereof automated guideway transit see transit system automated guideway automatic block signal see signal automatic block automatic block signal control system see control system automatic block signal automatic coupler see coupler automatic automatic fare collection see fare collection system automatic automatic signal see signal automatic automatic train control system ATC system 1 A system for automatically controlling train movement enforcing train safety and directing train operations by computers see also automatic train operation automatic train protection and automatic train supervision 2 A trackside system working in conjunction with equipment installed on the train arranged so that its operation will automatically result in the application of the brakes to stop or control a train s speed at designated restrictions should the operator not respond The system usually works in conjunction with cab signals more correctly called automatic train stop automatic train operation ATO the subsystem within automatic train control that performs such functions as speed control programmed stopping and sometimes door operation automatic train protection ATP the subsystem within automatic train control that provides fall safe protection against collisions and s
15. attached to or built into a transit vehicle or may be located on the station platform wayside lifts wheel flange in rail systems a projecting edge or rim on the circumference of a steel wheel that is designed to keep the wheel on a rail wheels driving see driving wheels wide gauge see gauge broad windscreen card a printed or hand written card usually placed in the bottom of the curb side windscreen to denote a destination or service information such as via express limited stop short turn et al Often used when the destination blind does not contain the desired Page 6 45 Glossary Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 6 GLOSSARY destination or to display a secondary destination or route deviation wire contact or trolley see contact wire workshop shop section of yard depot maintenance and storage facility or garage where maintenance is carried out on vehicles wye a triangular rail junction to turn trains or streetcars around without the need for a loop yard 1 In rail systems a facility within defined limits that has a system of tracks used for making up trains storing rail cars and other purposes 2 In transit systems an open storage lot for light rail vehicles streetcars electric trolley buses and motor buses Page 6 46 yard limits a slow speed area on main railroad tracks that often extends 8 16 km 5 10 mi from either end of a ya
16. index a performance measure developed by weighting two or more other performance measures indication signal see signal indication indicator block see block indicator indicator performance see performance indicator induced demand or traffic see traffic induced induction loop sensor a loop of wire inductor embedded in the roadbed that carries a small electric current used to sense a passing vehicle and to yield information about the presence of the vehicle Induction loops are also used to actuate traffic signals induction motor see motor induction information service or user see user information information services see Railroad Research Information Service Transportation Research Information Services and Urban Mass Transportation Research Information Service infrastructure l In transit systems all the fixed components of the transit system such as rights of way tracks signal equipment stations park and ride lots bus stops maintenance facilities 2 In transportation planning all the relevant elements of the environment in which a transportation system operates inspector road supervisor route supervisor street supervisor road foreman a transit employee who evaluates performance enforces safety and work rules and attempts to solve problems an inspector may be mobile covering several districts in a radio equipped vehicle or fixed assigned t
17. internal combustion engine The power collecting apparatus is designed to allow the bus to maneuver in mixed traffic over several lanes trolleybus articulated see articulated bus or articulated trolleybus trolley car see car trolley trolley coach see trolleybus trolley pole 1 A swiveling spring loaded pole attached on the roof of a trolleybus or streetcar that holds a wheel or sliding shoe in contact with the overhead conductor which usually takes the form of a thick wire collects current from it and transmits the current to the motor on the vehicle for example a streetcar or trolleybus 2 Inexact reference to traction pole or mast support trolleybus or streetcar overhead contact wiring trolley replica bus see bus trolley replica trolley shoe see overhead contact shoe trolley system see transit system streetcar trolley wire see contact wire truck bogie British usage in rail transportation a rail vehicle component that consists of a frame normally two axles brakes suspension and other parts which supports the vehicle body and can swivel under it on curves A truck usually also contains traction motors turbine engine see engine turbine turn short see turn back turnaround time see time layover turn back l In transit operations to cut short a transit trip to turn back before reaching the end of the route or line usually to get back on schedule
18. see farebox brake air a brake in which the mechanism is actuated by manipulation of air pressure The term is often used to describe brakes that employ air under pressure above brake atmospheric in contrast to vacuum brakes which employ pressure below atmospheric brake blended see brake dynamic brake continuous trainlined brake a system of brakes interconnected among rail cars so that the brakes on all cars in the train can be operated simultaneously from the locomotive or from any car in a multiple unit train brake disc a brake used primarily on rail passenger cars that uses brake shoes clamped by calipers against flat steel discs brake dynamic electric brake electrodynamic brake motor brake a system of electrical braking in which the traction motors used as generators retard the vehicle by converting its kinetic energy into electrical energy This energy is absorbed by resistors See Page 6 4 also brake regenerative Dynamic brakes may be used to control train speed and to brake a train to a low speed after which air brakes are blended in to bring the train to a full stop brake electric or electrodynamic 1 alternate to air brake for some streetcars and light rail vehicles most notably immediately post war PCC cars 2 braking through electric motors see brake dynamic brake electromagnetic see brake track brake electropneumatic pneumatic brake an automati
19. state or other governmental agency including a system operated or managed by a private company under contract to the government agency owner transit system rail any of the family of transit modes with rail technology see adjacent listings transit system heavy rail rail rapid transit rapid rail transit a transit system using trains of high performance electrically powered rail cars operating in exclusive rights of way usually without grade crossings with high platform stations The tracks may be in underground tunnels on elevated structures in open cuts at surface level or any combination thereof Some local terms used are elevated the el the L the rapid the subway metro for metropolitan railway underground British U Bahn Untergrundbahn and Stadtbahn German Note that Stadtbahn is distinct from S bahn which is generally a commuter rail type operation transit system rapid transit service which is operated completely separate from all other modes of transportation The term rail rapid transit frequently refers both to operation of light rail transit vehicles over exclusive right of way and heavy rail transit vehicles the term bus rapid transit refers to operation of motor buses over exclusive bus roads or busways transit system semi metro a light rail transit system that uses exclusive right of way for much of its length usually at surface grade but occasionally in
20. 1 the total number of passenger spaces in all vehicles of a transit fleet 2 Maximum system or line capacity when the entire fleet less maintenance spares are deployed not in common use capacity line the maximum number of passenger spaces that can be moved past a fixed point in one direction per unit of time usually 1 hr without station stops or dwells see also capacity achievable and capacity design Real operating conditions will reduce this capacity Except for busways without stops this is an academic measure that should be avoided capacity normal vehicle see capacity vehicle capacity practical see capacity achievable capacity rolling stock see capacity fleet capacity seating seated capacity the number of passenger seats in a vehicle capacity standing the number of standing passengers that can be accommodated in a vehicle under specified comfort standards expressed in area per standee capacity theoretical line see capacity line capacity person the maximum number of persons that can be carried past a given location during a given time period under specified operating conditions without unreasonable delay hazard or restriction Usually measured in terms of persons per hour capacity productive a measure of efficiency or performance The product of passenger capacity along a transit line and speed capacity vehicle 1 The maximum number of passengers th
21. 25 mi of a bus stop or 800 m 0 5 mi of a busway or rail station Any location within 400 m 0 25 mi of the area served by deviated fixed route bus service is also considered to be covered Exhibit 5 9 compares one system s service coverage area as of early 1998 to its district boundary Exhibit 5 9 Transit System Coverage Area Example Transit District Boundary Service Coverage Area Major Streets The calculation of the transit service coverage area can be performed relatively easily by GISs However if GIS software or accurate bus stop data are not available this area can be approximated by outlining on a map all of the area within 400 m 0 25 mi of a bus route This approximation assumes reasonable bus stop spacings at least six per mile or four per kilometer Sections of a route where pedestrian access from the area adjacent to the route is not possible because of a barrier such as a wall waterway roadway or railroad should not be included By itself the service coverage area is not the best performance measure since it does not lend itself easily to comparisons between systems and because it does not address how well the areas that can support transit service by having sufficient population and or employment density are served Pushkarev and Zupan suggest that a household density of 11 units per net hectare 4 5 units per net acre is a typical minimum residential density for hourly transit service Part
22. 5 6 5 4 4 5 6 5 6 4 5 and 5 minutes The standard deviation is 0 74 and the coefficient of variation is 0 15 equivalent to LOS B Other Measures Travel Speed Travel speed is a useful route segment performance measure because it reflects how long a trip may take without depending on the length of a route segment Transit priority measures improvements to fare collection procedures use of low floor buses and other similar actions implemented along a route segment will be reflected as improvements in travel speed The procedures in Part 2 Bus Transit Capacity and Part 3 Rail Transit Capacity can be used to estimate transit travel speeds along a route segment TCRP Report 26 provides suggested level of service ranges based on bus speeds for buses operating on arterial bus lanes Transit Auto Travel Time The transit auto travel time measure introduced in the next section can also be used to evaluate the level of service of individual trips for example from a suburb to the CBD or between two suburbs System Transit Auto Travel Time An important factor in a potential transit user s decision to use transit on a regular basis is how much longer the trip will take in comparison to the automobile Although some transit operators emphasize the additional free time aspect of riding transit in their promotional materials to read relax catch up on extra work etc without having to deal with the hassles of rush hou
23. 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 21 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Service coverage LOS uses the concept of transit supportive areas the portion of a service area providing sufficient population or employment density to require at least hourly service Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE to be feasible This equates to a density of approximately 7 5 units per gross hectare 3 units per gross acre when the land occupied by streets parks etc is accounted for Hourly service corresponds to the minimum LOS E value for service frequency as well as the minimum frequency used for determining hours of service LOS A Tri Met long range service planning study found that an employment density of approximately 10 jobs per gross hectare 4 jobs per gross acre produced the same level of ridership as a household density of 7 5 units per gross hectare 3 units per gross acre These density values are used below as the minimum densities that could support hourly transit service To equalize comparisons between systems and to assess how well a transit system serves the areas most likely to produce transit trips service coverage LOS uses the concept of a transit supportive area The transit supportive area is the portion of a transit agency s service area that provides sufficient population or employment density or an equivalent mix to require service at least once per hour based on the guidelines
24. European see aerial structure voltage high in rail transportation the prime propulsion power voltage supplied by an overhead wire or third rail usually 550 650 750 1 000 1 500 and 3 000 volts DC and 11 000 15 000 and 25 000 volts AC voltage low in rail transportation the voltage used for most auxiliary systems e g illumination fans public address systems usually 24 or 72 V direct current or 110 240 V alternating current volume in transportation the number of units passengers or vehicles that pass a point on a transportation facility during a specified interval of time usually 1 hr see also flow rate volume design hourly see design hourly volume volume line see passenger volume volume link see link volume volume passenger see passenger volume volume service see service volume wait time see time wait walkway moving see moving walkway way bicycle see bicycle route way public see public way wayside along the right of way usually of rail system wayside control system see control system wayside wayside lift see wheelchair lift wayside signal see signal wayside weighted time see time weighted welded rail see rail welded wheelchair lift a device used to raise and lower a platform that facilitates transit vehicle accessibility for wheelchair users and other handicapped individuals Wheelchair lifts may be
25. Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE LOS considers on time for deviated fixed route service to be a pickup within 10 minutes of the scheduled time The only paratransit on time performance measure identified in the literature was that used by the Port Authority in Pittsburgh PA defines a pickup within 20 minutes of the scheduled time as on time this is the criterion used for reliability LOS for paratransit Exhibit 5 16 presents reliability LOS grades for transit service operating with frequencies greater than 10 minutes The LOS thresholds are based on the system wide on time performance reported by 83 transit properties the comments provided in the exhibit reflect a passenger s perspective of the various LOS grades based on five round trips per week with no transfers Exhibit 5 16 Reliability LOS On Time Performance LOS On Time Percentage Comments A 97 5 100 0 1 late transit vehicle per month B 95 0 97 4 2 late transit vehicles per month C 90 0 94 9 1 late transit vehicle per week D 85 0 89 9 E 80 0 84 9 1 late transit vehicle per direction per week Applies to routes with headways greater than 10 minutes user perspective based on 5 round trips week of their travel on a particular transit route with no transfers On time 0 5 minutes late departing published timepoint fixed route arrival within 10 minutes of schedu
26. along the way OR Is a bicycle available AND bike storage facilities available OR Is a bicycle available AND bikes allowed on transit vehicles SPATIAL AVAILABILITY DESTINATION Is there a transit stop within walking distance of the trip destination OR Is demand responsive service available to the trip destination OR Is a bicycle available AND bikes allowed on transit vehicles g INFORMATION AVAILABILITY Are the schedule and routing known OR Is telephone information offered the information line not busy when customers call and the information accurately provided TEMPORAL AVAILABILITY Is service available at or near the time required NO the quality of service is good Transit is an Option Transit is Not Available Traveler may choose transit if Traveler may choose another mode or the trip is not taken See Exhibit 5 3 Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 5 Step 1 Is transit service available to a potential passenger Chapter 2 Quality of Service Framework Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Step 2 If transit service is available will a potential passenger find it convenient Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE As Exhibit 5 2 indicates there are a number of factors that enter into determining whether or not transit service is available If any one of these factors is not met transit is not a viable mode for
27. and 0 8 km 0 5 mi of busway and rail stations Merge all of the buffer areas together Next subtract from this combined area any areas that do not have transit access due to a barrier that blocks pedestrian access such as a freeway railroad track waterway or wall Step 3 Intersect the coverage theme with the TAZ theme Each TAZ will be subdivided into one or more sub TAZs that either entirely have or do not have transit coverage For ease of analysis the GIS software should be set to proportion data attributes e g number of households among the sub TAZs based on the size of each sub TAZ relative to the original TAZ However if a more detailed analysis is desired expert GIS users can use other data themes that may be available for example land use types or zoning to more accurately distribute households and jobs among the sub TAZs Step 4 Calculate household and job densities Create new fields within the TAZ theme for household and job densities Calculate the values for these new fields by dividing the number of households and jobs in each sub TAZ by the sub TAZ s area The areas may first need to be converted to hectares or acres initially Step 5 Identify the transit supportive area Query the TAZ theme s database to select all sub TAZs where either the employment density is at least 10 jobs gross hectare 4 jobs gross acre or the household density is at least 7 5 units gross hectare 3 units gross acre Calculate the total
28. and transit lines and routes cost recovery ratio the ratio of total revenues to total costs the inverse of operating ratio It is often used for evaluation of alternative plans Usually total direct operating and maintenance costs are used although outside the United States Glossary many agencies include annualized capital costs and or depreciation in the calculation costs see capital costs and operating costs count 1 In transportation a process that tallies a particular movement of people or vehicles past a given point during a stated time period It may be a directional or a two way value and is also known as a traffic count 2 In transportation a volume of people or vehicles count cordon see cordon count count on and off see check count passenger see passenger count count passenger riding see check count traffic see traffic count coupler a device for connecting one rail vehicle to another The mechanism is usually placed in a standard location at both ends of all rail cars and locomotives coupler automatic 1 A coupler that operates automatically It may also be capable of uncoupling automatically May have to take place on tangent track although some designs have automatic centering and can be used on curves 2 An automatic connector that joins electric or pneumatic train lines together between rail cars coverage area see area coverage critical line
29. auto to help determine where transit service improvements or transit priority measures may be needed to make transit service more competitive with the automobile The Question What are comparative travel times by transit and auto between city centers in the region during the a m peak hour and what is the corresponding LOS The Facts v Travel time data for key regional roadways indicate the following average peak direction travel times in minutes by auto between cities during the a m peak hour 4 Fort Plains 9 amp j Juniper Chipville Anytown 13 i Fish Valley B 2 wo j 1z g a o a ft Nutria y gt Pv Hopland Stripeton i 8 F oF 10 Y0 2 A Bucksburg cin 2 Pe Riverbank 70 15 Mountain View Nottingham by i Conestoga West Conestog a g v Current scheduled peak direction travel times in minutes by transit between cities and major transfer centers are shown on the map below Bypasses shown on the map around transfer centers indicate trips where no transfer needs to be made Major Bus Stops shor Plains s Location F Transfer Center 8 Juniper Chipville 4 Anytown a lt 8 Fish Valley 7 amp A H 23 7 Q R iat z N 28 Mountain View Nutria Z gr ey 9 Hopland jo Stripetont Z A B J ree P G JBdcksburg otti ngham 5 k 9 Riverbank A P J Conestoga West Conestoga 9 Comments v Walk time to and from transit is assumed to average 3 minutes at each end of a t
30. based on the percentage of the transit supportive area covered The measure is not intended to encourage transit operators to deviate routes substantially simply to cover more area and thus improve service coverage LOS should they do so transit auto travel time LOS will be negatively affected Exhibit 5 12 presents the ranges of service coverage LOS Exhibit 5 12 Service Coverage LOS LOS Transit Supportive Area Covered 90 0 100 0 80 0 89 9 70 0 79 9 60 0 69 9 50 0 59 9 lt 50 0 Transit Supportive Area The portion of the area being analyzed that has a household density of at least 7 5 units per gross hectare 3 units per gross acre or an employment density of at least 10 jobs per gross hectare 4 jobs per gross acre Covered Area The area within 0 4 km 0 25 mi of local bus service or 0 8 km 0 5 mi of a busway or rail station where pedestrian connections to transit are available from the surrounding area TM MOOOWDY Service coverage is an all or nothing issue for transit riders either service is available for a particular trip or it is not As a result there is no direct correlation between service coverage LOS and what a passenger would experience for a given trip Rather service coverage LOS reflects the number of potential trip origins and destinations available to potential passengers At LOS A 90 or more of the transit supportive area has transit service at LOS F less than half o
31. be available and thus the quality of service would be poor Assuming however that transit service is available the quality measures can be used to evaluate a user s perception of the comfort and convenience of his or her transit experience Different elements of a transit system require different performance measures The following categories are used in Chapter 3 e Transit Stops Measures addressing transit availability and convenience at a single location Since these measures depend on passenger volumes scheduling routing and stop and station design performance measures in this category will vary from one location to another e Route Segments Measures that address availability and convenience along a portion of a route which can range from two stops to the entire length of a route These measures will tend to stay the same over the length of a route segment regardless of conditions at an individual stop e Systems Measures of availability and convenience for more than one route operating within a specified area e g a district city or metropolitan area or of a specified type e g fixed route vs demand responsive System measures can also address door to door travel Combining the two performance measure categories with the three transit system elements produces the matrix shown in Exhibit 5 4 Service measures presented in Chapter 3 are shown in capital letters while other performance measures discussed in Chapter 3 a
32. braking see braking service and braking maximum service service coverage see area coverage service frequency the number of transit units vehicles or trains on a given route or line moving in the same direction that pass a given point within a specified interval of time usually 1 hr see also headway service information see user information service measure transit 1 A quantitative performance measure that best describes a particular aspect of transit service and represents the passenger s point of view 2 A transit performance measure for which transit levels of service are defined referred to in the Highway Capacity Manual as a measure of effectiveness service performance or quality see definition of level of service service span see hours of service Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual service track miles kilometers see track miles service service volume the maximum number of vehicles that can pass a given point during a specified period while a specified level of service is maintained share market see market share shared ride a trip other than by conventional public transit on which the passengers enter at one or more points of origin and disembark at one or more destinations and for which each passenger is charged an individual fare Shared ride taxi service is a way of using taxicabs for paratransit sharp running see running hot
33. bus standard urban urban transportation system see transportation system urban urbanized area see area urbanized U S Department of Transportation see U S Government Department of Transportation user information service information information on fares stopping places schedules and other aspects of service essential to the efficient use of public transit The term also refers to devices employed to convey such information including bus stop signs timetable brochures or books telephone inquiries and computerized user interactive systems U S Government Amtrak see U S Government National Railroad Passenger Corporation U S Government Department of Energy DOE a cabinet level federal agency whose responsibilities include improving the energy efficiency of transportation U S Government Department of Health Education and Welfare HEW a cabinet level federal agency that provides funds for many specialized transportation services in urbanized and rural areas as part of its social service programs U S Government Department of Transportation DOT a cabinet level federal agency responsible for the planning safety and system and technology development of national transportation including highways mass transit aircraft and ports U S Government Federal Highway Administration FHWA a component of the U S Department of Transportation established to ensure deve
34. car light rail vehicle public service a vehicle used for public passenger transport vehicle revenue a vehicle used to provide passenger transit service for which remuneration is normally required It is distinct from non revenue equipment which is used to build or maintain facilities provide supervision and so on vehicle single occupant SOV a vehicle occupied by the driver only vehicle capacity see capacity vehicle vehicle hours The hours a vehicle travels while in revenue service vehicle revenue hours plus deadhead hours For rail vehicles vehicle hours refer to passenger car hours Vehicle hours exclude hours for charter services school bus service operator training and maintenance testing vehicle layover see time layover vehicle location system see automatic vehicle location system vehicle miles or kilometers the miles a vehicle travels while in revenue service vehicle revenue miles plus deadhead miles For rail vehicles vehicle miles refer to passenger car miles Vehicle miles exclude miles for charter services school bus service operator training and maintenance testing vehicle miles revenue see revenue vehicle miles vehicle miles of travel VMT vehicle kilometers of travel VKT l On highways a measurement of the total miles kilometers traveled by all vehicles in the area for a specified time period It is calculated by the number of vehicles tim
35. combined area of the selected sub TAZs Step 6 Identify the portion of the transit supportive area covered by transit Query the sub TAZs selected in Step 5 to determine which ones lie within the transit coverage area Calculate the total combined area of the selected sub TAZs Step 7 Calculate the level of service Divide the area calculated in Step 6 by the area calculated in Step 5 to determine the percentage of the transit supportive area covered by transit Use Exhibit 5 12 to determine the level of service based on this percentage Calculation Example Manual Method Step 1 Gather data The items listed below will be required Again it is assumed for this example that household and job data are available at the TAZ level e A printed map to scale of the TAZs or other area type for which household and job data are available that covers the area being analyzed e Data on the number of households and jobs within each TAZ in either printed or spreadsheet form e A map showing transit routes busways and rail stations and any areas served by paratransit or deviated fixed route bus service Step 2 Estimate the area of each TAZ A transparent overlay with a printed grid assists with this task Alternatively if the TAZ map is available in electronic form the CAD or other drawing software used to develop the map may be able to calculate the area of each TAZ polygon Step 3 Calculate household and job densities Using a comput
36. condition in rail transit operations the factor that constrains headway This is usually the close in at the maximum load point station or the terminal turnback process occasionally at junctions crossing grade railroad grade crossing a crossing or intersection of highways railroad tracks other guideways or pedestrian walks or combinations of these at the same level or grade crossing highway railroad a place at grade or grade separated where highway traffic crosses railroad tracks crossing railway see crossing track crossing track railway crossing an assembly of rails and frogs that allows crossing of two tracks at grade crossing control device grade see grade crossing traffic control device crossover 1 In rail systems a track with two switches that connects two parallel tracks 2 Pedestrian or vehicular links at grade or grade separated across a transportation facility crosstie railroad tie tie the transverse member of the track structure to which the rails are fastened Its function is to provide proper gauge and to cushion distribute and transmit the stresses of traffic through the ballast to the roadbed normally wood or concrete can be metal or plastic Known as a sleeper in Britain crosstown service see service Crosstown cruise speed or velocity see velocity cruise cruiser see bus cruiser curb bulge see bus bulge curb extension see b
37. during peak travel periods peak fare and lower during non peak travel periods off peak fare fare zone zoned fare a method of transit pricing that is based on the geographical partitioning of the service area The price is determined by the location and number of zones traversed Zone fares are frequently used as a method of charging graduated or distance based fares but may also be used to provide for differential fares for certain markets farebox a device that accepts coins bills tickets tokens or other fare media given by passengers as payment for rides farebox registering a farebox that counts the money and fare media processed and records fare information farebox recovery ratio see fare recovery ratio farebox revenue see revenue farebox farecard see magnetic farecard farecard reader a device that determines the value stored in a farecard when the farecard is inserted A farecard reader may also be used for appropriately altering the value stored in a farecard when used in conjunction with a passenger turnstile gate or registering farebox fare collection system the procedures and devices used to collect fares and to accumulate and account for fares paid fare collection system automatic AFC the controls and equipment that automatically admit passengers on insertion of the correct fare in an acceptable form which may be coins tokens tickets or farecards magnetical
38. extra long high capacity bus or trolleybus that has the rear body section or sections flexibly but permanently connected to the forward section The arrangement allows the vehicle to bend in curves and yet have no interior barrier to movement between the two parts The puller type features a powered center axle while the pusher type features a powered rear axle Articulated buses with powered center and rear axles exist but are not common Typically an articulated bus is 16 18 m 54 60 ft long with a passenger seating capacity of 60 to 80 and a total capacity of 100 to 140 articulated rail vehicle articulated car 1 An extra long rail vehicle with two or more bodies connected by joint mechanisms that allow bending in curves yet provide a continuous interior Typically the vehicle is 17 33 m 56 100 ft long It is common on light rail but is also found on several heavy rail systems 2 Rapid Glossary transit cars with separate bodies that share a common center truck aspect signal see signal aspect assignment traffic or trip see trip assignment Association of American Railroads see organizations Association of American Railroads attributes service see service attributes authority transit see transit district auto free zone AFZ auto free area an area in which normal automobile traffic is prohibited Vehicular traffic is restricted to public transit emergency vehicles taxicabs
39. for a fee will ride in a car so as to increase the occupancy to allow the car to use an HOV lane small bus see bus small smart card stored value ticket with built in semi conductor chip The chip is loaded with monetary value which is decremented for each ride in flat amounts or with exit checks for distance based fares Early variants required insertion or contact with farebox or faregate and were time consuming Most version in transit are proximity cards and require only to be held close to the farebox or faregate inductive detector plate soft suspension see pendulum suspension space in the context of transportation vehicle capacity a space is a seat or the standing area for one passenger typically a seat consumes 0 5 m 5 ft of floor space and a standing passenger 0 25 m 2 5 ft space defensible see defensible space Page 6 34 spacing the distance between consecutive vehicles measured front to front special trackwork see trackwork special special work term for both special trackwork and junctions on overhead electric collection systems speed see velocity speed average see velocity effective speed cruise see velocity cruise speed cycle see speed overall trip speed effective operating see speed overall trip speed operating vague term with different interpretations see speed running and speed schedule speed over
40. for both roadways and transit Page 5 32 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Step 1 Calculate travel time differences between zones Use the transportation planning model to generate 1 a table of automobile travel times between each pair of zones and 2 a table of transit travel times between each pair of zones Subtract the values in the transit table from the values in the automobile table to obtain travel time differences between each pair of zones Step 2 Calculate total person trips between zones From the model generate a table of total person trips both automobile and transit between each pair of zones Step 3 Calculate the weighted average of travel time differences For each pair of zones multiply the travel time difference between the zones by the number of person trips between the zones Sum all of the resulting values and divide by the total number of person trips that took place The result is a systemwide weighted average travel time difference which can then be used with Exhibit 5 18 to calculate a systemwide LOS Calculation Example Manual Method The manual method is useful in areas without a transportation model or when a faster assessment of travel time LOS is desired A sampling of about 10 15 locations should be used for the analysis If a metropolitan area is being studied the CBD and 10 15 suburbs should be used if an individual city is being studied the
41. from the Transit Cooperative Research Program Transportation Research Board Washington DC 1997 5 Danaher Alan Tom Parkinson Paul Ryus and Lewis Nowlin TCRP A 15 Development of Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Principles Practices and Procedures Appendix to Interim Report Literature Review available on loan from the Transit Cooperative Research Program Transportation Research Board Washington DC 1997 6 Dowling Richard G and Steven B Colman Performance and Level of Service Measures for Corridor and Areawide Analyses NCHRP 3 55 2a Issue Paper unpublished Dowling Associates Oakland CA 1998 7 Federal Highway Administration Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways U S Department of Transportation Washington DC 1988 8 Fitzpatrick Kay Kevin Hall Dennis Perkinson and Lewis Nowlin Guidelines for the Location and Design of Bus Stops TCRP Report 19 Transportation Research Board Washington DC 1996 9 Garrity Richard and Linda L Eads Bus Stop Accessibility A Guide for Virginia Transit Systems and Public Entities for Complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Transportation Research Record 1390 Transportation Research Board Washington DC 1993 10 Market Opinion Research and Cambridge Systematics Inc Customer Defined Transit Service Quality TCRP B 11 Final Report available on loan from the Transit Cooperat
42. handicapped transportation improvements low capital see low capital transportation improvements transportation interface the point or facility at which two or more modes of transportation meet Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual or at which two or more transit system routes or lines meet transportation modeling system urban see urban transportation modeling system transportation planning process urban see urban transportation planning process Transportation Research Board see organizations Transportation Research Board Transportation Research Information Services TRIS a national network of transportation research information services developed by the Transportation Research Board TRIS consists of the Air Transport Information Service Highway Research Information Service Maritime Research Information Service Railroad Research Information Service and Urban Mass Transportation Research Information Service Transportation Study Nationwide Personal see Nationwide Personal Transportation Study transportation system l A system that provides for the movement of people goods or both 2 A coordinated system made up of one or several modes serving a common purpose the movement of people goods or both transportation system demand actuated see transportation system demand responsive transportation system demand responsive demand actuated transportation sys
43. has GIS software in house Themes are obtained or created for streets used as a base map bus stops used to identify the area served by transit and TAZs containing population and employment information v Census data for the area indicate an average household size of 2 5 people Outline of Solution The area served by transit is identified by creating 0 4 km walk distance buffers around each bus stop This area is then intersected with the TAZ theme to create a new sub TAZ theme that contains sub TAZs that are entirely with or without transit service Next the GIS calculates the area of each sub TAZ and the resulting household and employment density Next all sub TAZs meeting the transit supportive area criteria are identified and their areas summed Finally the sub TAZs served by transit are identified and their areas summed LOS is calculated by dividing the second area into the first Steps 1 Create 0 4 km buffers around each bus stop Remove any areas where pedestrian access is not possible The following map results Bus Routes Streets E Service Coverage Area Service coverage LOS GIS method Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 49 Chapter 6 Example Problems Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE 2 3 4 Create a new service coverage theme from this buffer area Intersect this theme with the TAZ theme resulting in the new sub TAZ theme depicted below
44. miles or kilometers see right of way miles fishbowl see bus New Look fixed block control system see control system fixed block fixed guideway transit system see transit system fixed guideway fixed route see transportation system fixed route fixed signal see signal fixed flag stop service see service flag stop flange wheel see wheel flange flat fare see fare flat fleet rolling stock the vehicles in a transit system Usually fleet refers to highway vehicles and rolling stock to rail vehicles fleet base period see base period fleet fleet capacity see capacity fleet flow passenger see passenger flow flow distribution see trip assignment flow rate rate of flow in transportation the number of units passengers or vehicles passing a point on a transportation facility during some period of time usually counted or recomputed in units per hour For example if 8 buses pass a point in the first half hour and 15 in the second the volume for the hour is 23 However the flow rate for the first half hour is 16 buses hr and for the second half hour the flow rate is 30 buses hr See also volume flying junction see junction flying force tractive see tractive effort forecasting in planning the process of determining the future conditions magnitudes and patterns within the urban area such as future Part 6 GLOSS
45. move from one point to another including making stops time overall travel see time linked trip time passenger flow passenger service the average time a single passenger takes to pass through a transit vehicle doorway when boarding or alighting includes any fare collection time time platform 1 The time a transit unit is in revenue service 2 The period during which an operator is charged with the operation or care of a transit unit vehicle or train including operating time in revenue service and deadhead layover and other time that the unit may be in operation but not in passenger service 3 The time the operator is actually on the assigned transit unit also known as work time Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual time recovery see time layover time response in demand responsive operations the time between a passenger s request for service and the passenger pickup time running the actual time required for a transit unit vehicle or train to move from one point to another excluding time for stops time stopped time on a trip spent stationary because of the stoppage of other traffic time switch throw and lock the time required for the points of a rail switch to move from being lined for one direction of travel to being lined for the alternative direction of travel including any time needed for the points to be safely locked into the new position time termina
46. multiply its area from Step 2 by the percentage of its area covered by transit from Step 5 Add these areas together The result is the total transit supportive area covered by transit Step 7 Calculate the level of service Divide the areas calculated in Step 6 to determine the percentage of the transit supportive area covered by transit Use Exhibit 5 12 to determine the level of service based on this percentage Other Measures If a more detailed analysis is desired the performance measures described below have been used in parts of the United States as means of evaluating service coverage Some of these measures also incorporate other aspects of transit availability GIS software is recommended to calculate any of these measures Percent Person Minutes Served A Florida Department of Transportation FDOT project developed a measure of transit availability based on percent person minutes served and GIS based software to calculate the measure The software calculates on a minute by minute basis the residential population and the number of jobs that have transit availability Only those areas within walking distance of transit service defined to be within 0 4 km 0 25 mi of a transit stop equivalent to 5 minutes walk time at 5 km h 3 mph will have any transit availability Using a GIS rings can be drawn around a bus stop representing one minute walk distances and the population and number of jobs within each ring can be
47. of Public Transport UMTA Urban Mass Transportation Administration previous name for FTA see U S Government Federal Transit Administration UMTRIS Urban Mass Transportation Research Information Service U S DOT U S Department of Transportation see U S Government Department of Transportation UTU United Transportation Union see union transit UZA used by some to indicate an urbanized area although the Bureau of the Census uses UA see area urbanized underground see transit system rail rapid unidirectional car see car unidirectional uninterrupted flow transit vehicles moving along a roadway or track without stopping This term is most applicable to transit service on freeways or on its own right of way union transit one of the many unions representing various segments of the transit industry s work force Three major ones in the United States and Canada are the Amalgamated Transit Union ATU the Transport Workers Union TWU and the United Transportation Union UTU Their membership is limited to operators mechanics and other non supervisory employees A non affiliated Independent Canadian Transit Union has raided older unions and represents some transit systems in Canada the largest being BC Transit unit basic operating see basic operating unit unit transit see transit unit United States Government see U S Government United Transportation Union
48. offered As with frequency hours of service LOS can vary by day weekdays a route may operate at LOS B Saturdays at LOS D and Sundays at LOS F Hours of service LOS is intended only for transit service provided within cities intercity service should use only the frequency LOS measure which is based on the number of trips provided per day Calculation Examples To calculate hours of service for each period of time that transit operates at a frequency of at least one hour subtract the departure time of the last run from the departure time of the first run and add one hour Round down any fractional hours Peak hour service A bus route operates peak hours only with trips in each direction at 6 30 a m 7 30 a m 4 30 p m and 5 30 p m Service is hourly between 6 30 and 7 30 a m and between 4 30 and 5 30 p m with four total hours of service 7 30 minus 6 30 is one hour and add one hour 5 30 minus 4 30 is one hour and add one hour the total is four hours If service was provided in the peak direction only at the times given the total hours of service for each direction would be two Limited daytime service A bus route operates hourly between 5 30 a m and 8 30 a m every two hours between 8 30 a m and 4 30 p m and hourly between 4 30 p m and 7 30 p m The total hours of service is eight 8 30 minus 5 30 is three hours and add one hour 7 30 minus 4 30 is three hours and add one hour the total is eight hours Although the bus rou
49. on these runs and still use the term deadhead deadman control a pedal handle or other form of switch or combination thereof that the operator must keep in a depressed or twisted position while a rail vehicle or train is moving If the control is released the power is cut off and the brakes are applied deceleration retardation braking rate decrease in velocity per unit time in transit practice often measured in m s ft s or in the United States mph s default value a design value that is based on experience or on studied conclusions and that is used as a substitute value when an actual value is not available defensible space a concept in architecture and urban design that precludes designs resulting in dark alleys corners or spaces where visibility and openness to other people is severely limited delay time see time delay demand 1 The quantity of transportation desired 2 In an economic sense a schedule of the quantities of travel consumed at various levels of price or levels of service offered by the transportation system demand effective the number of people or vehicles prepared to travel in a given situation at a given price demand jitney service see service jitney demand responsive transportation system see transportation system demand responsive density train see train density department of transportation see organizations department of tran
50. or month In some areas to encourage tourism they are also sold for shorter periods sometimes with restricted hours for their use 2 A means usually a card of granting free access to a transit system This type of pass is issued to employees visiting dignitaries police and so on Employee passes usually carry some form of identification see also daypass pass monthly a pass valid for unlimited riding within certain designated zones for a 1 month period or sometimes for a 30 day period from purchase or initial use passenger a person who rides a transportation vehicle excluding the operator or other crew members of that transportation vehicle see also customer passenger revenue a passenger who pays or has prepaid a fare passenger transfer a passenger who changes from one route or line to another route or line passenger amenity an object or facility such as a shelter telephone or information display intended to enhance passenger comfort or transit usability passenger belt see moving walkway passenger car equivalence PCE the representation of larger vehicles such as buses as equal to a quantity of automobiles passenger cars for use in level of service and capacity analyses passenger controls 1 a system of railings booths turnstiles faregates and other fixtures for collecting fares and otherwise directing the movement of passengers The controls may also be used to m
51. presented above For policy reasons or simply to provide a route connecting two high density areas an agency may choose to and likely will cover a larger area However service coverage LOS is based solely on the percentage of the transit supportive area covered by transit Exhibit 5 10 compares one system s transit supportive area shaded in relation to its early 1998 service coverage area The transit supportive area is considerably smaller than the coverage area but most of the transit supportive area is covered by transit Exhibit 5 10 Transit Supportive Area Example Ge p Major Streets Io y Service Coverage Area Se B Transit Supportive Area Exhibit 5 11 presents comparative statistics for each of the area types discussed above About 55 of the district population lives in transit supportive areas which comprise about 20 of the total district area Approximately 85 of the transit supportive area including areas with either sufficient employment or household density receives transit service Page 5 22 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Exhibit 5 11 Comparative Area and Population of Example Analysis Areas Analysis Area Type Area km Population District Area 1 563 1 1 066 118 Coverage Area 600 9 779 011 Transit Supportive Area 316 0 574 791 Transit Supportive Area Covered __ 270 0 522 580 Service coverage LOS is
52. standard standard urban bus see bus standard urban standees the number of standing passengers on a transit vehicle standing capacity see capacity standing station l An off street facility where passengers wait for board alight or transfer between transit units vehicles or trains A station usually provides information and a waiting area and may have boarding and alighting platforms ticket or farecard sales fare collection and other related facilities also known as a passenger station 2 The location to which operating employees report and from which their work originates 3 In transportation planning the location along a cordon line at which interviews are made 4 In railroad operations a place designated in the timetable by name at which a train may stop for traffic or to enter or leave the main track or from which fixed signals are operated station accessible a public transportation passenger facility which provides ready access is Glossary usable and does not have physical barriers that prohibit and or restrict access by individuals with disabilities including individuals who use wheelchairs station all stop in transit systems with skip stop schedule or express service a station that is served by all scheduled transit units vehicles or trains station cornfield a transit station provided in a relatively undeveloped area to allow for low cost parking or to allo
53. system see transit system accessible accessible transportation facilities transportation facilities that are barrier free allowing their use by all travelers including the mobile physically handicapped elderly and transportation disadvantaged access mode see mode access access time see time access active vehicle see vehicle active activity center see major activity center act see legislation add fare 1 an additional fare to upgrade an existing ticket 2 an additional fare paid on exit from a distance based fare system when there are Page 6 1 Glossary Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual insufficient funds remaining on a stored value ticket see also fare differential adult cash fare see fare adult cash advanced design bus see bus advanced design advisory committee see organizations citizen advisory committee aerial structure in transportation any structure other than a culvert that carries a roadway or track or other guideway above an earth or water surface see also guideway elevated viaduct in older British terminology aerial tramway in passenger transportation a mode consisting of cabins suspended from a stationary cable and towed by a moving usually closed loop cable The cable system is powered by engines or motors at a central Some systems have detachable cabins that can slow to a crawl at terminals
54. system metered freeway metering ramp see ramp metering m tro metro short for metropolitan railway the most common international term for subway heavy rail rail rapid transit increasingly used in North America see transit system rail rapid metropolitan railway see transit system rail rapid midblock stop see stop midblock midibus a bus with a passenger capacity of approximately 20 30 people mileage fare see fare graduated miles of route or roadway see route miles miles of travel vehicle see vehicle miles of travel mini high platform see platform mini high minibus a small bus typically capable of carrying 20 passengers or fewer It is most often used for making short trips demand responsive transportation community services or bus pools mixed mode street see street mixed mode mixed or mixed flow traffic see traffic mixed mixed traffic operations the operation of transit vehicles on nonexclusive rights of way with non transit vehicles mobility the ability to satisfy the demand to move a person or good modal interchange center see transit center modal split mode split 1 The proportion of total person trips that uses each of various specified modes of transportation 2 The process of separating total person trips into the modes of Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 21 Glossary Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manu
55. systems peak fare see fare time of day peak hour conversion factor see peak hour factor peak hour factor peak hour conversion factor 1 the ratio of the volume during the peak hour to the maximum rate of flow during a Page 6 26 selected period within the peak hour usually 15 or 20 minutes 2 the ratio of the volume during the peak hour to the volume during the peak period usually the peak two hours typically 60 peak hour pricing see pricing peak hour peak period see peak peak period surcharge see fare time of day peak service see service peak pedestrian a person traveling on foot pedestrian conveyor see moving walkway pedestrian island see loading island pedestrian refuge a space designed for the use and protection of pedestrians including both the safety zone and the area at the approach that is usually outlined by protective deflecting or warning devices see also loading island pendulum suspension K amp M type of overhead suspension for trolleybuses that provides more flexible wire and allows faster speeds particularly around curves Attributed to dominant Swiss manufacturer Kummler Matter people mover an automated transportation system e g continuous belt system or automated guideway transit that provides short haul collection and distribution service usually in a major activity center Preferred term is automated guideway transit although s
56. the Transportation Research Board National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 see legislation National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 National Railroad Passenger Corporation see U S Government National Railroad Passenger Corporation National Transit Database NTD a database compiled by the Federal Transit Administration of operating and financial statistics for medium and large transit agencies in the United States those systems eligible for grants under Title 49 United States Code Chapter 53 Mass Transportation Section 5307 The collection of information for the database is authorized under Title 49 United States Code Chapter 53 Mass Transportation Section 5335 Formerly known as Section 15 of the Federal Transit Act National Transportation Safety Board see U S Government National Transportation Safety Board Nationwide Personal Transportation Study NPTS the NPTS conducted at this time in 1969 1977 and 1983 by the Bureau of the Census has been the primary source of national data on travel patterns and frequency transit use for all purposes and the characteristics of transit users versus all travelers near side stop see stop near side network l In planning a system of links and nodes that describes a transportation system 2 In highway engineering the configuration of highways that constitutes the total system 3 In transit operations a system of transit lines or rou
57. the early evening at LOS C levels but still provides some flexibility in one s choice of time for the return trip home Service at LOS D levels meets the needs of commuters who do not need to stay late and still provides service during the middle of the day for others At LOS E midday service is limited or non existent and commuters have a limited choice of travel times Finally at LOS F transit service is offered only a few hours a day or not at all Other Measures Accessibility The same accessibility considerations that apply to transit stops also apply to route segments A potential measure of pedestrian bicycle and ADA accessibility for a route segment could include the percentage of transit stops along the segment that meet certain accessibility criteria Automobile access should also consider the frequency of park and ride lots along a route to minimize the amount of vehicle miles traveled on the area s roadway system by motorists traveling to transit System Service Coverage Service coverage is a measure of the area within walking distance of transit service As with the other availability measures it does not provide a complete picture of transit availability by itself but when combined with frequency and hours of service it helps identify the number of opportunities people have to access transit from different locations Service coverage is solely a system measure at the route segment or transit stop level if transit se
58. the right things 2 In transit the degree to which the desired level of service is being provided to meet stated goals and objectives for example the percentage of a given service area population that is within the desired 0 4 km 4 mi of a transit stop effectiveness measure of see performance indicator effective operating speed see speed overall trip effective velocity see velocity effective egress time see time egress el abbreviation for elevated railway mainly east coast see transit system rail rapid elderly and handicapped E amp H people who may have special needs for services such as transportation Transportation especially provided for their benefit is called elderly and handicapped E amp H transportation Transit operations may provide discounted E amp H fares or include E amp H in a more general concession fare Minimum age varies by program 55 60 65 See also handicapped electric brake see brake dynamic electric bus see bus electric electric locomotive see locomotive electric electric motor see motor electric multiple unit car see car multiple unit electric rail car see car electric rail Electric Railway Presidents Conference Committee see organizations Presidents Conference Committee electric sub station transformers breakers and rectifiers to convert supply from electric utility to Part 6 GLOSSARY
59. the urban transportation planning process undertaken to improve the efficiency of the existing transportation system The intent is to make better use of the existing transportation system by using short term low capital transportation improvements that generally cost less and can be implemented more quickly than system development actions trap in railway cars a manually raised and lowered floor section that covers the steps at the ends of the car When raised the trap allows passengers to use the car steps at stations without high platforms When lowered the trap provides nearly level boarding at high platform stations and keeps passengers out of the step area when the train is in motion travel distance see trip distance linked travel survey see survey travel travel time overall or total see time linked trip travel time factor an empirically determined set of factors in which each factor expresses the effect of one particular travel time increment of trip interchanges between zones travel time ratio the ratio that compares travel times between a pair of points via two different modes or facility types treatment preferential see preferential treatment trip l A one way movement of a person or vehicle between two points for a specific purpose sometimes called a one way trip to distinguish it from a round trip 2 In rail operations a mechanical lever or block signal that when in
60. tunnels or on aerial structures Also similar to transit system pre metro built for later conversion to heavy rail Particular to several European countries and now little used Glossary transit system shuttle a transit system that is characterized by a back and forth operation usually over a short distance transit system streetcar street railway tramway trolley a street transit system consisting of electrically powered rail vehicles operating in single or multiple unit mostly on surface streets with mixed traffic transit system availability a measure of the capability of a transit system to be used by potential passengers including such factors as the hours the system is in operation route spacing and accessibility to the physically handicapped transit union see union transit transit unit one or more transit vehicles coupled and operated together The term includes single vehicles bus rail or other guideway and multicar trains rail or other guideway transit unit bidirectional or double ended see double ended transit unit transitway a dedicated right of way most commonly in a mall that is used by transit units vehicles or trains usually mixed with pedestrian traffic Locally used Ottawa term for busway transmission based control system see control system moving block transport conventional rail see conventional rail transport Transport Workers Union
61. urbanized suburban coach or suburban transit bus see bus suburban transit subway 1 That portion of a transportation system that is constructed beneath the ground surface regardless of its method of construction 2 An underground rail rapid transit system or the tunnel through which it runs 3 In local usage sometimes used for the entire heavy rail or rapid transit system even if it is not all beneath the ground surface subway car see car rail rapid transit superelevation cant British 1 In track construction the vertical distance that the outer rail is set above the inner rail on a curve expressed as the vertical distance of the outer rail over the inner rail or as the transverse grade percent Permits increased operating speed on curves cannot exceed a maximum typically 10 to allow for trains that may stop or operate at below design speed on the curve 2 In highway construction the banking of the roadway on a curve supervision train see automatic train supervision Page 6 35 Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual supervisor road route or street see inspector supported monorail see transit system monorail survey travel the collection of data that describe the social economic and travel characteristics of people who make trips by various modes of transportation suspended monorail see transit system monorail switch 1
62. A Buffalo only designation referring to a subway system with light rail type equipment and operation on a downtown mall transit system major activity center MAC system a transit system that provides service for short trips within small densely populated major activity centers such as shopping centers and downtown areas transit system monorail a transit system consisting of vehicles supported and guided by a single guideway rail or beam usually elevated The basic types are supported or straddle in which vehicles straddle the guideway or are laterally supported by it and suspended in which vehicles hang directly below the guideway symmetrical monorail or to one side of it asymmetrical monorail transit system personal rapid PRT a theoretical concept for an automated guideway transit system that would operate small units two to six passengers under computer control over an elaborate system of guideways Off line stations would provide demand responsive service except perhaps during peak periods with very short headways with travel between origin and destination stations without stopping Only system with some of these features is in Morgantown West Virginia transit system pre metro a light rail transit system designed with provisions for easy conversion to heavy rail rail rapid transit transit system publicly owned a transit system owned by any municipality county regional authority
63. ARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual population demographic characteristics travel demand free area see area free free transfer see transfer free freeway a divided highway for through traffic that has full access control and grade separations at all intersections In some countries it is also known as a motorway freeway metered a freeway to which access is controlled by entrance ramp signals that use fixed time signal settings or is regulated by a computerized surveillance system This procedure is used to prevent freeway congestion See also bus priority system metered freeway freewheeling see coasting frequency service see service frequency frequency coefficient riding see riding frequency coefficient frequency distribution trip length see trip length frequency distribution friction brake see brake friction fringe urban see urban fringe fringe area see area fringe frog a track component used at the intersection of two running rails to provide support and guidance for the wheels It allows wheels on each rail to cross the other rail Also applied to similar overhead components on electric rail or trolleybus systems On streetcar systems the flangeway at the frog can be ramped up Cars run on their flanges substantially reducing track noise fuel alternative a non petroleum fuel with lower pollution that traditional diesel includ
64. Bicycle access should consider the availability and condition of bicycle facilities on the roadways leading to transit stop traffic volumes on the roadways leading to transit stops the provision of bicycle racks on buses and whether demand exceeds bus rack capacity provision of bicycle storage lockers at high volume boarding locations and the ability to take bicycles onto rail vehicles during peak periods Automobile access should consider the capacity of park and ride or transit station parking lots relative to demand and the pedestrian environment within parking lots and between lots and the transit stop For transit systems that use a zone based fare system consideration should be given to the parking requirements of transit stops located near a zone boundary where a drop in fare occurs as passengers often drive to the first stop or station past the zone boundary to take advantage of the lower fare Passenger Loads Although passenger loads are generally more of a comfort and convenience factor than a transit availability factor when a transit vehicle is full when it arrives at a stop passengers waiting at the stop are unable to board and transit service is not available to those passengers at that time Transit vehicle scheduling should provide sufficient frequency along routes to accommodate peak passenger demand volumes without having to pass up waiting passengers Special consideration should be given to providing sufficient transit vehic
65. C PCC car Presidents Conference Committee car see car PCC PCE passenger car equivalence PRT personal rapid transit see transit system personal rapid and transit system automated guideway transit PSC Public Service Commission see organizations Public Utilities Commission PUC Public Utilities Commission see organizations Public Utilities Commission paid area see area paid paid area transfer see transfer paid area paid miles see revenue vehicle miles paid transfer see transfer paid pair married see married pair pantograph a device for collecting current from an overhead conductor characterized by a hinged vertical arm operated by springs or compressed air and a wide horizontal contact surface that glides along the wire Older versions usually consist of two parallel hinged double diamond frames paratransit forms of transportation services that are more flexible and personalized than conventional fixed route fixed schedule service but not including such exclusory services as charter bus trips The vehicles are usually low or medium capacity highway vehicles and the service offered is adjustable in various degrees to individual users desires Its categories are public which is available to any user who pays a predetermined fare e g taxi jitney dial a ride Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual and semipublic which is available only to people o
66. CBD and 10 15 important trip generators should be used Unless there is a heavy reverse direction volume during the analysis period or the reverse volume is of interest to the analysis for example for welfare to work applications estimating peak direction travel times is usually sufficient Step 1 Estimate travel times between locations Analysts may find it useful to sketch two simple network diagrams of the area being studied one for transit and one for automobiles and to indicate travel times on the links between locations Analysts may also find it useful to create a spreadsheet of travel times between locations for use in subsequent steps During Step 1 only travel times between locations and transfer times are considered access and wait times are not considered For an analysis of existing conditions transit travel and transfer times can be derived from published schedules automobile travel times can be determined by driving the main routes between locations When a choice of transit routes is available the fastest route e g an express route should be selected Step 2 Estimate travel time differences between locations For each pair of locations subtract the auto travel time from the transit travel time add transit access wait and transfer times and subtract any auto access time e g walks to or from parking garages Step 3 Calculate the level of service Average the travel time differences of each pair of locations an
67. Potential problems of greatest significance were routes and headways service span bus ride comfort printed schedules and safety and cleanliness TRANSIT SYSTEM SIZE CONSIDERATIONS In measuring transit quality of service the size of the city metropolitan area commutershed or transit service area may need to be taken into account A small city could regard transit service on a route every 30 minutes for 12 hours per day six days per week to be good In a large transit system good service could require service at least every 10 15 minutes 18 hours a day seven days a week However these determinations of good service are based as much on passenger demand and the realities of transit operating costs as they are on passengers perceptions of service quality The question naturally arises should there be different levels of service for different size areas From purely a passenger s perspective which quality of service is based upon the answer is no a one hour headway between buses is just as long for a passenger in a small town as it is for a passenger in a large city Therefore no distinction has been made in the levels of service presented in Chapter 3 to account for area population The consequences of providing a one hour headway though do vary by city size and are reflected by other measures such as passenger loads These consequences will be more severe in a large city than in a small city From an operato
68. SERVICE Page 5 35 Chapter 4 Applications Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE The frequency and hours of service measures answer how much service is provided between pairs of locations They can be used in planning to help evaluate the kinds of trips that transit serves A system with good service frequency during commute hours but not midday hours for example serves home to work trips but may not serve the midday trips that workers often need to take A system with service 12 13 hours a day serves workers who work 8 5 jobs but not workers whose jobs require them to arrive earlier or later for example many of the kinds of jobs that welfare to work programs offer This level of service also does not serve the needs of downtown workers who wish to stay downtown after work for dining entertainment or other activities The combination of frequency and hours of service also illustrate that the quality of transit service is directly related to the weakest link in the transit trip it does not matter if a medical center receives service every 15 minutes 18 hours a day if the residential neighborhoods that supply the center s patients and employees receive hourly service for only 12 hours a day Service coverage examines how well a transit system serves the areas that will generate the majority of its customers It points out the relation between land use and transit in that transit is more success
69. Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual PART 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTIION ccccsssssssssessessssesscssssessessssessessssessessssessessssessesessessesessessessesesees 5 1 OVEEVIEW iiris Eae R EE Er E EE dees teee isda a a ES E Oor EEEE Soe EEES 5 1 Definitions eena E E A S E E E ASR 5 1 Levels of SefViCE rssi Baia gil si eth SAMA AT oie eae ets 5 2 Transit Performance Measures cceecesscesecesecesecsseceecaeeeseeeaeeeeeeeeeeeeeeenseeseenaees 5 2 2 QUALITY OF SERVICE FRAMEWORK sscsssssssssssscssesscescsssescssenessesnesees 5 5 Transit Trip Decision Making Process cccsseseesecseeeseeeseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeenseenseesaecsaeenaes 5 5 Quality Of Service Factors sosisini aeiee rrer EES TESTE E EEEE KESS 5 7 Service COVELABE sr a A A etna eee 5 7 Pedestrian Environment sesesesseeseseeeresteererestesresrerresrrrrnerteseestentesrerrssenrrsrerrenresre 5 7 Schedule en n A a A EA E E A ete 5 7 VaN noA aAA EE ERE E E EE ETT 5 8 Transit INFOrmation seen pedo e peeta n eee pe aea ae RR nEn 5 8 Transfers e E E EE E EE E EE R E EE EE SEEE 5 8 Total Top TINE te n A aise tion E A EE RTE 5 9 COS eer EE E A O E E E E Eae EES 5 9 Safety and SSCULUY nn e ieee ns S E EEA a E A ES 5 9 Passenger loads cicccra2e Batok Ais loites cobs nie AAG elses BAA ces 5 9 Appearance and Comfort cece eceecesecesscesecesecaecsaecaeecseseaeseeesseeereseenseenaes 5 10 ReMi ability 2 ss ssbsne cdots yssaeth
70. Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual direct current supply for rapid transit streetcar or trolleybus systems electric trolleybus see trolleybus electrification railway electrification in rail systems a term used to describe the installation of overhead wire or third rail power distribution facilities to enable operation of electrically powered transit vehicles electrodynamic brake see brake dynamic electromagnetic brake see brake track electropneumatic brake see brake electropneumatic elevated the see transit system rail rapid elevated guideway see guideway elevated elevated on fill guideway see guideway elevated on fill emergency application or braking see braking emergency end head see head end end trip see trip end end wall see station end wall engine gas turbine an internal combustion engine in which the hot compressed gases of combustion drive a turbine engine internal combustion ICE an engine in which the power is developed through the expansive force of fuel that is fired or discharged within a closed chamber or cylinder equity in transportation a normative measure of fairness among transportation users equivalence passenger car see passenger car equivalence exact fare see fare exact excess time see time excess exclusive bus lane see lane exclusive transit exclusive carpool lane see la
71. Y OF SERVICE Page 5 7 If transit service is located too far away from a potential passenger transit use is not an option Driving or biking to transit may be an option if transit service is beyond walking distance Service coverage must consider both ends of a trip Even if transit service is theoretically located within walking distance of one s origin and destination the areas around the transit stops must provide a comfortable walking environment in order for transit to be available Transit service must be available near the time a trip needs to be made in order for transit to be an option for that trip Chapter 2 Quality of Service Framework Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Transit stop amenities make transit service more comfortable and convenient for passengers The kinds of amenities provided are generally related to the number of boarding passengers at a stop Riders need to know where and when transit service is available and how to use it Requiring transfers can make service more efficient for operators but is less convenient for passengers Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Amenities The facilities that are provided at transit stops and stations help make transit more comfortable and convenient to customers Typical amenities some of which were illustrated in Exhibit 4 3 include the following e Benches to allow passengers to sit while waiting for a transit vehicle
72. a route helps determine whether or not fixed route transit service is available to persons with disabilities All new U S transit buses must meet ADA requirements but older buses in a fleet might not System System availability measures look at how many people have access to transit and how often Service coverage within the transit supportive area the portion of an analysis area with a population and or job density sufficiently high to support at least hourly bus service equivalent to service frequency LOS E is identified as the service measure Service coverage determines how many people within the transit service area have any access to transit Once the areas that have service have been identified frequency and hours of service can be used to determine the amount of service within smaller areas The combination of frequency hours of service and service coverage together provide a reasonable planning level assessment of the availability of transit service requiring a minimum of data collection and analysis However if a more detailed operations level assessment is desired there are other more data intensive performance measures to choose from including calculating percent person minutes served in an area and developing indexes of transit availability Quality Transit Stops Whether or not one can find a seat on a transit vehicle is an important measure of transit quality Passenger loads the selected servi
73. ailability transit system see transit system availability average daily traffic see traffic average daily average fare see fare average average speed see velocity effective average trip length passenger miles divided by unlinked passenger trips barn older term for streetcar storage building also known as a carhouse or for buses garage infrequently applied for light and heavy rail vehicles alternates yard depot shop maintenance and storage facility barrier free containing no obstacles that would prevent use by a mobile physically handicapped or any other person barrier free fare collection system see fare collection system self service barrier free base fare see fare base base headway see headway base base period off peak period in transit the time of day during which vehicle requirements and schedules are not influenced by peak period passenger volume demands e g between morning and afternoon peak periods At this time transit riding is fairly constant and usually moderate in volume when compared with peak period travel See also off peak base period fleet in transit the number of transit units vehicles or trains required to maintain base period schedules base period service see service base period basic fare see fare base basic operating unit in rail rapid transit the smallest number of rapid transit vehicl
74. aintain the distinction between fare paid and unpaid people 2 on proof of payment fare collection systems the process of checking and enforcing fare payment passenger conveyor see moving walkway Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 25 Glossary Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 6 GLOSSARY passenger count a count of the passengers on a vehicle or who use a particular facility passenger flow passenger traffic the number of passengers who pass a given location in a specified direction during a given period passenger load the number of passengers on a transit unit vehicle or train at a specified point passenger locomotive see locomotive passenger passenger mile passenger kilometer the transportation of one passenger a distance of 1 mile km passenger miles passenger kilometers the total number of passengers carried by a transit system for a unit of time multiplied by the number of miles they travel The ratio of passenger miles kilometers and seat or place miles kilometers provides a measure of efficiency passenger miles per train mile passenger kilometers per train kilometer the number of passenger miles kilometers accomplished by a given train mile kilometer The measure is the equivalent of load factor for buses boats or aircraft but it also adjusts for distortions introduced as cars are added to trains As an example 100 people in one rail car of 100 pa
75. aiting for red lights afterwards signal timing adjustments measures to reduce dwell time transit priority measures and alternating near side far side bus stop patterns should be considered Routes with a poor transit auto travel time difference should be reviewed to identify causes and possible solutions Express service may be required to reduce the number of stops on long trips the time spent waiting to transfer between routes may need to be reduced or new routes may need to be considered that provide more direct service between two locations Transit priority measures may be appropriate to reduce delays caused by congestion and traffic signals Although not service measures the other performance measures presented in the quality of service framework shown in Exhibit 5 4 are also highly important and should be reviewed regularly Planning efforts by local jurisdictions should assess the level of accessibility to transit routes that is provided and should make pedestrian and bicycle improvements in the vicinity of transit stops a priority To make transit as attractive and comfortable as possible to customers operators should regularly review the kinds amounts and condition of the transit amenities they provide both at transit stops and on board transit vehicles Safety both in terms of vehicular crashes and transit crime is another area that should be monitored regularly Transportation demand management efforts such as employers subsidi
76. ak hours that is designed to carry passengers to or from shopping areas service short haul transit low speed transit service for circulation within small areas that usually have high travel density such as central business districts campuses airports exhibition grounds and other major activity centers service shuttle 1 Service provided by vehicles that travel back and forth over a particular route especially a short one or one that connects two transportation systems or centers or one that acts as a feeder to a longer route Shuttle services usually offer frequent service often without a Glossary published timetable 2 For rail and other guideway systems a service in which a single vehicle or train operates on a short line reversing direction at each terminal service skip stop service in which alternate transit units vehicles or trains stop at alternate sets of stations on the same route Each set consists of some joint and some alternate stations service subscription bus l A bus service in which routes and schedules are prearranged to meet the travel needs of riders who sign up for the service in advance The level of service is generally higher than that of regular passenger service fewer stops shorter travel time and greater comfort and the buses are usually obtained through charter or contractual arrangements 2 Commuter bus express service operated for a guaranteed number of patron
77. al service express bus bus service with a limited number of stops either from a collector area directly to a specific destination or in a particular corridor with stops en route at major transfer points or activity centers Express bus service usually uses freeways or busways where they are available service feeder 1 Local transportation service that provides passengers with connections with a major transportation service 2 Local transit service that provides passengers with connections to main line arterial service an express transit service station a rail rapid transit commuter rail or intercity rail station or an express bus stop or terminal see also service community service few to few a service that picks up passengers at a limited number of origins and delivers them to a limited number of destinations service few to many a service that picks up passengers at a few preselected origins typically activity centers or transfer points and delivers them to many destinations service flag stop l In paratransit operations a service accessed by hail 2 In rail operations a nonscheduled stop that may be served if proper notice is given by a passenger or prospective passenger service gather see service many to one service jitney a route deviation service in which small or medium sized vehicles such as large automobiles vans or minibuses are used The vehicles are usually owned by t
78. al travel used see also urban transportation modeling system and model sequential mode 1 a transport category characterized by specific right of way technological and operational features 2 a particular form of travel for example walking traveling by automobile traveling by bus traveling by train mode access a feeder mode to the principal mode of transportation for example walking kiss and ride park and ride mode dual see transit system dual mode mode transit a category of transit systems characterized by common characteristics of technology right of way and type of operation Examples of different transit modes are regular bus service express bus service light rail transit rail rapid transit and commuter rail model l A mathematical or conceptual presentation of relationships and actions within a system It is used for analysis of the system or its evaluation under various conditions examples include land use economic socioeconomic transportation 2 A mathematical description of a real life situation that uses data on past and present conditions to make a projection about the future mode split see modal split monorail see transit system monorail monthly pass see pass monthly motor electric motor a machine that transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy torque motor alternating current an electric motor asynchronous synchronous i
79. alistic travel times Transit Auto Travel e Implement transit priority measures Time e Consider cross town routes to supplement radial service e Review need for express service to serve longer trips SERVICE ASSESSMENT The primary role for any performance measure is the assessment of something The quality of service measures can be used to assess whether transit service is meeting an operator s or jurisdiction s goals or to assess how passengers perceive or might perceive the quality of transit service offered or proposed to be offered The LOS grades for each service measure assist in this task by categorizing an infinite number of values for a particular measure into six groups to better assess how meaningful differences between two values may be The grades can be used to answer questions relating to whether a value is acceptable to operators jurisdictions or passengers and whether one value is significantly better or worse than another When a performance measure identifies a problem the best solution may not be completely under the control of a transit operator Often solutions will require both 1 cooperation from the local agencies responsible for roadways and traffic signals and 2 operational changes on the part of the transit operator Both parties should view themselves as being in the business of moving people efficiently and should jointly seek solutions that best accomplish this goal Part 5 QUALITY OF
80. all trip effective operating speed cycle speed in transit operations the average speed achieved per round trip including layover and recovery time but excluding deadheading time It is calculated by individual trips by running time periods or for the entire schedule speed running the highest safe speed at which a vehicle is normally operated on a given roadway or guideway under prevailing traffic and environmental conditions in some areas also known as operating speed sometimes civil speed speed schedule the one way distance between terminals divided by the scheduled travel time between the terminals exclusive of layover or recovery time in some areas also known as operating speed speed flow relationship the relationship between the flow volume of units on a transportation facility and the speed of those units As flow increases speed tends to decrease speed limit civil see civil speed limit spill back a situation that may occur in on street light rail transit operations when trains or motor vehicles fail to clear a signalized intersection and so prevent the following train from entering that block Particularly acute in downtown streets where the light rail train can be the full length of the block split directional see directional split split modal or mode see modal split spot time see time layover standard gauge see gauge standard standard rail see rail
81. alue is calculated for each LITA component for each TAZ census block or other aggregation area used in the analysis Only areas with transit service are included in the analysis areas without transit service are assigned a grade of F automatically and not included in further calculations to avoid lowering the mean The scores for areas served by transit are then standardized by subtracting each component s mean value from the score value and dividing the result by the standard deviation for that component Next the three components are averaged together to produce an overall LITA score for the TAZ census block etc Finally the scores are rescaled and assigned a letter grade based on a score s variation from the mean This measure assesses relative differences in transit availability rather than providing an absolute measure of the amount of transit availability As a result a high or low letter grade does not necessarily mean that service is good or bad relative to some standard only that service is better or worse than the local area average As the name implies the Local Index of Transit Availability scores can only be used to compare transit service within the local area where the data were developed However the methodology can be used anywhere MEASURES OF QUALITY Transit Stops Passenger Loads From the passenger s perspective passenger loads reflect the comfort level of the on board vehicle portion of a transit trip bo
82. ance see trip distance linked linked trip time see time linked trip link load in planning the assigned volume of traffic on a link see also link volume link volume in planning the total number of highway vehicles or transit passengers assigned to a network link load crush see capacity crush load link see link load load passenger see passenger load load factor 1 The ratio of used capacity to offered capacity of equipment or a facility during a specified time period It is usually expressed as a percentage of seats occupied at a given point or in continuous form passenger kilometers miles divided by seat kilometers miles For rail services the load factor is sometimes expressed as passenger kilometers miles per train kilometer mile to account for the ability to couple rail cars together to achieve efficiency 2 The ratio of passengers actually carried versus the total passenger capacity of a vehicle also known as a utilization coefficient load point maximum see maximum load point load section maximum see maximum load section load shedding 1 reducing the amount of conventional transit service at peak hours by encouraging the use of paratransit operations to carry some of the peak period passengers 2 disconnecting part of electric traction network at time of power shortage or sub station failure Available power will then be rotated from section to sec
83. ansit unit vehicle or train transfer paid area a transfer in a controlled area within which all patrons will have paid a fare that allows boarding of transit units vehicles or trains through all doors without fare inspection most notably in Toronto transfer timed l A transfer that is valid only for a specified time 2 The scheduling of intersecting transit routes so that they are due to arrive at a transfer point simultaneously eliminating waiting time for transfer passengers also known as a timed connection See also timed transfer system transfer center see transit center transfer facility intermodal see transit center transfer fee see definition of transfer paid transfer passenger see passenger transfer transfer surcharge see transfer paid transfer time see time transfer transit mass or public see public transit Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual transit accessibility see accessibility transit transit agency or authority see transit district transit bus see bus standard urban and bus suburban transit transit car see car rail rapid transit transit center a transit stop or station at the meeting point of several routes or lines or of different modes of transportation It is located on or off the street and is designed to handle the movement of transit units vehicles or trains and the boarding alighting and transferrin
84. apacity Manual and 2 much of the public is familiar with the A F scale used for report cards 2 The LOS ranges should reflect a user s point of view LOS A therefore is not necessarily representative of optimum conditions from a transit operator s point of view 3 LOS F should represent an undesirable condition from a user s point of view A transit operator may choose to set higher standards based on their needs or policy goals 4 The thresholds for LOS A E should represent points where a noticeable change in service quality occurs As a secondary consideration it is also desirable to have evenly spaced ranges of values for each LOS grade to the extent possible Thresholds for the levels of service presented in this section were derived from the TCRP A 15 project Where appropriate descriptions of the changes in conditions that occur at LOS thresholds are provided with each service measure MEASURES OF AVAILABILITY Transit Stops Frequency From the user s perspective frequency determines the number of times an hour a user has access to the transit mode assuming that transit service is provided within acceptable walking distance measured by service coverage and at the times the user wishes to travel measured by hours of service Service frequency also measures the convenience of transit service to choice riders and is one component of overall transit trip time helping to determine how long one waits for a transit veh
85. as the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 Repealed in 1994 and reenacted as chapter 53 of title 49 United States Code legislation Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act ISTEA signed into federal law on December 18 1991 it provided authorizations for highways highway safety and mass transit for 6 years and serves as the basis of federal surface transportation programs Renewed and amended in 1998 for six years as TEA 21 see legislation TEA 21 legislation National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 NEPA a comprehensive federal law requiring an analysis of the environmental impacts of federal actions such as the approval of grants and the preparation of an environmental impact statement for every major federal action that significantly affects the quality of the human environment legislation TEA 21 1998 Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century provides authorizations for highways highway safety and mass transit for 6 years and is the basis of federal surface transportation programs replaces ISTEA Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual legislation Title 49 United States Code Chapter 53 Mass Transportation federal legislation establishing the federal mass transportation program Formerly known as the Federal Transit Act of 1964 and before that the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 legislation Title 49 United States Code Chapter 53 Mass Tran
86. at the vehicle is designed to accommodate comfortably seated and standing may sometimes refer to number of seats only Also known as normal vehicle capacity or total vehicle capacity 2 The maximum number of vehicles that can be accommodated in a given time by a transit facility Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual capital cost nonrecurring or infrequently recurring costs of long term assets such as land guideways stations buildings and vehicles These costs often include related expenses for example depreciation and property taxes See also operating costs captive transit rider see rider captive transit car 1 A vehicle running on rails for example streetcar light rail car rapid transit car railroad car 2 An automobile car articulated see articulated rail vehicle car bidirectional double ended DE a powered rail car that has controls at both ends and symmetrically designed sides and ends for operation in either direction car bilevel a rail car that has two levels for passenger accommodation The upper level may extend through the entire length of the car or only over a part of it In this latter case the car has three different levels two in the middle and an intermediate level over the trucks at each end hence the term tri level is occasionally seen Bilevel cars include double deck and gallery cars car cab 1 A rail car with a driving
87. ation see transportation disadvantaged disc brake see brake disc discharge in transit operations to let passengers exit the vehicle disincentive something that discourages people from acting in a certain way For example high Page 6 12 parking fees or tolls are disincentives to automobile use dispatcher 1 In bus operations the individual who assigns buses to runs makes up work assignments to fill runs directs the operators at the start of their assignments and in some cases maintains a constant awareness of status of the operation via radio telephone or other means 2 In rail operations an operating person whose function it is to dispatch transit units cars or trains monitor their operation and intervene in the event of disruption of schedule or when any change in service or routing is required 3 In demand responsive transportation the person who assigns the vehicles to customers and notifies the appropriate drivers and who may schedule and route vehicles and monitor their operation dispatching 1 In rail operations the process of starting a transit unit car or train into service from a terminal yard or transfer track 2 In demand responsive transportation systems the process of relaying service instructions to drivers The procedure may include vehicle scheduling routing and monitoring and it can be manual or partly or fully automated 3 The relaying of service instructi
88. basis for developing service coverage performance measures The actual area covered by transit will be smaller than a transit system s service area depending on land use patterns in the area and a system s financial abilities to provide service Transit routes are not run to areas where there are no passengers to serve even though those areas might lie within the transit agency s service area However routes might be run through undeveloped areas to connect two developed areas Page 5 20 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual The area covered by a particular route can be defined as that area within walking distance of a transit stop O Sullivan and Morrall studied walking distances to and from transit in Calgary and found that 75 of transit riders walk as far as 400 m 0 25 mi to a bus stop or 800 m 0 5 mi to an LRT station The authors noted that walk distances were about 20 longer than air distances to transit stop but did not address whether people would have walked further had other closer transit alternatives not been available Other studies have found similar walk distances but note that the elderly do not walk as far as other population groups and that ridership is higher the closer transit service is provided to one s origin and destination For the purposes of determining service coverage LOS the coverage area is defined as the air distance within 400 m 0
89. built in flange groove used on streetcar and light rail lines that are laid in street where other motor vehicles must travel rail power see rail third rail running a rail that supports and guides the flanged wheels of the rail vehicle rail standard an 11 89 m 39 ft section of rail rail third contact rail power rail an electric conductor located alongside the running rail from which power is collected by means of a sliding shoe attached to the truck of electric rail cars or locomotives Traditionally made of mild steel composite rail often aluminum with a stainless steel cover is appearing on some new systems rail welded two or more rails welded together at their ends to form a length less than 122 m 400 ft see also rail continuous welded railbus a light self propelled rail vehicle with a body resembling that of a bus or using bus components two axle versions are noted for poor ride quality rail car electric see car electric rail rail car type see car type designations rail car urban see car urban rail rail car weight see car weight designations rail diesel car see car rail diesel rail motor car see car rail motor rail rapid transit see transit system rail rapid rail rapid transit car see car rail rapid transit railroad commuter see transit system commuter rail railroad grade crossing see crossing railroad grad
90. bus model manufactured by General Motors in the United States and Canada between 1959 and 1983 New Look buses are characterized by large slanting windows often with an additional row of small windows to allow standing passengers to see out Also similar designs from other makers Colloquial term fishbowl bus owl see run owl bus school 1 A vehicle operated by a public or private school or by a private contractor for the purpose of transporting children through grade 12 to and from school or to and from other school sponsored activities The vehicle is externally identifiable as a school bus typically by color yellow and lettering that identifies the school or school district served by the vehicle This definition includes vehicles designed and built as school buses as well as other vehicles such as vans and station wagons See also service school bus 2 A vehicle designed and built as a school bus typically with body on chassis construction Such a vehicle may be used for other purposes than school bus service e g military or church service bus small bus that is less than 6 m 20 ft long bus standard urban transit coach urban transit bus a bus for use in frequent stop service with front and usually center doors normally with a rear mounted engine and low back seating Typically 10 12 m 35 40 ft long bus subscription see service subscription bus Page 6 5 Glossary Transit Ca
91. c air brake that has electrically controlled valves to expedite applying and releasing the brakes brake friction mechanical brake a brake that presses brake shoes against the running wheel tread or pads against inboard or outboard disc surfaces brake hydraulic hydraulically operated brake typical of automotive practice used on small buses and vans and entering use on some rail vehicles as alternate to air brake brake magnetic see brake track brake mechanical see brake friction brake motor see brake dynamic brake pneumatic see brake electropneumatic brake regenerative a form of dynamic brake in which the electrical energy generated by braking is returned to the power supply line instead of being dissipated in resistors In rare cases the traction sub stations can return this power to the electric utility or burn it in resistors then the line is always receptive eliminating on board resistors brake service l The primary train brake system 2 The braking rate used for normal deceleration requirements in contrast to emergency braking which may provide greater retardation Typically 0 13g 3 0 mph s 1 3 m s a level beyond which standing passengers become uncomfortable or may loose their balance brake slip slide control an electronic control used on most current rail vehicles to sense and correct wheel slip or slide by modulating braking or reducing acceleration b
92. ca streetcar low floor a streetcar with low floor for level boarding and exiting Floor is typically 300 to 350 mm 12 14 in high requiring a platform or raised curb at this height Wheelchair access is provided directly or by a hinged or removable bridge plate streetcar partial low floor a low floor streetcar with steps or ramps to access high floor area s over trucks and or any articulations In this way conventional trucks and propulsion equipment can be used sometimes termed hybrid low floor streetcar operator see operator train streetcar replica see bus trolley replica streetcar system see transit system streetcar street furniture equipment placed on the street off the vehicle lanes such as lights benches signs bus shelters kiosks and plants in containers street railway early term for streetcar system see transit system streetcar street supervisor see inspector strip median see median structure aerial see aerial structure structure fare see fare structure structure route see route structure stub terminal see terminal stub study origin destination see origin destination study subscription bus service see service subscription bus subscription van service see service subscription van subsidized taxi service see service subsidized taxi sub station see electric sub station suburb see definition of area
93. cab 2 A passenger carrying car used in push pull service and fitted with a cab at one end to be used to operate the train when the locomotive is pushing see also car commuter rail car cable an individually controlled rail passenger vehicle operating in mixed street traffic and propelled by gripping a continuously moving endless cable located in an underground slot between the rails The cable which can draw many cable cars simultaneously is powered by a large stationary motor at a central location car commuter rail a passenger rail car designed for commuter rail services usually with more seats than a conventional long distance rail passenger car The car may be hauled by a locomotive have a self contained internal combustion engine or be electrically propelled by power from a third rail or overhead wire See also car cab car diesel multiple unit see car multiple unit car diesel rail see car rail diesel car double deck a bilevel rail car with a second level that covers the full width of the car but may or may not extend the full length car electric multiple unit see car multiple unit car electric rail an electric rail car powered by current from an overhead wire or third rail car gallery a bilevel rail car that has seating and access aisles on a second level along each side of an open well Tickets of passengers on the second level can be inspected or collected from t
94. calculated Each ring only has transit availability during a short window of time before a transit vehicle arrives assumed to be a maximum desirable wait time of 5 minutes Each transit vehicle therefore has a bubble that extends in front of it representing the rings that have access to that vehicle if one were to leave their location during that minute and walk to the nearest transit stop Exhibit 5 13 illustrates this concept using air distances from transit stops the FDOT software uses walk distances from stops and accounts for roadway segments that are inaccessible to pedestrians Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 25 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Exhibit 5 13 Transit Vehicle Service Availability Bubble These areas have transit access The bus will arrive at the stop within 5 minutes if one leaves their jobsite residence this minute These areas do not have transit access The bus will have passed the stop if one were to leave their jobsite residence this minute LEB Current bus location SEER z LEAN PES WK LEER SS EEO SR R SSN TEC EE IGA ey De CDI eee These areas do not have transit access Z lt 2 O4 l ess ae mee oa The bus will not arrive at the stop within 5 minutes if one were to leave their jobsite residence this minute One minute walk distance rings f
95. ce measure also influences boarding and alighting times which in turn affect total dwell time and the capacity of transit routes The kinds of amenities provided at transit stops is another aspect of transit quality but is not a service measure because it is so highly dependent on the daily boarding passenger volumes at a given stop achieving better levels of service would require installing facilities that might not be justified economically Reliability is a third measure of quality at a transit stop but this measure also applies to a transit route and will tend to have consistent values for a series of stops along a route segment Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 13 Chapter 2 Quality of Service Framework Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Route Segments Reliability is identified as the service measure because it not only measures an aspect of service quality important to users whether or not they get to their destination on time but because it also affects other service measures If transit vehicles arrive in a bunch or not at all the effective service frequency is reduced Late vehicles also have higher passenger loads as they pick up not only their regular passengers but those passengers who have arrived early for the following vehicle Other measures of transit quality on a route segment are the transit auto travel time difference identified as the system service measure and trav
96. center simultaneously and depart a few minutes later thus transfers among all the routes and lines involve virtually no waiting Typically used in suburban areas and for night service where headways are long Transit centers also known as timed transfer focal points or hubs are ideally located at major activity centers see also hub time of day fare see fare time of day time of day pricing see pricing time of day time point a point on a line or route for which the time that transit units vehicles or trains are scheduled to pass is specified usually the leaving time is used timetable l Usually refers to a printed schedule for the public 2 A listing of the times at which transit units vehicles or trains are due at specified time points also known as a schedule 3 In railroad operations the authority for the movement of regular trains subject to the rules It Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 37 Glossary Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 6 GLOSSARY contains classified schedules with special instructions for the movement of trains and locomotives token 1 a prepaid non monetary stamped piece used in payment for transit service usually one trip usually metal sometimes plastic sometimes with punched out center or bi metal to deter forgery 2 an object allowing a train operator possession of a single track section of line handed off to a signalman or the operator of the opposin
97. ch TAZ Convert population to households by dividing by 2 5 Calculate household density for each TAZ by dividing the number of households by the TAZ s area calculate job density similarly A TAZ is transit supportive if the household density is at least 7 5 households gross hectare 3 households gross acre or the employment density is at least 10 jobs gross hectare 4 jobs gross acre This process is illustrated for two TAZs House Area HH Job TAZ Pop Jobs Area m holds hectares Density Density 255 1134 308 1 017 046 453 6 101 7 4 46 3 03 399 345 852 497 767 138 0 498 2 77 17 1 In this example TAZ 255 is not transit supportive but TAZ 399 is The map on the following page illustrates the transit supportive TAZs There are 174 transit supportive TAZs in all Page 5 46 Chapter 6 Example Problems Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual __ TAZ Boundaries Streets Transit Supportive Area 2 For the transit supportive TAZs identified in Step 1 draw the location of the bus routes serving those TAZs and draw 0 4 km buffers around each route excluding any areas known not to have pedestrian access as shown in the following map L Service Coverage Area Bus Routes treets Transit Supportive Area Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 47 Chapter 6 Example Problems Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual
98. d motor see motor series wound service arterial generally major long or heavily patronized transit routes that operate on principal or major surface arterial streets service base period the level of transit operations during the base period service circulator bus service confined to a specific locale such as a downtown area or a suburban neighborhood with connections to major traffic corridors service city transit transit serving an urban area as distinguished from short haul and regional transit service service community short feeder or loop route serving a local community often operated with smaller buses service commuter transportation provided on a regularly scheduled basis during peak travel periods for users commuting to work school and similar destinations service crosstown non radial transit service that does not enter the central business district service demand jitney see service jitney service door to door a service that picks up passengers at the door of their place of origin and delivers them to the door of their place of destination This service may necessitate passenger assistance between the vehicle and the doors See also service curb to curb service express service that has fewer stops and a higher operating speed than regular service Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 31 Glossary Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manu
99. d pair two semi permanently coupled rail cars A car and B car that share some mechanical and electrical equipment and must be operated together as a unit mass transit mass transportation urban public transport by bus rail or other conveyance either publicly or privately owned providing general or special service to the public on a regular and continuing basis not including school bus charter or sightseeing service The term has developed a negative connotation and its use is discouraged in favor of urban transport transit public transit public transport or public transportation maximum load point MLP the point on a transit line or route at which the passenger volume is the greatest There is one maximum load point in each direction maximum load section MLS the section of a transit line or route that carries the highest total number of passengers for that line or route and direction maximum service braking see braking maximum service maximum theoretical velocity see velocity maximum theoretical measure of effectiveness see performance measure and service measure transit mechanical brake see brake friction median median strip the portion of a divided highway or guideway that separates the opposing flows of traffic messenger see definition of catenary system metered freeway see freeway metered metered freeway bus priority system see bus priority
100. d practices to government agencies the transportation industry and others U S Government Urban Mass Transportation Administration UMTA former name of the Federal Transit Administration see U S Government Federal Transit Administration utilization coefficient see load factor VKT vehicle kilometers of travel see vehicle miles of travel VMT vehicle miles of travel validation the marking of a ticket pass or transfer for the purpose of verifying its legitimate use for paid travel usually giving time and place of marking validator cancellor component of ticket vending machine or separate machine that stamps date time and sometimes location on pre purchased ticket or pass to validate or cancel same value default see default value van vehicles having a typical seating capacity of 5 to 15 passengers and classified as a van by vehicle manufacturers A modified van is a standard van which has undergone some structural changes usually made to increase its size and particularly its height The seating capacity of modified vans is approximately 9 to 18 passengers van subscription see service subscription van vanpool vans and or buses seating less than 25 persons operating as a voluntary commuter ride sharing arrangement which provides transportation to a group of individuals traveling directly between their homes and their regular places of work within the same geographical a
101. d to wheelchairs transit system automated guideway automated guided transit AGT A transportation system in which automated driverless vehicles operate on fixed guideways with exclusive right of way transit system bus rapid an inexact term describing a bus operation that is generally characterized by operation on an exclusive or reserved right of way that permits higher speeds It may include reverse lane operations on limited access roads transit system commuter rail The portion of passenger railroad operations that carries passengers within urban areas or between urban areas and their suburbs but differs from rail rapid transit in that the passenger cars generally are heavier the average trip lengths are usually longer and the operations are carried out over tracks that are part of the railroad system in the area In some areas it is called regional rail transit system dual mode a broad category of systems wherein vehicles may be operated in both of two different types of operation or propulsion for example manually steered and guided on highways and on guideways or with diesel and electric traction transit system fixed guideway 1 A transportation system composed of vehicles that can operate only on their own guideways which were constructed for that purpose Examples are heavy rail light rail and monorail 2 Federal usage of the term in funding legislation also includes bus priority la
102. d traffic centre British Canadian spelling of center challenged see handicapped check in transit operations a record of the passenger volume on all transit units that pass a specific location or time point also known as a passenger riding count or check the actual time the unit passes it also known as a schedule check the number of passengers who board and alight at each stop on a route or line also known as an on and off count or check or any combination of these items The checker may ride the transit unit an on board check follow it in another vehicle or check the transit units from a particular location a point or corner check choice rider see rider choice chopper solid state electronic device that controls electric current flow to traction motors by rapidly turning the power on and off resulting in gradual vehicle acceleration at reduced current use Replaced less efficient switched resistor controls from 1960s Now replaced with more advanced power conversion units PCU feeding three phase alternating current motors which may themselves contain a chopper usually to control regenerative braking circuit track see track circuit circulator service see service circulator city central see central city city transit service see service city transit civil speed limit in rail operations the maximum speed authorized for each section of track as de
103. d use and transit service are appropriate for long range service planning Long range transportation planning should model both roadway and transit networks so that improvements to transit service and facilities can be compared with improvements to roadway facilities Changes in equipment or fare collection practices can be evaluated both in terms of capacity and speed improvements and in terms of quality of service improvements Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 37 Chapter 4 Applications Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual This page intentionally blank Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 38 Chapter 4 Applications Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual 5 REFERENCES 1 Atkinson W G editor Canadian Transit Handbook Third Edition Canadian Urban Transit Association Toronto 1993 2 Benn Howard P Bus Route Evaluation Standards TCRP Synthesis 10 Transportation Research Board Washington DC 1995 3 Cleland Francis Dennis Hinebaugh and Joel R Rey Transit Customer Satisfaction Index for Florida Transit Properties Technical Memorandum No 3 Results and Analysis of Florida Transit Properties Center for Urban Transportation Research University of South Florida Tampa 1997 4 Danaher Alan Tom Parkinson Paul Ryus and Lewis Nowlin TCRP A 15 Development of Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Principles Practices and Procedures Interim Report available on loan
104. d use the resulting system value with Exhibit 5 18 or calculate point to point LOS directly from Exhibit 5 18 An example of the manual calculation method can be found in the example problems in Chapter 6 Other Measures Travel Time Rather than compare transit and automobile travel times the transit travel time can be used by itself as a performance measure The maximum time that passengers will find reasonable will vary depending on the size of the city or metropolitan area served by transit and whether travel is occurring during peak or off peak times Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 33 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Safety Safety reflects personal security on board a transit vehicle at a transit stop and during the portion of the trip to and from transit To a lesser extent it also reflects the number of accidents that a transit system experiences As might be imagined there are many different factors that influence safety and it is not easy to pick a single factor as being representative Safety performance measures include the number of crimes committed on transit property and the number of vehicular accidents the equivalent per rider or per mile accident rates can also be used Other measures include the percentage of bus stops with adequate lighting and the ratio of transit police officers to transit vehicles Page 5 34 Chapt
105. designated maximum speed control system centralized traffic CTC in rail systems a traffic control system in which signals and switches are controlled from a Page 6 10 remotely located centralized traffic control panel control system communication based see control system moving block control system fixed block an automatic train control system that records the presence of a train or a part of it in each track section block and activates the signals on the line to indicate the block is occupied In some cases a following train is prevented from entering the block by a forced emergency stop see automatic train stop control system manual block a system of manually governing train movement in a block or a series of consecutive blocks by means of signals train orders telephone or radio control system manual train system in which train movement is controlled by the operator motorman or engineer control system moving block an automatic train control system that spaces trains according to their location and relative velocity and stopping performance plus a safety distance Often includes automatic train operation Moving block signaling systems are also called transmission or communication based systems The latter is becoming the preferred term control system multiple unit a system that controls the operation of two or more rail motor cars in a train through the simultaneo
106. e Railroad Research Information Service RRIS a computer based information storage and retrieval system developed by the Transportation Research Board with financial support from the Federal Railroad Administration It consists of summaries of research projects in progress and abstracts of published works railroad tie see crosstie rail transit system see transit system rail rail transport conventional see conventional rail transport rail vehicle articulated see articulated rail vehicle railway alternate term for railroad especially Canadian and British railway cog see cog railway railway funicular see funicular railway railway inclined plane incline see incline railway railway metropolitan see transit system rail rapid railway rack see cog railway railway street old term for streetcar system see transit system streetcar railway crossing see crossing track Glossary railway electrification see electrification ramp moving an inclined moving walkway ramp meter bypass lane see lane ramp meter bypass ramp metering 1 The process of facilitating traffic flow on freeways by regulating the amount of traffic entering the freeway through the use of control devices on entrance ramps 2 The procedure of equipping a freeway approach ramp with a metering device and traffic signal that allow the vehicles to enter the free
107. e Workers who have to arrive early in the morning at the same time each day to prepare meals for patients could arrange for standing reservations for service Travel times would likely be no longer than with the existing service using transfers and could possibly be shorter particularly with at the door pickup of passengers Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 55 Chapter 6 Example Problems Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual This page intentionally blank Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 56 Chapter 6 Example Problems PART 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual There is inconsistency in the terminology used in North American transit Many systems have their own specific historically derived terminology a motorman and guard on one system can be an operator and conductor on another Modal definitions can be confusing What is clearly light rail by definition may be termed streetcar semi metro or rapid transit in a specific city It is recommended that in these cases local usage should prevail This part of the manual presents definitions for the various transit terms discussed and referenced in the manual In addition other important terms related to transit planning and operations are included AADT annual average daily traffic see traffic annual average daily AAR Association of American Railroads see organizations Association of American Railroads AASHTO American Associa
108. e daily operating schedule of a transit unit vehicle or train between pull out and pull in including scheduled and deadhead service A block may consist of a number of runs block absolute a block that no train may enter while the block is occupied by another train block absolute permissive a signal system for a single track or guideway that prevents simultaneous opposing train movements between sidings but permits following movements at a safe distance block signal a standard railroad signal system that uses a fixed signal at the entrance of a block to govern the separation of trains entering the block see also block block control system dynamic see control system moving block block control system fixed see control system fixed block block control system manual see control system manual block block control system moving see control system moving block block indicator a device generally located near a turnout switch that is used to indicate the presence of a train in the block or blocks leading to that switch block section see block block signal see signal block block signal control see control system block signal and control system automatic block signal board to go on to or into a transportation vehicle bollard an upright fixed block usually concrete used to prevent the unauthorized or unintended entry of vehicles into an area box fare
109. e factors and was applied to TAZs within the Portland area to estimate future ridership based on future population and employment estimates The estimated ridership of each TAZ was then converted into a TOI score ranging from 0 9 in order to reduce the effects of potential sources of error in estimating ridership The TOI scores were used in developing proposed policies for the amount and kind of service provided to areas the higher the TOI score the higher the quality of transit service to be provided that area Because the ridership estimates were developed using local data the regression equation and the ranges of values used to develop TOI scores only apply to the Portland area However the methodology used would be applicable anywhere to develop a similar index Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 26 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Local Index of Transit Availability Rood developed a local index of transit availability LITA to measure the intensity of transit service in an area relative to the area s population and size The LITA contains three components 1 frequency 2 capacity and 3 route coverage Frequency is measured using transit vehicles per day averaged over the course of a week Seat miles divided by combined residential population and jobs is used for capacity while transit stops per square mile is used for route coverage To calculate the LITA a score v
110. e g labor fuel that can be associated with the operation and maintenance of the system during the period under consideration Operating costs usually exclude such fixed costs as depreciation on plant and equipment interest paid for loans on capital equipment and property taxes on capital items See also capital costs operating employees operating personnel l Employees whose major function is operating the service such as station employees switchmen bus drivers train operators conductors 2 In rail operations those employees that have direct and supervisory responsibility for the movement of transit units cars or trains embodying both on board and wayside duties operating expenses the total of all expenses associated with operation of an individual mode by a given operator In the United States total operating expense is reported on line 14 of Form 301 for a single mode system and is derived from Form 310 for a multimodal system Operating expenses include distributions of joint expenses to individual modes and exclude reconciling items such as interest expenses and depreciation Do not confuse with vehicle operations expense Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 23 Glossary Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual operating margin 1 the amount of time that a train can run behind schedule without interfering with following trains 2 imprecise reference to operating
111. e trip serves the same origins and destinations unlike demand response Includes route deviation service where revenue vehicles deviate from fixed routes on a discretionary basis transportation system jitney public transportation rendered in small or medium sized vehicles that are licensed to render that service at a fixed rate or fare for each passenger The vehicles operate on fixed routes along public ways from which they may deviate from time to time in response to a demand for service or to Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 41 Glossary Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual take passengers to their destinations thereafter returning to the fixed route The scheduling and organization of this type of system vary among jurisdictions It is used extensively in cities of developing countries that have inadequate transit service See also service jitney transportation system non fixed route service not provided on a repetitive fixed schedule basis along a specific route to specific locations Demand response is the only non fixed route mode transportation system urban the system of transportation elements both private and public that provides for the movement of people and goods in an urban area The components include transit systems paratransit services and highway or road systems including private vehicles and pedestrians transportation system management TSM that part of
112. east 16 various legal definitions may differ slightly as to minimum capacity commonly operated on streets and highways A bus has enough headroom to allow passengers to stand upright after entering Propulsion may be by internal combustion engine electric motors or hybrid see also alternate fuels Smaller capacity road transit vehicles often without full headroom are termed vans bus advanced design ADB a prototype bus originally introduced in the mid 1970s that incorporates new styling and design features specified by the then Urban Mass Transportation Administration bus articulated see articulated bus or articulated trolleybus bus battery see bus electric bus commuter see service commuter bus cruiser name for highway coaches used in transit service probably a contraction of Scenicruiser or Americruiser high floor over luggage compartments with depressed aisle usually with single swing front door bus double decker a high capacity bus that has two levels of seating one over the other connected by one or two stairways Total bus height is usually 4 0 4 4 m 13 14 5 ft and Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual typical passenger seating capacity ranges from 60 to 80 people bus dual mode 1 A bus designed to operate both on city streets and on rails or other types of guideway also known as a dual control bus 2 Sometimes used to refer to a t
113. easured at different times of the day for example at peak and off peak times Because peak hour traffic congestion tends to lengthen automobile trip times the calculated LOS will often be better during peak hours than during the rest of the day Exhibit 5 18 Transit Auto Travel Time LOS gt 60 Unacceptable to most riders Tl Door to door travel by transit is faster than by auto at LOS A This level of service provides considerable incentive to potential riders to use transit At LOS B the in vehicle travel times by auto and transit are comparable but the walk and wait time for transit makes the total trip by transit slightly longer Riders must spend an extra hour a day using transit at LOS C levels and up to 1 hours at LOS D At LOS E individual trips take up to an hour longer by transit than by automobile however this may be the best possible in small cities where automobile travel times are low Service at LOS F levels involve travel times so long as to be unacceptable to most riders Calculation Example Transportation Planning Model Method The advantage of using a transportation planning model is that all trips between all zones can be modeled and different kinds of trip types can be compared Since many urban areas only have a weekday p m peak hour model though travel times at other times of the day and week cannot be compared using this method The transportation model used needs to include networks
114. ecified time period commute regular travel between home and a fixed location e g work school The term is often applied only to travel in the direction of the main flow of traffic to distinguish from reverse commute commute reverse a commute in the direction opposite to the main flow of traffic for example from the central city to a suburb during the morning peak Increasingly common with growth in suburban employment Valuable to operator as provides additional passengers and revenue at little or no marginal cost commuter a person who travels regularly between home and a fixed location e g work school commuter bus see service commuter commuter lane see lane high occupancy vehicle commuter rail see transit system commuter rail commuter rail car see car commuter rail commuter service see service commuter compound catenary see catenary system concession in transit the right to operate a transit service for a given number of years May or may not include public contribution to capital and operating costs regulation of service standards and fares charged design or construction of any facilities conductor 1 In rail transit operations the operating employee who may control the doors on rail transit vehicles or who may have fare collecting duties or both Also called a guard on some systems 2 In railroad operations the operating employee in charge
115. ecsaeeaeeeas 5 23 Exhibit 5 13 Transit Vehicle Service Availability Bubble 0 eee ee eeeeeeee eres 5 26 Exhibit 5 14 Passenger Load LOS 0 eee cece cee cseeceeceeeeeeeeeeeseeeseeeseeseensecsaeenaeeaes 5 28 Exhibit 5 15 Typical Transit Stop Amenities 0 00 cee cece creeceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeens 5 29 Exhibit 5 16 Reliability LOS On Time Performance eee cee eseeseeereeeeeeeeeeeeees 5 30 Exhibit 5 17 Reliability LOS Headway Adherence cee seeeeseeereeeeeeeeeeeeeeseees 5 30 Exhibit 5 18 Transit Auto Travel Time LOS 000 eee ee cee cesecesecsseceeecseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeenes 5 32 Exhibit 5 19 Factors Influencing Transit Quality of Service 5 35 Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 ii Contents Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual 1 INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW Quality of service reflects the passenger s perception of transit performance It measures both the availability of transit service and its comfort and convenience Quality of service depends to a great extent on the operating decisions made by a transit system especially decisions on where transit service should be provided how often and how long transit service should provided and what kind of service should be provided Part 5 of the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual presents methods for measuring quality of service e Chapter I discusses transit performance measures in general and differentiates passenger based quality of service measures from other k
116. ectric operation generally specific to services entering New York City where diesel operation is limited locomotive electric a locomotive in which the propulsion is effected by electric motors mounted on the vehicle The electric power comes from an external source usually overhead catenary locomotive passenger a locomotive commonly used for hauling passenger trains and generally designed to operate at higher speeds and lower tractive effort than a freight locomotive of equal power Usually equipped with head end power that through power take off from the existing generator a separate generator or power conversion unit s provides heat light and air conditioning power for the passenger cars loop l A transit route or guideway layout that is of a closed continuous form such as a circle 2 A terminal track layout or bus driveway that reverses the direction of a vehicle without the vehicle s reversing loop induction see induction loop sensor low floor bus see bus low floor low floor light rail vehicle see car light rail vehicle low floor low floor streetcar see car light rail vehicle low floor low mobility group see transportation disadvantaged low platform see platform low low voltage see voltage low MAC major activity center MAC system major activity center system see transit system major activity center MAGLEV magnetic levitation Glos
117. ed States sometimes in miles per hour per second access limited controlled access in transportation to have entry and exit limited to predetermined points as with rail rapid transit or freeways accessibility 1 A measure of the ability or ease of all people to travel among various origins and destinations 2 In transportation modeling and planning the sum of the travel times from one zone to all other zones in a region weighted by the relative attractiveness of the destination zones involved 3 In traffic assignment a measure of the relative access of an area or zone to population employment opportunities community services and utilities accessibility handicapped full accessibility the extent to which facilities are free of barriers and usable by mobile handicapped people including wheelchair users accessibility station a measure of the ability of all people within a defined area to get to a specific transit station accessibility transit 1 A measure of the availability to all people of travel to and from various origins and destinations by transit 2 A measure of the ability of all people to get to and from the nearest transit stop or station and their actual origin or destination 3 In common usage often used to mean the ability of the physically handicapped to use transit accessible station see station accessible accessible vehicle see vehicle accessible accessible transit
118. ehicle operators adhere to schedules CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEYS Passenger surveys can help transit systems identify areas where improvements are needed to enhance customer satisfaction with transit service These surveys can identify not only areas of existing passenger dissatisfaction but areas where passengers would be strongly dissatisfied if areas that are currently performing well were to decline in performance in the future Thus these surveys can help identify the quality of service factors of greatest importance to transit riders The TCRP B 11 project Customer Defined Transit Service Quality was a study that defined the elements of a transit operation that are the most important to customers Although the study s intent was to develop an easy to use system for transit operators to identify the most important customer service issues affecting their system the pilot tests the project performed help identify some of the factors important to transit riders regardless of the system The TCRP B 11 project selected an urban rail system a suburban bus system and a small city bus system for its pilot tests and distributed more than 13 000 surveys with Page 5 10 Chapter 2 Quality of Service Framework Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual response rates ranging from 33 6 to 46 3 The project also conducted a sampling of follow up phone surveys The surveys asked riders to rate 46 transit system attribut
119. el speed both of which relate to the time it takes to make a trip by transit Travel speed is also important to transit operators if bus speeds for example can be increased sufficiently along a higher frequency route that a time savings of one headway results the number of buses required to operate the route can decrease along with operating costs System The transit auto travel time difference the absolute difference in travel time from one s origin to one s destination by automobile and by transit is an important factor in a passenger s decision to use transit On a system wide basis this measure can be calculated by sampling a selection of locations and trip purposes within the analysis area or by using a transportation planning model that can calculate trip times for all combinations of origins and destinations by transit and by automobile for a variety of trip purposes An alternative performance measure is travel time which is useful for indicating when higher speed service such as limited stop or express service should be considered between two locations Since travel time varies depending on the size of a community and the amount of traffic congestion for transit modes operating in mixed traffic travel time is not suitable as a service measure without creating many different categories of city sizes Safety both in terms of transit vehicle accident rates and transit crime affects the image of the entire transit
120. elded rail see rail continuous welded contraflow movement in a direction opposite to the normal flow of traffic The term usually refers to flow opposite to the heavier flow of traffic See also commute reverse contraflow lane see lane contraflow control deadman see deadman control control quality see quality control control device grade crossing traffic see grade crossing traffic control device controlled access see access limited controlled access right of way see right of way limited controller cam see cam controller controls passenger see passenger controls control system automatic block signal ABS a system of governing train separation in which the signals are controlled by the trains themselves The presence or absence of a train in a block is determined by a track circuit If the circuitry fails a restrictive signal is displayed control system automatic train see automatic train control system control system block signal a standard railroad signal system that uses a fixed signal at the entrance of a block to govern the separation of trains entering the block control system cab signal in rail systems a signal located in the cab indicating a condition affecting the movement of a train and used in conjunction with interlocking signals and in conjunction with or in lieu of block signals Can indicate status of next signal s or show
121. ements and the ability to display upper and lower case and double lines have made the signs acceptable Versions with back lit liquid crystal displays or high intensity light emitting diodes introduced in late 1990s Favored for the ease with which signs can be reprogrammed and buses transferred from garage to garage but this flexibility is often abused by alternating cute messages such as HAVE A GOOD DAY that can confuse intending passengers sign head see head sign signal automatic a signal that is controlled automatically by certain conditions of the track section that it protects signal automatic block a system in which signals are actuated automatically by the presence Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 33 Glossary Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual of a train on the track section usually with an electric track circuit to detect the presence of any vehicle and any broken rails signal block a fixed signal installed at the entrance of a block to govern trains entering and using that section of track signal cab see control system cab signal signal fixed in rail operations a signal at a fixed location that indicates a condition that affects the movement of a train signal grade crossing protection a railroad crossing flashing light signal or automatic gate actuated by the approach of a train at a grade crossing signal wayside in rail operations a f
122. er headway and sequence of transfer points nodes These factors describe the line s route as an ordered set line cordon see cordon line line desire see desire line line main the principal roadway rail tracks or other types of transportation rights of way over which all or most of the traffic moves linear electric motor see motor linear electric linear induction motor see motor linear induction line capacity see capacity line and capacity theoretical line line clear in rail transit operation such that trains do not have to stop or slow down due to the train ahead but receive a succession of green signals See also headway non interference line haul see service line haul line miles line kilometers miles or kilometers of directional roadway the sum of the actual physical length measured in only one direction of all streets highways or rights of way traversed by a transportation system including exclusive rights of way and specially controlled facilities regardless of the number of routes or vehicles that pass over any of the sections see also route miles line volume see passenger volume link in planning a section of a transportation system network defined by intersection points nodes at each end that is a link connects two nodes It may be one way or two way linked journey or trip or passenger trip see trip linked linked trip dist
123. er 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual 4 APPLICATIONS INTRODUCTION This chapter applies the quality of service framework and measures presented in Chapters 2 and 3 to issues faced by transportation and transit planners Typical areas where the quality of service measures can be applied are service assessment policy and goal setting and planning and design Some measures will have more applicability in some areas than others For example measures under the direct control of transit operators are easier to use for design and policy purposes than measures that are not Exhibit 5 19 summarizes some of the key factors that influence the six service measures Exhibit 5 19 Factors Influencing Transit Quality of Service Service Measure Ways To Improve Each Measure AVAILABILITY Service Frequency e Policy based e Compare service frequency to population and job density along route e Policy based e Compare operating hours of major passenger generators to transit service hours e Policy based Evaluate service provided to transit su I QUALITY Passenger Loads e Increase service frequency e Use larger buses or longer trains Hours of Service Service Coverage Reliability e Implement transit priority measures e Greater field checking of schedule adherence by drivers e Improve maintenance procedures replace old buses e Review schedules for re
124. er spreadsheet or by hand calculate household and job densities by dividing the number of households and jobs in each TAZ by the TAZ areas estimated in Step 2 Step 4 Identify the transit supportive area Based on the results of Step 3 identify all TAZs where the household density is at least 7 5 units gross hectare 3 units gross acre or the employment density is at least 10 jobs gross hectare 4 jobs gross acre Mark these TAZs on the map Page 5 24 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Step 5 Identify the portion of the transit supportive area covered by transit On the printed map outline the areas within 0 4 km 0 25 mi of bus routes that serve or pass near the transit supportive TAZs the areas within 0 8 km 0 5 mi of busway or rail stations within or near the transit supportive TAZs and any portion of the transit supportive TAZs within 0 4 km 0 25 mi of paratransit or deviated fixed route bus service available to the general public Estimate the percentage of each transit supportive TAZ that is covered by transit Do not include any areas that do not have transit access due to a barrier that blocks pedestrian access such as a freeway railroad track waterway or wall Step 6 Calculate areas Add up the areas of the transit supportive TAZs using the information developed in Step 2 This is the total area of the transit supportive area Next for each transit supportive TAZ
125. er the travel lane time deadhead not in service time time spent moving a revenue vehicle in non revenue service time delay the amount of time by which a transit unit vehicle or train in service is delayed from its scheduled time time dwell the time a transit unit vehicle or train spends at a station or stop measured as the interval between its stopping and starting time egress the time elapsed on a trip from the moment of alighting from a vehicle to the moment of arriving at the point of destination time excess time delay associated with travel to or between major transit routes for example time spent walking waiting or transferring time layover recovery time relay time spot time turnaround time time built into a schedule between arrivals and departures used for the recovery of delays and preparation for the return trip The term may refer to transit units also known as vehicle layover or operators Note that layover time may include recovery time and operator rest time as two specific components time linked trip overall travel time total travel time in transportation planning the time duration of a linked trip that is from the point of origin to the final destination including waiting and walking time at transfer points and trip ends time not in service see time deadhead time operating the actual time required for a transit unit vehicle or train to
126. erhead contact system OCS in which the overhead contact wire is supported from one or more longitudinal wires or cables messengers either directly by hangers simple catenary or by hangers in combination with auxiliary conductors and clamps compound catenary Attachment of the contact wire to the messenger is made at frequent and uniform intervals to produce a contact surface nearly parallel to the top of the running rails center major activity see major activity center center modal interchange see transit center transfer or transit see transit center center platform see platform center central business district CBD defined by the Bureau of the Census an area of high land valuation characterized by a high concentration of retail businesses service businesses offices hotels and theaters as well as by a high traffic flow A CBD follows census tract boundaries that is it consists of one or more whole census tracts CBDs are identified only in central cities of MSAs and other cities with populations of 50 000 or more See also outlying business district central city as defined by the Bureau of the Census the largest city or one of the largest Glossary cities in a metropolitan statistical area or urbanized area The criteria for designating a central city vary with the type of area and the particular census centralized traffic control system see control system centralize
127. erson shares in the use of the vehicle such as a bus van or automobile to make a trip riding check or count passenger see check riding frequency coefficient riding habit coefficient the number of passenger trips during a designated time period divided by the resident population of the area served such as transit trips per capita per year right of way ROW 1 A general term denoting land property or interest therein usually in a strip acquired for or devoted to transportation purposes For transit rights of way may be categorized by degree of their separation fully controlled without grade crossings also known as grade separated exclusive or private ROW longitudinally physically separated from other traffic by curbs barriers grade separation etc but with grade crossings or surface streets with mixed traffic although transit may have preferential treatment 2 The precedence accorded to one vehicle or person over another right of way controlled access lanes restricted for at least a portion of the day for use by transit vehicles and or other high occupancy vehicles Use of controlled access lanes may also be permitted for vehicles preparing to turn The restriction must be sufficiently enforced so that 95 percent of vehicles using the lanes during the restricted period are authorized to use them right of way exclusive roadway or other right of way reserved at all times for transit use and
128. ervice Manual Hours of service LOS Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Example Problem 2 The Situation Continuing the service review started in Example Problem 1 The Question How long is service provided to various parts of the city The Facts v Same assumptions as Example Problem 1 Outline of Solution The strategy is the same as Example Problem 1 in that a number of locations around the city representing residential commercial office and institutional land uses are selected for analysis Each location is analyzed to determine how long during the day service is provided at least once an hour This information can be summarized as a table as in Example Problem 1 or on a map with the help of GIS software Both methods are illustrated Steps a Table Summary Develop a table listing hours of service for each location from which the level of service can be determined directly from Exhibit 5 8 _Location Hours of Service LOS Downtown 16 c A amp M University 16 C State University 16 C Community College 10 E Hospital 15 C State Office Building 11 E Office Park no service F Shopping Center 1 15 C Shopping Center 2 7 E Shopping Center 3 15 C Airport no service F E Residential 11 E NE Residential no service F N Residential 11 E NW Residential 10 E SW Residential 10 E S Residential 16 C SE Residential 12 D Page 5 44 Chapter 6 Example Problems
129. es alcohol fuels mineral fuels methanol propane hydrogen compressed and liquefied natural gas full accessibility see accessibility handicapped full service braking see braking maximum service funicular railway a passenger transportation mode consisting of a pair of rail vehicles or short trains permanently attached to two ends of the same cable counterbalancing each other It may have a single track with a turnout or a double track In the former wheels on one side of the car s will have double flanges on the other side no flanges This system is used to overcome steep gradients See also inclined plane furniture street see street furniture GRT group rapid transit see transit system group rapid GTO Gate turn off thyristor used in chopper controls for electric rail cars and trolleybuses gallery car see car gallery garage in bus systems the location in which buses are stored and serviced and where operators report for work and receive supplies and assignments Also sometimes known as a depot or barn gas turbine engine see engine gas turbine gate bus see bus gate gather service see service many to one gauge broad wide gauge a rail track gauge greater than standard wide gauge is slightly greater broad gauge is substantially greater Page 6 15 Glossary Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 6 GLOSSARY gauge narrow rail track gau
130. es E EET ket tae 5 10 Customer Satisfaction Surveys ceceeeesecsecseeeseeeeeeeeeeeeeeecensecssecaecsaecsaesaeeeneeeneeees 5 10 Transit System Size Considerations 00 0 0 ce eeeeeeeseeeecesecesecesecaecsaecaaesaeeeaeeeneeeeeees 5 11 Framework yooictS Shei ath eek eds es ial aso N 5 12 Availability sssrin rier e ches cap S Tr E EErEE ET E E EEE A Esr 5 12 Quality enen E R a E N A A AES 5 13 3 QUALITY OF SERVICE MEASURES sseseeseserecceresoeseseseccesosoesesesecoerosoesesesecoeeoee 5 15 Tinted uta om EAE E E EE TN 5 15 Measures Of A vat la bility ecccsscssecses cosevscvsusevouplecsevaayadgevs re eea EESE E ENEE ES 5 15 Transit Stop Sine eiee e easan Eeoa EEE EEEE ER eE E AEE EER 5 15 Route Segments arrie eee a AE EEE RE EE TET EEI eT E aE 5 19 SyS e err E E EE r EEEE EErEE E EET EE 5 20 Measures of Quality zermen n a A BAR EEN ate ER 5 27 Transit Stops a cohete to erene cosse ie aoirean eiee Teao EE osa ea coterie Davee 5 27 Route Segments 32 ects eA eee eae r ees 5 29 SYSLOML 255s sestie rocks EE ETA 5 31 4 APPLICATIONS scccscsscoccsscnccsccecssesssscesssscocssssncssesnessessessessessnesessncssessessosseses 5 35 Tint duction wist ict es cssessecvastssescnpesedebesistes shoes caetisisnes eae usedbbuaboes choctseceasts a cspaseteasesvenciees 5 35 Service ASSESSMENT moii deb vousentors Sada a Shaseh vehannte nu R RR R 5 35 Poli y and Goal Setting ionni cas Gate rossii ea iee ee irese evbocgeasens 5 37 Planning and Desig
131. es and to express routes The express routes can connect to the city center and to other hubs thus offering better suburb to suburb trips than possible with a radial route system Hubs are best located at activity centers such as shopping malls suburban town centers and campuses hub and spoke type of route structure based on timed connections that increases connectivity and productivity see hub hub miles hub kilometers actual logged miles kilometers of vehicle operation usually read from a hubometer or odometer ICE internal combustion engine see engine internal combustion ISTEA Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 ITE Institute of Transportation Engineers see organizations Institute of Transportation Engineers impedance l In transportation generally any condition that restricts or discourages travel or a measure of that condition 2 In transportation modeling any such condition explicitly accounted for within the model Time and costs are the factors usually considered but others may also be examined Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual inbound trip see trip inbound inclined plane incline inclined railway a special type of rail vehicle permanently attached to and hauled by a cable used for steep gradients operating on one or two tracks When two counter balanced vehicles operate on railway type tracks it is also known as a funicular railway
132. es on a scale of 1 10 and to identify whether they had experienced a problem with that attribute within the last 30 days For ease of comparison the 46 surveyed attributes can be grouped into the following nine categories comfort nuisances scheduling fares cleanliness in person information passive information safety and transfers When analyzing the top 10 attributes that were existing problems scheduling was the top area of concern followed by comfort and nuisances However when potential problems were analyzed fares and scheduling were the top concern followed by comfort and safety with nuisances the category with the least potential for high levels of concern The Florida Department of Transportation FDOT commissioned a survey of customer satisfaction factors for six larger Florida transit systems As with the TCRP B 11 survey the FDOT survey sought to identify both existing problems and potential problems A total of over 14 500 surveys were returned from the six systems representing response rates of up to 28 The surveys covered 22 factors including hours of service frequency of service convenience of routes on time performance travel time transferring cost information availability vehicle cleanliness ride comfort employee courtesy perception of safety bus stop locations and overall satisfaction Existing problems of greatest significance to customers in Florida were hours of service routes and headways
133. es that can operate independently in revenue service usually one to three exceptionally more cars battery bus see bus electric bay bus see bus bay belt passenger see moving walkway berth bus see bus bay berth train see train berth bicycle locker a lockable enclosed container used for storing a bicycle Typically provided at major transit stops and stations and rented on a monthly basis bicycle rack 1 A fixed post or framework to which bicycles may be secured and locked typically provided on a first come first served basis 2 A device mounted to a transit vehicle that allows bicycles to be transported outside the passenger compartment Typically provided on a first come first served basis many transit operators require that passengers obtain a permit to use them bidirectional car see car bidirectional Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 3 Glossary Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 6 GLOSSARY bidirectional transit unit see double ended transit unit bilevel car see car bilevel blister see bus bay block 1 A section of track or guideway of defined limits on which the movement of trains is governed by block signals cab signals or both also known as a signal block 2 A section of track of defined length the occupancy of which is regulated by fixed signal s telephone or radio orders or timetables also known as a block section 3 Th
134. es the miles kilometers traveled in a given area or on a given highway during the time period 2 In transit the number of vehicle miles kilometers operated on a given route or line or network during a specified time period vehicle occupancy the number of people aboard a vehicle at a given time also known as auto or automobile occupancy when the reference is to automobile travel only vehicle signal actuating device a device to control traffic signals that is activated by vehicles vehicle trip see trip vehicle velocity speed the distance passed per unit of time or the rate of change in location relative to time For transportation vehicles it is usually measured in miles kilometers per hour velocity cruise cruise speed the forward velocity that a vehicle maintains when it is neither Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual accelerating nor decelerating It is usually less than maximum design speed but can be equal to it velocity effective average speed 1 The average velocity at which a vehicle travels For transit vehicles it includes dwell times at stops or stations acceleration and deceleration 2 Vehicle miles divided by vehicle hours velocity maximum theoretical the highest theoretical velocity that a vehicle is physically capable of achieving usually specified on level tangent road or track with full service load viaduct mainly British and
135. ese areas can adequately support service Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 45 Chapter 6 Example Problems Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Service coverage LOS manual method Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Example Problem 3 The Situation Continuing the service review from Example Problems 1 and 2 The Question Where are the city s transit supportive areas and how well are they currently being served The Facts v Same assumptions as Example Problems 1 and 2 v The city s transportation model contains population and employment figures at the transportation analysis zone TAZ level v The transit operator does not have access to GIS software so the manual calculation method will be used for this example Comments v The TAZ map is available in an electronic form that allows the areas of each TAZ to be calculated v Census data for the area indicate an average household size of 2 5 people Outline of Solution Under the manual calculation method the transit supportive area is identified first Next the coverage area of the routes serving the transit supportive TAZs is identified Third the approximate percentage of each transit supportive TAZ served by transit is identified Finally the percentage of the total transit supportive area served by transit is calculated to determine LOS ris Develop a spreadsheet from the data used for the transportation model listing population jobs and area for ea
136. essibility by foot bicycle or automobile is also an important measure of transit availability and persons with disabilities require special consideration Passenger loads determine whether there is room on a transit vehicle for additional passengers to board which is yet another aspect of transit availability Route Segments Of the three primary measures of transit availability frequency hours of service and service coverage frequency has already been used for transit stops while service coverage is a given since the route exists Therefore hours of service is identified as the service measure This selection is an appropriate one since more than one route each operating with different frequencies and travel times can serve the same origins and destinations In these cases the total span of time during which a given pair of origins and destinations can be accessed is of greatest interest As with transit stops accessibility to transit routes by foot bicycle automobile and wheelchair is important Because pedestrian and bicycle access can vary significantly from one stop to the next along a route access by these modes is better addressed on a stop by stop basis In contrast in the same amount of time it takes to walk or bike to a stop motorists can choose among several stops to park and get onto transit As long as one of these stops meets a motorist s needs that person has access to transit The vehicle equipment used along
137. f a certain group such as the elderly employees of a company or residents of a neighborhood e g vanpools subscription buses paratransit complementary paratransit service provided within a certain distance of fixed route transit service to accommodate disabled passengers unable to use the fixed route service Required by the Americans with Disabilities Act park and ride park n ride P amp R an access mode to transit in which patrons drive private automobiles or ride bicycles to a transit station stop or carpool vanpool waiting area and park the vehicle in the area provided for that purpose park and ride lot park and pool lot commuter parking lot bicycle rack or locker They then ride the transit system or take a car or vanpool to their destinations parking facility an area which may be enclosed or open attended or unattended in which automobiles may be left with or without payment of a fee while the occupants of the automobiles are using other facilities or services parking turnover the ratio of the total number of parked vehicles accommodated during a given period in a specified area to the total number of parking spaces in that area pass 1 A means of transit prepayment usually a card that a transit passenger displays to the operator conductor or fare inspector or processes through automatic fare collection equipment instead of paying a cash fare Passes are usually sold by the week
138. f conventional transit facilities would be impossible or would create a hardship These people are also known as transportation handicapped as people who have a public transportation disability and more currently physically or mentally challenged handicapped accessibility full accessibility the extent to which facilities are free of barriers and usable by mobile handicapped people including wheelchair users handicapped ambulatory handicapped people who are able to move around without assistance In the context of transportation the term usually refers to people who although handicapped are able to use regular transportation services without assistance or special equipment such as wheelchair lifts handicapped nonambulatory handicapped people who are unable to move about without assistance for example those confined to a wheelchair handicapped accessibility see accessibility handicapped head end the beginning or forward portion of any train head sign a sign indicating the destination of the transit unit vehicle or train usually located above the windshield headway the time interval between the passing of the front ends of successive transit units vehicles or trains moving along the same lane or track or other guideway in the same direction usually expressed in minutes see also service frequency headway base the scheduled headway between transit unit vehicle or train tr
139. f the area best suited for transit has service Calculation Example GIS Method Step 1 Gather data The following GIS themes or layers will be required e Bus stop locations or alternatively bus routes e Areas served by paratransit or deviated fixed route bus service available to the general public e Residential unit and job data for relatively small areas This information is often available at the transportation analysis zone TAZ level from the transportation planning model maintained by local metropolitan planning organizations MPOs or planning departments Household data are also available from the U S Bureau of the Census at various levels of aggregation job data may be available from jurisdictions that administer business licenses or collect payroll taxes The smaller the areas used to aggregate household and job data the more accurate the results and the easier it will be to identify transit supportive areas For the purposes of this example TAZ level data are assumed to be available Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 23 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Step 2 Identify the coverage area Generate a theme containing buffers outlining the areas within 0 4 km 0 25 mi of a bus stop or bus route 0 4 km 0 25 mi of the area served by paratransit or deviated fixed route bus service available to the general public
140. fer time required varies Travel time for automobiles includes travel time in the automobile and time required to park one s car and walk to one s destination assumed to be an average of 3 minutes Walk time is based on a maximum 0 4 km 0 25 mi walk to transit at 5 km h 3 mph which will take about 5 minutes not all transit users walk the maximum distance Smaller cities may find it harder than large cities to achieve high levels of service for this measure In the San Francisco Bay Area for example it is faster to travel between downtown Oakland and downtown San Francisco by BART during the a m rush hour than it is to drive alone over the Bay Bridge On the other hand for a city with a population under 50 000 where it is possible to drive virtually anywhere in the city in 10 15 minutes the walk and wait time for transit by itself is nearly as much as the total automobile travel time and the calculated LOS will suffer as a result In general for small cities or for short trips the total transit travel time will generally be significantly longer than the automobile travel time Since transit auto travel time is a system measure its data requirements are greater than those for transit stop and route segment measures This section presents two methods for calculating transit auto travel time LOS one using a transportation planning model another by hand As with many of the other service measures transit auto travel time can be m
141. for boarding and alighting agencies federal see U S Government agency regional planning see organizations regional planning agency agency transit see transit district air brake see brake air and brake automatic air alight to get off or out of a transportation vehicle alignment in transportation the horizontal and vertical ground plan of a roadway railroad transit route or other facility as it would appear in plan and profile The alignment is usually described on the plans by the use of technical data such as grades coordinates bearings and horizontal and vertical curves see also roadbed and formation all or nothing trip assignment see trip assignment all or nothing all stop station see station all stop alternate fuel alternatives to conventional diesel fuel for urban transit buses intended to reduce pollution includes methanol propane CNG compressed natural gas LNG liquefied natural gas hydrogen for fuel cells and biomass derived fuels All carry premium costs that have produced a trend in larger or more cost conscious operators towards clean diesel solutions See also buses hybrid alternating current motor see motor alternating current alternative fuel see fuel alternative Amalgamated Transit Union see union transit ambulatory handicapped see handicapped ambulatory amenity passenger see passenger amenity A
142. ful when population and employment densities are higher and that both ends of a trip need to be served by transit for the trip to have a chance of occurring by transit The LOS measure provides a general assessment of service coverage while the secondary measures of percent person minutes of availability and the two indexes can be used for more detailed examinations of the relationship between transit service provided land use and density Monitoring passenger loads identifies routes that are over or under utilized An over utilized route may require more frequent service or larger vehicles to serve demand and maintain comfortable conditions for passengers An under utilized route should be reviewed to determine the reasons why low population and job density poor frequency or hours of service that do not meet the needs of potential riders inaccessibility due to busy streets and lack of sidewalks etc to try to correct the causes of the under utilization before a decision is made to cut service Reliability is another factor that should be monitored regularly to identify problem routes If the source of the problem is traffic congestion transit priority measures should be considered If capacity problems at a bus stop are creating queues of buses enlarging the stop implementing measures to reduce dwell times or operational changes to reduce the number of buses using the stop should be considered If buses are dwelling at a stop and then w
143. g of passengers between routes or lines in which case it is also known as a transfer center or different modes also known as a modal interchange center intermodal transfer facility or an hub Transit Cooperative Research Program a major transit research program provided for in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and established by the Federal Transit Administration in 1992 The program is administered by the Transportation Research Board on behalf of the Federal Transit Administration and the American Public Transit Association The program emphasizes the distribution of research information for practical use transit dependent having to rely on transit services instead of the private automobile to meet one s travel needs see also rider captive rider captive transit and transportation disadvantaged transit district a geographical or political division created specifically for the single purpose of providing transportation services It is a separate legal entity and usually possesses the authority to impose a property tax Transit agencies can directly operate transit service or contract out for all or part of the total transit service provided Such political divisions may also be known as a transit agency or transit authority see also property transit facilities exclusive see exclusive transit facilities transit lane exclusive or reserved see lane exclusive transit trans
144. g train total bus mile equivalents the number of vehicle miles that would have been operated by a transit mode if the service had been provided by motor buses Based on average seating plus standing capacity of the vehicle as compared to the capacity including standees typically 70 people of a standard size motorbus total operating revenue see revenue total operating total travel distance see distance linked trip total travel time see time linked trip total vehicle capacity see capacity vehicle track l An assembly of rails supporting ties and fastenings over which rail vehicles travel 2 A linear cam or way that physically guides and usually supports any matching vehicle used for transportation 3 The width of a wheeled vehicle from wheel to wheel usually measured between the outsides of the rims 4 The distance between the centers of the tread of parallel wheels as of an automobile track double a section of rail right of way where two parallel tracks are provided i e four running rails track passing see siding track pocket see pocket track track side see siding track brake see brake track track car see car track track circuit an electrical circuit that makes use of both rails to detect train occupancy of the track and in response to actuate signals train control devices and grade crossing protective equipment track crossing see c
145. ge that is less than standard commonly 1000 mm or 3ft 3 2 5 in meter gauge or 1067 mm or 3 ft 6 in Cape gauge gauge standard a rail track gauge that is 1435 mm 4 ft 8 5 in wide gauge track the distance between the inside faces of the two rails of a track measured 16 mm 5 8 in below the top of the rails and perpendicular to the gauge line gauge wide see gauge broad gear running see running gear generation trip see trip generation generator trip see trip generator government U S see U S Government governor 1 A device that keeps a transit vehicle from exceeding a set maximum speed 2 A device that holds the rotational speed of an engine approximately constant regardless of the load or prevents it from exceeding a predetermined value grade or gradient rise in elevation within a specified distance As an example a 1 grade is a 1 m ft rise in elevation in 100 m ft of horizontal distance in Britain expressed as 1 100 or 1 in 100 and in Europe 10 1000 grade crossing see crossing grade grade crossing protection signal see signal grade crossing protection grade crossing traffic control device any form of protective or warning device installed at a railroad or transit guideway grade crossing for the protection of highway or street traffic grade separation a vertical separation of intersecting facilities road rail etc by the provis
146. have a relatively short wait for the next trip if one bus or train is missed Service at LOS B and C still provides a good range of travel times but involves longer waits when a vehicle is missed At LOS D only a few trips per day are made between the communities but one is not forced to wait the entire day at one s destination for the return trip The threshold between LOS E and F is a minimum of two round trips per day allowing a return to one s origin the same day with sufficient time in the destination city for the trip to be useful With just one round trip a day LOS F a transit vehicle would likely return to its origin soon after arriving not allowing time for one to do anything useful in the destination community and still return home that day Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 17 Intercity transportation services help fill the mobility needs of smaller communities Intercity service frequency LOS is measured by trips per day Exhibit 5 7 also applies to commuter rail service Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Pedestrian bicycle automobile and ADA access to transit is difficult to quantify but important to consider as part of transit availability ADA accessibility to transit Bicycle accessibility Automobile accessibility Passenger loads can be a transit availability concern when too few vehicles are scheduled or at locations with strong pa
147. he drivers and the service is often independently operated However it is authorized or regulated and distinct from unofficial and usually illegal jitney service where often uninsured private cars or vans solicit passengers often running ahead of transit buses See also transportation system Jitney service level of see level of service service limited l A transit service that operates only during a certain period of the day or that serves only specific stops also known as limited stop service or in a specified area or that serves only certain segments of the population 2 Line service with some restrictions on boarding and alighting service line haul 1 Transportation service along a single corridor without branches with stops along the way Usually service is intensive high capacity and may use exclusive right of way 2 May also be used to describe express service or even main line service as opposed to feeder service service local 1 Transit service that involves frequent stops and consequent low average speeds the purpose of which is to deliver and pick up transit passengers close to their destinations or origins 2 Transit operation in which all transit units vehicles or trains stop at all stations 3 Transit service in a city or its immediate vicinity as distinguished from regional transit service or interurban lines service local bus a bus service that picks up and discha
148. he lower level Now unique to Chicago and Montreal car light rail LRV light rail vehicle a streetcar or rail vehicle similar to a streetcar often articulated operating on light rail systems with substantial amounts of segregated track and higher speeds than traditional on street streetcar operation Designs available with folding steps capable of boarding and discharging passengers at either track or car floor level as in San Francisco and Hannover See also car streetcar car light rail vehicle low floor a light rail vehicle with low floor for level boarding and exiting Floor height is 250 to 350 mm 10 14 in Page 6 7 Glossary Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 6 GLOSSARY requiring a platform or raised curb at this height Wheelchair access is provided directly or by a hinged or removable bridge plate or by an electrically operated retractable plate Partial low floor light rail vehicles have internal steps to access high floor area s over trucks and rarely any articulations In this way conventional trucks and propulsion equipment can be used car motor see car rail motor car multiple unit MU a powered rail car arranged either for independent operation or for simultaneous operation with other similar cars when connected to form a train of such cars It may be designated as DMU diesel multiple unit or EMU electric multiple unit depending on the source of power ca
149. heduled transit service discussed below for the purposes of determining LOS The service frequency LOS measure for urban scheduled transit service is headway however for convenience Exhibit 5 5 lists LOS both by headway and by the corresponding number of vehicles per hour It should be emphasized that although headways are given as continuous ranges for the purposes of determining LOS passengers find it easier to understand schedules when clock headways are used headways that are evenly divisible into 60 When clock headways are used transit vehicles arrive at the same times each hour Service frequency LOS is determined by destination from a given transit stop as several routes may serve a given stop but not all may serve a particular destination Some judgment must be applied to bus stops located near timed transfer centers There is a considerable difference in service from a passenger s perspective between a bus arriving every 10 minutes and three buses arriving in a row from a nearby transfer center every 30 minutes even though both scenarios result in six buses per hour serving the stop In general buses on separate routes serving the same destination that arrive at a stop within 3 minutes of each other should be counted as one bus for the purposes of determining service frequency LOS Exhibit 5 5 Service Frequency LOS Urban Scheduled Transit Service Headway _LOS min Veh h_ Comments A lt 10 gt
150. high occupancy vehicles lane reserved transit see lane exclusive transit lane reversible a highway or street lane on which the direction of traffic flow can be changed to use maximum roadway capacity during peak period demands lane reversible bus a highway or street lane that is reserved for the exclusive use of buses and other high occupancy vehicles and that can be operated in alternate directions during the two peak hour periods It may be the center lane in an arterial street that is used for left turning traffic in off peak hours Usually bus operators who use this facility are required to have special training and a permit and the buses may be subject to access or operation controls or both see lane contraflow lay by 1 In rail systems a side track 2 In bus systems see bus bay layover vehicle see time layover layover time see time layover layover zone a designated stopover location for a transit vehicle at or near the end of the route or line or at a turnback point legislation Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ADA federal civil rights law which assures people with disabilities equal opportunity to fully participate in society the ability to live independently and the ability to be economically sufficient legislation Federal Transit Act of 1964 federal legislation enacted in 1964 that established the federal mass transportation program Formerly known
151. houlder If a highway includes two or more separate roadways the term means any such roadway separately but not all such roadways collectively rolling stock see fleet rolling stock capacity see capacity fleet round trip see trip round route 1 The geographical path followed by a vehicle or traveler from start to finish of a given trip 2 A designated specified path to which a transit unit vehicle or train is assigned Several routes may traverse a single portion of road or line 3 In traffic assignments a continuous group of links that connects two centroids normally the path that requires the minimum time to traverse 4 In rail operations a determined succession of contiguous blocks between two controlled interlocked signals route deviation service see service route deviation route miles route kilometers various definitions exist for this statistic 1 One way duplicating is total mileage kilometers of routes where the roadway or guideway segments of each individual route are summed up in one direction For example a 1 mile km segment over which buses operate in both directions would be reported as 2 miles km also known as directional route miles kilometers or miles kilometers of roadway or route 2 One way non duplicating is total mileage kilometers of routes where a particular roadway or guideway segment is only counted once regardless of number of routes or direction of
152. ic automobile service service radial service that connects the CBD with outlying areas service regional rail alternate term for commuter rail specific to East coast see transit system commuter rail service regional transit long bus or rail transit lines with few stations and high operating speeds They primarily serve long trips within metropolitan regions as distinguished from city transit service and local short haul transit service service research information see Railroad Research Information Service Transportation Research Information Services and Urban Mass Transportation Research Information Service service revenue 1 Transit service excluding deadheading or layovers 2 Any service scheduled for passenger trips service route deviation public transportation service on an exclusive basis that operates along a public way on a fixed route but not a fixed schedule The vehicle may deviate from the route occasionally in response to demand for service or to take a passenger to a destination after which it returns to its route It is a form of paratransit See also service jitney service scatter see service one to many service school bus service designed to transport children to or from any regularly conducted public or private school or school related activities either on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis service shoppers special service provided during off pe
153. ice officers ride transit establishing community volunteer programs providing two way radios and silent alarms for emergency communication and using video cameras Passenger Loads Transit is less attractive when passengers must stand for long periods of time especially when transit vehicles are highly crowded When passengers must stand it becomes difficult for them to use their travel time productively which eliminates a potential advantage of transit over the private automobile Crowded vehicles also slow down transit operation as it takes more time for passengers to get on and off Most transit agencies assess the degree of passenger crowding on a transit vehicle based on the occupancy of the vehicle relative to the number of seats expressed as a load factor A factor of 1 0 means that all of the seats are occupied The importance of vehicle loading Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 9 A longer trip by transit than by automobile may be seen by passengers as being less convenient this may be mitigated somewhat if the on board transit time can be used productively where the in car time would not be Free parking at a worksite is a disincentive to transit use Passengers perceptions of safety must be considered in addition to actual conditions The ability to find a seat on a transit vehicle is an important passenger comfort factor for longer trips Chapter 2 Quality of Service Framework Transit Capacity and Quali
154. icle Because of the different characteristics of urban scheduled transit service paratransit service and intercity scheduled transit service different measures are used to define LOS for each kind of service as described below Frequency LOS can vary by time of day or week for example a service may operate at LOS B during peak hours LOS D midday and LOS F at night Similarly paratransit service may operate at LOS D on weekdays but at LOS F on weekends if no service is offered Level of service considerations Level of service measures presented in this chapter generally include a description of the change in conditions that occurs at each LOS threshold Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 15 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Urban scheduled transit service includes deviated fixed route bus service Commuter rail is treated as intercity scheduled transit service Headway determines service frequency LOS for urban scheduled transit service Service frequency LOS is measured by access time Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Urban Scheduled Transit Service Urban scheduled transit service includes all scheduled service within a city as well as service between cities within a larger metropolitan area Deviated route bus service is included in this category because the basic service is scheduled even if specific stops are not Commuter rail is considered as intercity sc
155. icle and longer waits than expected for the vehicles Most transit systems define a fixed route transit vehicle as late when it is more than 5 minutes behind schedule Some systems consider transit vehicles to be on time when they depart 1 3 minutes early but the majority of systems consider an early departure as not being on time From the perspective of a passenger waiting for a transit vehicle an early departure is often equivalent to a vehicle being late by the amount of one headway Reliability LOS considers on time for fixed route service to be a departure from a published timepoint 0 5 minutes after the scheduled time or an arrival at the end of the route no more than 5 minutes after the scheduled time Early departures are not considered on time Reliability data routinely collected by field supervisors may not be the best to use for determining on time performance as when a problem occurs that delays vehicles the supervisor will generally be working to fix the problem rather than continuing to collect data As a result the data may not include all late transit vehicles In the case of deviated fixed route service with a bus traveling to the rider rather than the rider traveling to meet a bus early arrivals and departures are not as critical Also maintaining a consistent schedule from day to day is harder Therefore reliability Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 29 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures
156. ii e inrcr r A Ea geben E a a 5 37 Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 i Contents Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual 5 REFERENCEG cccsssssssssssssessessssessersesessersesessessesessessesessessesessessesessessesesesseseseens 5 39 6 EXAMPLE PROBLEMS cscsssssssssrsscssensescssensescesceescescssesesseneesesesevssseesersesees 5 41 LIST OF EXHIBITS Exhibit 5 1 Transit Performance Measure Categories and Examples eee 5 3 Exhibit 5 2 Transit Trip Decision Making Process Transit Availability 5 5 Exhibit 5 3 Transit Trip Decision Making Process Transit Convenience 5 6 Exhibit 5 4 Quality of Service Framework eee eecesecesecesecsseceeecneeeseseeeeeeeeeenes 5 12 Exhibit 5 5 Service Frequency LOS Urban Scheduled Transit Service 5 16 Exhibit 5 6 Service Frequency LOS Paratransit Service ees eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeseennees 5 17 Exhibit 5 7 Service Frequency LOS Intercity Scheduled Transit Service 5 17 Exhibit 5 8 Hours of Service LOG a 500 csssesscssci skh sacasces tspesnge issn sdes iscusetetesssoestssessastaets 5 19 Exhibit 5 9 Transit System Coverage Area Example ceeeceseeseceseceeecreeeeeeeeeeeeees 5 21 Exhibit 5 10 Transit Supportive Area Example 00 0 cccecceecseecseecneeeeeeeeeeseeeseeseensees 5 22 Exhibit 5 11 Comparative Area and Population of Example Analysis Areas 5 23 Exhibit 5 12 Service Coverage LOS 00 cee cee see eseceeeeeeeeeeeeesceseensecaecaeea
157. il transit a series circuit of electrical switches at each door that prohibit a train from starting unless all passenger doors are closed and locked traction pole pole mast or standard supporting electric overhead for streetcars and trolleybuses sometimes other electric traction modes traction sub station see electric sub station tractive effort tractive force the force exerted by a locomotive or other powered vehicle on its driving wheels It is equal to the weight on the driving wheels times the coefficient of adhesion trade union see union traffic annual average daily AADT daily traffic that is averaged over a calendar or fiscal year traffic annual average weekday AA WDT daily traffic that is averaged over a calendar or fiscal year and that includes only weekdays Mondays through Fridays It may also exclude holidays traffic average daily ADT the average number of vehicles that pass a specified point during a 24 hr period traffic mixed mixed flow traffic traffic that contains different vehicle categories or different modes traffic passenger see passenger flow traffic assignment see trip assignment traffic checker see checker traffic control device grade crossing see grade crossing traffic control device traffic control system centralized see control system centralized traffic traffic count a record of the number of vehicles people aboa
158. inds of transit performance measures e Chapter 2 examines the factors that enter into a potential rider s decision to use transit for a particular trip and introduces a framework for categorizing quality of service measures e Chapter 3 presents level of service ranges for six quality of service measures addressing transit availability and quality for transit stops route segments and systems e Chapter 4 discusses applications for the quality of service measures e Chapter 5 contains references for material presented in Part 5 which may be consulted for further information regarding transit quality of service e Chapter 6 presents example problems that apply quality of service measures to real world situations Definitions In the North American transit industry many definitions are not standardized or are specific to a particular transit system Caution is needed with the terms quality of service and level of service which carry a variety of meanings Level of service for example is often used literally to mean the amount of service both in frequency and hours of coverage the latter sometimes referred to as the span of service This manual uses the following definitions of transit performance measures quality of service service measures and levels of service e Transit Performance Measure A quantitative or qualitative factor used to evaluate a particular aspect of transit service e Quality of Service The
159. ine of traffic for example off line station off line station see station off line off peak the periods of time outside the peak periods see also base period off peak fare see fare time of day off peak period see base period off street terminal see terminal off street on and off check or count see check on board check see check one to many service see service one to many one way trip see trip one zone ride a transit ride within the limits of one fare zone on line in the main flow of traffic on line station see station on line on time performance the proportion of the time that a transit system adheres to its published schedule times within stated tolerances for example a transit unit vehicle or train arriving passing or leaving a predetermined point time point along its route or line within a time period that is no more than x minutes earlier and no more than y minutes later than a published schedule time Values of 0 minutes for x and 5 minutes for y are the most common On frequent rail services the headway can be used for x with greater values the late train interferes with delays the following one open cut guideway see guideway open cut open loop braking see braking open loop open fare system see fare collection system proof of payment self service barrier free open operating costs the sum of all recurring costs
160. ing a ride At LOS F service is only available a few days a week or not at all Intercity Scheduled Transit Service Transportation services between communities can be just as important as services within communities especially for rural communities where medical educational and other services may not be readily available Intercity transportation services whether bus train or ferry help fill these mobility needs by linking smaller communities to larger communities and to other transportation modes A number of states recognize rural mobility needs by incorporating goals for minimum intercity service levels in their statewide transportation plans The number of trips per day between one community and another establishes the level of service for intercity service as shown in exhibit 5 7 Exhibit 5 7 f Service Frequency LOS Intercity Scheduled Transit Service p LOS Trips Day Comments A gt 15 Numerous trips throughout the day B 12 15 e g midday and frequent peak hour service C 8 11 e g midday or frequent peak hour service D 4 7 Minimum service to provide choice of travel times E 2 3 Round trip in one day is possible F 0 1 Round trip in one day is not possible Technically a round trip might be possible but the transit vehicle would likely return to its origin soon after arriving at its destination not allowing any time for errands At LOS A passengers have many choices of travel times and
161. ion of crossing structures graduated fare see fare graduated grid network see network grid group low mobility see transportation disadvantaged group rapid transit see transit system group rapid group riders see riders group guided busway see busway guided guideway in transit systems a track or other riding surface including supporting structure that supports and physically guides transit vehicles specially designed to travel exclusively on it guideway elevated a grade separated guideway on a structure that provides overhead clearance for vehicles at ground level see also aerial structure guideway elevated on fill a grade separated guideway above the prevailing surface of the terrain that is supported by an embankment instead of by a structure guideway open cut a guideway below the prevailing surface of the terrain in a trench like excavation cut or cutting HCM Highway Capacity Manual HEP head end power see locomotive passenger HOV high occupancy vehicle see vehicle high occupancy Page 6 16 HOV lane high occupancy vehicle lane see lane high occupancy vehicle habit coefficient riding see riding frequency coefficient handicapped people who have physical or mental impairments that substantially limit one or more major life activities In the context of transportation the term usually refers to people for whom the use o
162. ions to connect the design of pedestrian facilities with levels of service A for best through F for worst 5 The amount of transit service provided levels of service transit six designated ranges of values for a particular service measure graded from A best to F worst based on a transit passenger s perception of a particular aspect of transit service levitation magnetic see magnetic levitation lift wheelchair see wheelchair lift light rail see transit system light rail and transit system light rail rapid light rail car see car light rail light rail dual mode see transit system light rail dual mode light rail rapid transit see transit system light rail rapid light rail transit see transit system light rail light rail vehicle see car light rail limit civil speed see civil speed limit limited access see access limited limited or limited stop service see service limited limits interlocking see interlocking limits limits yard see yard limits line 1 A transportation company e g a bus line 2 A transit service operated over a specified route or combination of routes 3 An active in use railroad track or AGT guideway 4 In network coding a route and its service level including mode designation type of service line Page 6 19 Glossary Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual numb
163. ips between peak periods headway clock the scheduled headway between transit unit vehicle or train trips based on even times i e 60 30 20 15 10 and 7 minutes headway interference headway that is so close that one vehicle or train interferes with or delays the next headway non interference headway such that in normal operations one train does not delay another headway policy 1 Headway prescribed by reasons other than matching capacity to demand 2 The maximum permissible headway as established by the transit agency or often the policy board usually for off peak low demand periods headway management a technique for managing the operation of transit units vehicles or trains that focuses on maintaining a certain spacing between units on the same line instead of on adhering to a timetable For example if units become bunched corrective measures might include delaying the units at the rear of the bunch to provide regular headways and hence load distribution even at the expense of reducing timetable adherence Glossary heavy rail see transit system rail rapid high occupancy vehicle see vehicle high occupancy high occupancy vehicle lane see lane high occupancy vehicle high platform see platform high high voltage see voltage high highway street or road 1 General terms denoting a public way for purposes of vehicular travel including the ent
164. ire area within the right of way The recommended usages are as follows in urban areas highway or street in rural areas street or road 2 Street in common general usage refers to the vehicular travel way as distinguished from the sidewalk the pedestrian travel way Highway Capacity Manual TRB Special Report 212 a standard reference used to calculate the capacity and quality of service of roadway facilities highway RR crossing see crossing highway railroad home based trip see trip home based honor system honour in Britain Canada type of fare collection system without controls or checks once common only in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe but now rapidly disappearing Often incorrectly used to describe enforced proof of payment fare collection system see fare collection system open proof of payment self service barrier free hot running see running hot hour s rush see peak hours of service 1 The number of hours during the day between the start and end of service on a transit route also known as the service span 2 For calculating transit level of service the number of hours during a day when service is provided at least hourly on a transit route hub timed transfer focal point transit center or interchange for connections or transfers between modes and or routes Connections are usually timed in clock headway pulses and allow convenient transfer between local rout
165. it mall see street transit transit mode see mode transit transit performance measure a quantitative or qualitative factor used to evaluate a particular aspect of transit service transit priority measures a blanket term for measures such as busways queue jumpers signal preemption etc that give transit vehicles priority over other road users transit service measure a quantitative performance measure that best describes a particular aspect of transit service and represents the passenger s point of view transit shelter a building or other structure constructed at a transit stop It may be designated by the mode offering service for example bus shelter A transit shelter provides protection from the weather and may provide seating or schedule information or both for the convenience of waiting passengers transit stop see stop transit transit street see street transit transit supportive area see area transit supportive Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 39 Glossary Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 6 GLOSSARY transit system the facilities equipment personnel and procedures needed to provide and maintain public transit service transit system accessible a transit system that can transport any mobile person including those who are physically disabled and in which the vehicles and stops or stations are designed to accommodate patrons who are confine
166. ity lane see lane priority priority lane bus see lane bus priority system bus see bus priority system private transportation l Any transport service that is restricted to certain people and is therefore not open to the public at large 2 Owned or operated by an individual or group for his or its own purposes or benefit not by a governmental entity productions trip see trip productions productive capacity see capacity productive productivity the ratio of units of transportation output to units of input consumed resource for example vehicle miles vehicle kilometers per operator hour or passenger miles passenger kilometers per unit cost of operation program National Cooperative Research see National Cooperative Highway Research Program and National Cooperative Transit Research and Development Program program Research Development and Demonstration see Research Development and Demonstration Program program Service and Methods Demonstration see Service and Methods Demonstration Program programmed braking see braking programmed progression automatic see automatic progression proof of payment see fare collection system proof of payment property operation operator system in the transit industry a public transit agency or a private transit company with responsibility for transportation services such as bus ferry rail see also transi
167. ive Research Program Transportation Research Board Washington DC 1997 11 Nelson Nygaard Consulting Associates Tri Met Primary Transit Network Phase II Report Portland OR 1997 12 O Sullivan Sean and John Morrall Walking Distances to and from Light Rail Transit Stations Transportation Research Record 1538 Transportation Research Board Washington DC 1996 13 Pushkarev Boris and Jeffrey M Zupan Public Transportation and Land Use Policy Indiana University Press Bloomington IN 1977 14 Robertson H Douglas editor Manual of Transportation Engineering Studies Institute of Transportation Engineers Washington DC 1994 15 Rood Timothy Local Index of Transit Availability Riverside County California Case Study Report Local Government Commission Sacramento CA 1997 Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 39 Chapter 5 References Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE 16 17 18 19 Ryus Paul Working Definition of the Transit Level of Service Indicator memorandum to the Florida Department of Transportation Public Transit Office Tallahassee FL 1998 St Jacques Kevin and Herbert S Levinson Operational Analysis of Bus Lanes on Arterials TCRP Report 26 Transportation Research Board Washington DC 1997 Tri County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon Tri Met Bus Stop and Passenger Amenities Guideline
168. ixed signal that is located along the track right of way signal actuating device see pedestrian signal actuating device and vehicle signal actuating device signal aspect 1 The appearance of a fixed signal conveying an indication as viewed from the direction of an approaching rail unit 2 The appearance of a cab signal conveying an indication as viewed by an observer in the cab of a rail unit signal block see block signal indication the information conveyed by a signal signal preemption in highway operations an automatic or manual device for altering the normal signal phasing or the sequence of a traffic signal to provide preferential treatment for specific types of vehicles such as buses or trains simple catenary see catenary system single unit car see car single unit single occupant vehicle SOV see vehicle single occupant skip stop service see service skip stop sleeper 1 an inert passenger who remains on a transit vehicle at end of run often inebriated 2 British for railroad tie see crosstie slow order a location where trains must temporarily travel more slowly than maximum authorized track speed for that location slug 1 a commuter who lacking membership in acar pool regularly waits at designated pick up points hoping to catch a ride in a car pool vehicle with an unfilled seat particular to US East Coast See also carpool casual 2 persons who
169. izations regional planning agency regional rail service see service regional rail regional transit service see service regional transit register or registering farebox see farebox registering regular fare see fare base relationship speed flow see speed flow relationship relay track see track relay relay time see time layover reroute to divert to a route other than the scheduled route usually with preplanning and for a longer period than that for a detour Research Information Service see Highway Research Information Service Railroad Research Information Service Transportation Research Information Services and Urban Mass Transportation Research Information Service Research Program see National Cooperative Highway Research Program National Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Cooperative Transit Research and Development Program and Transit Cooperative Research Program reserved transit lane see lane exclusive transit response time see time response retardation see deceleration revenue farebox the passenger payments for rides including cash farecards tickets tokens pass receipts and transfer and zone charges but excluding charter revenue revenue non transportation other revenue earned by activities not associated with the provision of the system s transit service for example sales of maintenance services renta
170. k trip trip assignment flow distribution traffic assignment in planning a process by which trips described by mode purpose origin destination and time of day are allocated among the paths or routes in a network by one of a number of models see also urban transportation modeling system trip distance linked total travel distance the distance traveled on a linked trip that is the distance from the point of origin to the final destination including the walking distance at trip ends and at transfer points trip distance unlinked the distance traveled on an unlinked trip for example a trip on a single vehicle trip distribution in planning the process of estimating movement of trips between zones by using surveys or models see also urban transportation modeling system and model sequential trip end a trip origin or a trip destination trip generation in planning the determination or prediction of the number of trips produced by and attracted to each zone see also urban transportation modeling system and model sequential trip generator a land use from which trips are produced such as a dwelling unit a store a factory or an office tripper 1 In transit operations a short piece of work that cannot be incorporated into a full day s run usually scheduled during peak hours 2 In transit operations a short work schedule for operators usually 1 3 hr long for example duri
171. l 1 For passengers the time required at the ends of trips to park and pick up their private vehicles including any necessary walking time 2 For rail vehicles the time allowed at a terminal between arrival and departure for turning vehicles recovering delays and preparing for the return trip 3 The time required for a passenger to pass through a terminal when there is a change of mode time total travel see time linked trip time transfer the time required to effect a change of mode or to transfer between routes or lines of the same mode In transportation modeling this time is weighted typically by a factor of 1 5 time trip see time linked trip and time unlinked trip time turnaround see time layover time unlinked trip in planning the time duration of an unlinked trip that is one made on a single vehicle time wait the time spent waiting for a transit vehicle time weighted a measure of travel time where certain components e g wait time are factored upward see also time transfer time work see time platform timed connection or transfer see transfer timed timed transfer focal point see hub timed transfer system a transit network consisting of one or more nodes transit centers and routes or lines radiating from them The system is designed so that transit vehicles on all or most of the routes or lines are scheduled to arrive at a transit
172. l of vehicles and buildings non transit parking lots sale of advertising space and investment income revenue total operating the sum of regular passenger revenue charter revenue and other miscellaneous revenues such as those from advertising or concessions revenue miles revenue kilometers miles kilometers operated by vehicles available for passenger service revenue passenger see passenger revenue revenue passenger trips the number of fare paying transit passengers with each person counted once per trip excludes transfer and non revenue trips revenue seat mile revenue seat kilometer the movement of one transit passenger seat over 1 miles km In other words the total number of revenue seat miles kilometers for a vehicle is obtained by multiplying the number of revenue seats in the vehicle by the number of revenue miles kilometers traveled revenue service see service revenue revenue track miles or kilometers see track miles revenue revenue vehicle see vehicle revenue revenue vehicle miles revenue vehicle kilometers paid miles or kilometers the distance in miles kilometers that a revenue vehicle is operated while it is available for passenger service reverse commute see commute reverse reverse move the forward movement of a train going against the normal direction of traffic reversible bus lane see lane reversible bus reversible lane
173. l transfer see transit center factor K see K factor factor load see load factor factor peak hour see peak hour factor factor travel time see travel time factor fail safe incorporating a feature that ensures that malfunctions that affect safety will cause the system to revert to a state that is safe far side stop see stop far side fare 1 The required payment for a ride on a public transportation vehicle It may be paid by any acceptable means for example cash token ticket transfer farecard voucher or pass or user fee 2 A passenger who pays a fare fare adult cash basic full fare paid by one adult for one ride may exclude transfer and zone charges fare average the arithmetic average of all fares paid by all revenue passengers including those who received special or reduced fares It is usually derived by or generally equivalent to dividing total fare revenue by total origin to destination trips although it may be based on unlinked trips fare base basic fare regular fare full fare the price with no discounts charged to an adult for regular local service or for systems with zone pricing a one zone fare with no discounts that is what it costs an adult paying a single cash fare to take a one zone ride On systems with time based fares it is normally the peak period fare fare concession a reduced fare for various classes or passengers children s
174. led pick up time deviated fixed route arrival within 20 minutes of scheduled pick up time paratransit At LOS A passengers experience highly reliable service and are assured of arriving at their destination at the scheduled time except under highly unusual circumstances Service is still very reliable at LOS B but one transit vehicle a week will be late on average if a passenger must transfer At LOS C at least one ride a week will be late on average more if transfers are involved At LOS D and E one becomes less and less assured of arriving at the scheduled time and one may choose to take an earlier trip to ensure not being late At LOS F the number of late trips is very noticeable to passengers For transit service operating at frequencies of 10 minutes or less headway adherence is used to determine reliability as shown in Exhibit 5 17 The measure is based on the coefficient of variation of headways of transit vehicles serving a particular route arriving at a stop c which is calculated as follows _ standard deviation of headways C v scheduled headway Equation 5 1 Exhibit 5 17 Reliability LOS Headway Adherence LOS _Coefficient of Variation 0 00 0 10 0 11 0 20 0 21 0 30 0 31 0 40 0 41 0 50 gt 0 50 Applies to routes with headways less than or equal to 10 minutes amoo Page 5 30 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual
175. les to locations with strong peaking characteristics such as airports sports stadiums or concert venues when many people will wish to board transit vehicles at the same time Unusual weather conditions such as snow and ice in some areas can cause people who normally drive to use transit instead resulting in overcrowded conditions However these conditions are difficult to try to plan for Page 5 18 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Route Segments Hours of Service Hours of service also known as service span is simply the number of hours during the day when transit service is provided along a route a segment of a route or between two locations It plays as important a role as frequency and service coverage in determining the availability of transit service to potential users if transit service is not provided at the time of day a potential passenger needs to take a trip it does not matter where or how often transit service is provided the rest of the day Hours of service LOS given in Exhibit 5 8 is measured similarly for fixed route and paratransit services For fixed route service LOS is based on the number of hours per day when transit service is provided at least once an hour corresponding to a minimum LOS E for service frequency and compatible with a typical one hour analysis period For paratransit service LOS is based on the number of hours per day when service is
176. lopment of an effective national road and highway transportation system It assists states in constructing highways and roads and provides financial aid at the local level including joint administration with the Federal Transit Administration of the 49 USC Section 5311 formerly Section 18 of the Federal Transit Act program U S Government Federal Railroad Administration FRA an agency of the United States government established in 1966 as part of the U S Department of Transportation It coordinates government activities that are related to the railroad industry U S Government Federal Transit Administration FTA a component of the U S Department of Transportation delegated by the Secretary of Transportation to administer the federal transit program under Chapter 53 of Title 49 United States Code and various other statutes Page 6 44 Formerly known as the Urban Mass Transportation Administration U S Government National Railroad Passenger Corporation Amtrak an agency created by Congress in 1970 to operate the national railroad passenger system It also operates commuter rail service under contract usually to metropolitan transit agencies U S Government National Transportation Safety Board NTSB an independent agency of the federal government whose responsibilities include investigating transportation accidents and conducting studies and making recommendations on transportation safety measures an
177. ly after having paid a fare or with proper credentials 2 The area in a station that is set off by barriers gates or other structures to permit ready access to transit only by those who have paid fares or secured passes before entering area service 1 The jurisdiction in which the transit property operates 2 The geographic region in which a transit system provides service or that a transit system is required to serve See also area coverage area transit supportive an area with sufficient population and or employment density to warrant at least hourly transit service area urbanized UA as defined by the Bureau of the Census a population concentration of at least 50 000 inhabitants generally consisting of a central city and the surrounding closely settled contiguous territory suburbs The boundary is based primarily on a population density of 1 000 people mi but also includes some less densely settled areas as well as such areas as industrial parks and railroad yards if they are within areas of dense urban development The boundaries of UAs the specific criteria used to determine UAs or both may change in subsequent censuses It should be noted that some publications abbreviate urbanized area UZA area occupancy in station and other facility design and in pedestrian movement the area provided per person arterial service see service arterial articulated bus or articulated trolleybus an
178. ly encoded or smart card On systems with distance based fares stored value farecards must be inserted again on exit at which point an additional fare may be subtracted The system may include special equipment for transporting and counting revenues fare collection system proof of payment self service barrier free open various names for an open fare collection system that has no turnstiles or fare gates Proof of payment is the preferred name It requires that the passenger display proof of payment e g validated ticket prepaid pass valid transfer while on board the transit vehicle or in other designated fare paid areas Enforced through random checking by specific transit employees security staff or police with the power to collect premium on board fares more common in Europe or issue tickets or citations typically resulting in revenue loss below 2 3 Widely used in Europe and on North American light rail systems the system combines flexibility and low cost with the fewest impediments to passengers with disabilities Often combined with self service ticket vending machines Erroneously called an honor system a name that applies only to systems without enforcement fare recovery ratio farebox recovery ratio the ratio of fare revenue to direct operating expenses see also operating ratio fare registering faregate turnstile a faregate that records the fares paid Glossary fare s
179. may be constructed at above or below grade and may be located in separate rights of way or within highway corridors bypass queue see queue jumper bypass lane see queue jumper CBD central business district CNG Compressed natural gas CTC Centralized traffic control see control system centralized traffic CUTA Canadian Urban Transit Association see organizations Canadian Urban Transit Association cab l The space or compartment in a locomotive or a powered rail car containing the operating controls and providing shelter and seats for the engine crew or motor operator 2 A taxicab cab car see car cab cable car see car cable cab signal see control system cab signal call road see road call cam controller a device to regulate direction accelerating running and braking of an electric vehicle with switched resistor control Cams on a rotating shaft open or close spring loaded contacts that make or break electric circuits between the power supply and the traction motors Canadian Urban Transit Association see organizations Canadian Urban Transit Association cancellor see validator capacity achievable capacity practical the maximum number of passengers that can be transported over a given section of a transit line in one direction during a given time period factored down to reflect the uneven passenger Glossary demand during the peak hour une
180. merican Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials see organizations American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials American Public Transit Association see organizations American Public Transit Association a m peak see peak Amtrak see U S Government National Railroad Passenger Corporation annual average daily traffic see traffic annual average daily annual average weekday traffic see traffic annual average weekday area auto free see auto free zone Page 6 2 area auto restricted see auto restricted zone area coverage in transit operations the geographical area that a transit system is considered to serve normally based on acceptable walking distances e g 1 4 mile 0 4 km from loading points For suburban rail transit that depends on automobile access park and ride or kiss and ride coverage may extend several kilometers See also area service area free a portion of a transportation facility that people are permitted to enter without the payment of a fare area fringe the portion of a municipality immediately outside the central business district or the portion of an urban area outside of a central city or cities urban fringe that is characterized by a variety of business industrial service and some residential activity area loading see bus bay area paid area 1 An area that a passenger may enter on
181. n which the vehicle passes through pre specified points in accordance with a prearranged schedule but is not given a specific route to follow between these points It may provide door to door or curb to curb service See also service point deviation points a pair of linked movable tapered rails used in rail switches that allow a train to pass from one line to another Points are also used for the same function in overhead wiring for trolleybuses pole trolley see trolley pole policy headway see headway policy pool see buspool carpool and vanpool power dual see propulsion system dual power and bus hybrid powered car see car rail motor power rail see rail third preemption signal see signal preemption preferential bus lane see Jane bus pre metro system see transit system pre metro Presidents Conference Committee see organizations Presidents Conference Committee and car PCC Presidents Conference Committee car see car PCC preventive maintenance see definition of maintenance pricing a strategy for charging users It may be used to ration demand change behavior cover costs or achieve other policy objectives pricing peak hour charging higher prices for peak period service than for off peak service Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual pricing time of day varying the price of service during the day prior
182. nce measures TCRP Synthesis 10 Bus Route Evaluation Standards is a useful compilation of a number of performance measures at both the transit route and system levels The operator point of view encompasses the measures routinely collected in the U S for the FTA s National Transit Database formerly Section 15 annual reporting process Most of these measures relate to economy or productivity These measures are important to the operator and indirectly to passengers by reflecting the amount of service an operator can afford to provide on a route or the system as a whole The productivity measures e g ridership indirectly measure passenger satisfaction with the quality of service provided However only two of these reported operator measures directly relate to the passenger s point of view 1 actual vehicle revenue hours per directional mile and 2 vehicles operated in maximum service per directional mile These measure the amount of service The first is an overall system average while the second is an average of the amount of service provided in the peak period i e when maximum service is deployed Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 2 Chapter 1 Introduction Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Exhibit 5 1 Transit Performance Measure Categories and Examples TRANSIT PERFORMANCE MEASURES OPERATOR POINT OF VIEW Sa Fa
183. nd destinations of the trips of Glossary vehicles or travelers It may also include trip purposes and frequencies out of service not in service a transit vehicle or facility that is not available for transporting passengers outbound trip see trip outbound outlying business district OBD the portion of an urban area that is normally separated from the central business district and fringe area but that supports considerable business activity and has its own traffic circulation superimposed on some through traffic overall travel time see time linked trip overall trip speed see speed overall trip overhead colloquial abbreviation for overhead contact system in electric traction see OCS overhead contact shoe contact shoe trolley shoe a metal bar usually with graphite insert for collecting current from an overhead conductor along which it slides It is held in place by a trolley pole pantograph or bow overhead contact system OCS the overhead electric supply system for rail and trolleybus systems including contact wire catenary messenger wires supporting masts span wires and bracket arms overload see extra section over the road coach see bus intercity owl bus or run see run owl owl service see service owl P amp R park and ride PCC Presidents Conference Committee see organizations Presidents Conference Committee and car PC
184. nds that operates alone car streetcar an electrically powered rail car with width and turning radius suitable for operating on city streets and equipped with lower skirt and safety devices to protect pedestrian falling under car see also car light rail car track a self propelled rail car e g burro crane highway rail car detector car weed burner tie tamper that is used in maintenance service and that may or may not operate signals or shunt track circuits car trailer l An unpowered rail car operated in trains with powered cars rapid transit or towed by locomotives regional rail 2 In some rail rapid transit systems a trailer may be powered however it does not have operator s control and thus can only be operated in consists with cars that do car trolley 1 A local term for a streetcar 2 Recently also a local term for a bus with a body simulating that of an old streetcar car unidirectional a rail car usually light rail or streetcar that has doors on one side and an Page 6 8 operating cab at only one end so that it must be turned around by separate means at terminals car urban rail a light rail rail rapid transit or commuter rail car car weight designations AWO empty weight AW1 weight with seated passenger load AW2 weight with average peak hour passenger load AW3 crush loaded weight Passengers are usually assumed to weigh an average of 70 kg 155 160 Ib
185. nduction etc that operates on alternating current generally three phase The dominant motor type on modern electric transit vehicles from the mid 1990s motor direct current an electric motor shunt compound etc that operates on direct current motor electric see motor motor induction an asynchronous alternating current rotary motor that converts alternating current electric power delivered to the primary winding usually the stator and carried as induced current by the secondary winding usually the rotor into mechanical power motor linear induction LIM single sided linear induction linear electric an electric motor that produces mechanical force through linear instead of rotary motion used to propel vehicles along a track or other guideway The vehicle borne motor creates a moving magnetic field that is translated into linear motion via an inert steel guideway reaction rail often laminated and aluminum covered Used on the ALRT systems in Vancouver Toronto Scarborough Detroit New York JFK Airport and Kuala Lumpur motor series wound a motor in which the field circuit is connected in series with the armature circuit often called a traction motor motor shunt a type of rotary electric motor in which the field coils are connected in parallel with the motor armature motor synchronous a synchronous machine that transforms electrical power from any alternating curren
186. ne exclusive carpool exclusive right of way see right of way exclusive exclusive transit facilities transportation system infrastructure elements that are set aside for the use of transit vehicles only Examples include some freeway ramps queue jumpers bus lanes off street bus loading or unloading areas and separated and fully controlled rights of way exclusive transit lane see lane exclusive transit exclusive transit right of way see right of way exclusive transit express bus see service express bus express service see service express expressway a divided arterial highway for through traffic An expressway has full or partial control of access and generally has grade separations at major intersections extra section double overload duplicate Br a second bus added to accompany a regularly scheduled bus to handle passenger overloads FHWA Federal Highway Administration see U S Government Federal Highway Administration FRA Federal Railroad Administration see U S Government Federal Railroad Administration Page 6 13 Glossary Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual FTA Federal Transit Administration see U S Government Federal Transit Administration facilities accessible transportation see accessible transportation facilities facilities exclusive transit see exclusive transit facilities facility intermoda
187. nes exclusive right of way bus operations trolley coaches and ferryboats as fixed guideway transit transit system group rapid GRT an automated guideway transit system that uses medium sized vehicles operating automatically as single units or coupled trains on exclusive rights of way with special guideways The vehicles are usually rubber tired and electrically propelled The systems are sometimes referred to as people mover systems but preferred term is automated guideway transit transit system heavy rail see transit system rail rapid transit system interurban electric rail transit service between cities and towns Once common in North America now rare with the Chicago South Shore amp South Bend the only remaining system transit system light rail LRT as defined by the TRB Subcommittee on Light Rail Transit a metropolitan electric railway system characterized by its ability to operate single cars or short trains along exclusive rights of way at ground level on aerial structures in subways or occasionally in streets and to board and discharge passengers at track or car floor level transit system light rail dual mode light rail transit with operation extended over railroad trackage that is shared with other trains First examples in Karlsruhe and Saarbrucken Germany Page 6 40 with cars equipped to operate at 750 volts DC and 15 000 volts AC transit system light rail rapid
188. next to others but others will not All passengers can still sit at LOS C although the choice of seats will be very limited Some passengers will be required to stand at LOS D load levels while at LOS E a transit vehicle will be as full as passengers will normally tolerate LOS F represents crush loading levels A greater range of areas per passenger is provided for rail LOS than for bus LOS as rail tends to provide fewer seats in favor of more standing room Other Measures Reliability Reliability is discussed as a service measure in the next section route segments because it tends not to vary between adjacent stops However for a passenger waiting at a particular stop that passenger s perception is that the transit vehicle is late arriving at his or her stop Amenities The kinds of amenities provided at transit stops are usually a matter of agency policy based on the number of boarding riders that would benefit from a particular amenity as well other factors Exhibit 5 15 lists common transit amenities typical ranges of boarding passengers used by transit systems to warrant their installation and other factors which should be considered when considering these amenities Page 5 28 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Exhibit 5 15 Typical Transit Stop Amenities SP19 Typical Daily Boarding Amenity Volumes at Stop Other Factors to Consider Shelter 10 ru
189. ng opposing or conflicting train movements interlocking limit the track length between the most remote opposing home signals of an interlocking interlocking solid state an interlocking with logic based on computers rather than traditional relays or now obsolete mechanical locks intermodal those issues or activities which involve or affect more than one mode of transportation including transportation connections choices cooperation and coordination of various modes intermodal integration service coordination between two or more different transportation modes This arrangement may include joint transfer stations coordinated scheduling joint fares and combined public information activities intermodal transfer facility see transit center internal combustion engine see engine internal combustion International Union of Public Transport see organizations International Union of Public Transport interrupted flow transit vehicles moving along a roadway or track and having to make service stops at regular intervals intersection the point at which two or more roadways meet or cross intersection point of see point of intersection interurban see transit system interurban iron maiden full height tri part turnstile with interlocking metal bars impervious to fraud or vandalism used mainly on older east coast rapid transit systems mainly for exiting station platform
190. ng peak periods 3 On some transit properties a short run that is less than 8 hr long 4 On some transit properties a transit service that operates on only a portion of a route usually at peak hours trip productions in planning the number of trips daily or for a specified time interval that are produced from and return to a given zone generally the zone of residence Trip productions can also be defined as the home end of home based trips or the origin of non home based trips trip purpose the primary reason for making a trip for example work shopping medical appointment recreation trip time see time linked trip and time unlinked trip trolley l An apparatus such as a grooved wheel or shoe at the end of a pole used for collecting electric current from an overhead wire Glossary and transmitting it to a motor of a streetcar trolleybus or similar vehicle where it is used for traction and other purposes 2 colloquial term for streetcar and in some cities trolleybus and or replica streetcar see bus trolley replica trolley bus alternate spelling for trolleybus the single word is recommended trolleybus electric trolleybus trolley coach trackless trolley an electrically propelled bus that obtains power via two trolley poles from a dual positive and negative overhead wire system along routes It may be able to travel a limited distance using battery power or an auxiliary
191. nical services for the railroads and its purposes include the promotion of railroad interests and the standardization and coordination of operating and mechanical activities within the railroad industry organizations Canadian Urban Transit Association CUTA an industry association made up of individual transit operators and suppliers in Canada organizations department of transportation DOT a municipal county state or federal agency responsible for transportation see also U S Government Department of Transportation organizations Institute of Transportation Engineers ITE a society of professionals in transportation and traffic engineering It promotes education research the development of public awareness and the exchange of professional information in these areas with the goal of contributing individually and collectively toward meeting human needs for mobility and safety organizations International Union of Public Transport UITP an association that pools information and experience of urban and interurban transportation undertakings for joint study and research and promotes technical and economic development organizations Presidents Conference Committee PCC Electric Railway Presidents Conference Committee a group of leading streetcar producers and operators who between 1930 and 1935 sponsored the development of the PCC car This car had performance characteristics superior to any
192. nience of transit service As Exhibit 5 1 indicates there are a number of possible performance measures that can be used The measures that have been determined to best represent the passengers perspective of transit availability comfort and convenience yet are relatively easy to measure have been selected as service measures as shown by the darker tint Level of service ranges developed for these and other service measures are presented in Chapter 3 Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 4 Chapter 1 Introduction Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual 2 QUALITY OF SERVICE FRAMEWORK TRANSIT TRIP DECISION MAKING PROCESS Urban transport involves millions of individual travel decisions Some are made infrequently where to take a job to locate a home outside an area with transit service or to purchase a second car Some decisions are made for every trip through a two step thought process similar to that illustrated in Exhibit 5 2 and Exhibit 5 3 The first step in the process is to decide whether or not transit is a possibility for the trip This step assesses the availability of transit service and is illustrated in Exhibit 5 2 Exhibit 5 2 Transit Trip Decision Making Process Transit Availability SPATIAL AVAILABILITY ORIGIN Is there a transit stop within walking distance of the trip origin OR Is demand responsive service available at the trip origin OR Is a car available AND a Park amp Ride facility located
193. nish of service on a transit line or route 2 In transit or railroad operations a published table of departure or arrival times or both for arranged service over a transit line or route or a specific section of railroad see also timetable schedule check see check schedule checker see checker schedule speed see speed schedule scheduling in transit operations the process of preparing the operating plan schedule for a transit line or network on the basis of passenger demand policy or level of service and operating elements travel times etc school bus see bus school school bus service see service school bus scratch ticket a ticket on which the user can scratch overprinting off to indicate zone and or month day and time of validity Common on daypasses used on one and two zone passes in Vancouver B C seating or seated capacity see capacity seating seating 2 1 transverse seating arrangement providing three seats per row two on one side of the aisle and one on the other side of the aisle seating 2 2 transverse seating arrangement providing four seats per row two on each side of the aisle seating 2 3 transverse seating arrangement providing five seats per row two on one side of the aisle and three on the other side of the aisle Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual not popular with passengers This seating arrangement constrains aisle wid
194. nt of operating personnel and vehicles run number a two or three digit number displayed on a hand set or flip dot display in the lower windscreen displaying the run or schedule slot the vehicle is in primarily as information to inspectors street supervisors or checkers running gear the vehicle parts whose functions are related to the movement of the vehicle including the wheels axles bearings and suspension system running hot running sharp running ahead of schedule Unacceptable practice on most systems running rail see rail running running speed see speed running running time see time running rush hour s see peak SE Single Ended rail or streetcar with driving position only at one end requires loop to turn around at end of line SLT shuttle loop transit see transit system shuttle loop SOV single occupant vehicle see vehicle single occupant SU single unit see car single unit saddle monorail see transit system monorail safety distance 1 minimum separation of trains with various control systems 2 in a moving block signaling system the specific distance between the target point and the train or obstruction ahead See control system safety island see loading island scatter service see service one to many schedule 1 A listing or diagrammatic presentation in time sequence of every trip and every time point of each trip from start to fi
195. ntown and Shopping Center 1 which take 10 minutes longer by bus most trips to destinations around the city take 25 40 minutes longer by bus than by car Outline of Solution Look at the levels of service for each category and assess how potential changes in service might affect them Steps The following table summarizes LOS for the hospital based on Example Problems 1 4 and the information presented above Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Example Problem 6 The transit agency from Example Problems 1 4 would like to Transit service report card assess service to and from the hospital What is the overall quality of service provided Category LOS Service Frequency Hours of Service Service Coverage Passenger Loads Reliability Transit Auto Travel Time Ratio E or F to most residential locations C to downtown colleges E to most residential locations C to downtown colleges nearest shopping center B system wide hospital is served B B B to downtown nearest shopping center C or D to other locations served by transit The Results The areas where service could be improved the most are service frequency hours of service and transit auto travel time ratio A many to one paratransit service to the hospital could address these areas Such a service would be more convenient for patients who would not have to wait as long before and after appointments for bus servic
196. nts 2 The ratio of the length measured in units of either distance or time of a trip between two points by one mode and the length of the trip by another mode cog railway rack railway mountain railway a rail transportation mode with auxiliary or full traction provided by a geared wheel in the middle of a powered axle that is engaged with a rack toothed bar installed along the track center This system used to overcome steep gradients Similar Fell system uses adhesion grip on center rail without gear teeth collector current see current collector command and control system C amp C in rail system any means of adjusting and maintaining prescribed headways effecting starting and stopping merging and switching and controlling other such functions It is usually considered to include transit unit car or train protection transit unit operation and line supervision to ensure safe movement of the transit unit within the system Preferred usage is train control system See also control system common carrier see carrier common commission 1 Eastern Canadian term for transit agency particularly in Ontario 2 to prepare new transit vehicles or other hardware for revenue service communication based control system see control system moving block commutation ticket in rail systems a ticket sold at a reduced rate for a fixed or unlimited number of trips in a designated area during a sp
197. o a post at a designated intersection Institute of Transportation Engineers see organizations Institute of Transportation Engineers insulated rail joint see rail joint insulated integration intermodal see intermodal integration interchange 1 facility for passenger transfers or connection between routes or modes see hub 2 The system of interconnecting ramps between two or more intersecting travel ways highways transit guideways etc that are grade separated interchange center modal see transit center intercity bus see bus intercity intercity transportation 1 Transportation between cities 2 Transportation service provided between cities by certificated carriers usually on a fixed route with a fixed schedule interface transportation see transportation interface interline 1 interchange of passengers between one or more bus lines rail transit lines or railroads 2 transfer of transit vehicles or trains between routes during a day to improve staff or vehicle assignment efficiency interlocking in rail systems an arrangement of switch lock and signal devices that is located Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 17 Glossary Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual where rail tracks cross join separate and so on The devices are interconnected in such a way that their movements must succeed each other in a predetermined order thereby preventi
198. oad in each direction during a 24 hr period 2 The average number of trains that pass over a specified section of railroad in a specified period In rail transit usually in trains per hour trainlined brake see brake continuous train operation the way in which a train is operated for example automatic with automatic overspeed control or manual with either automatic or manual speed control or skip stop train operation automatic see automatic train operation train operator see operator train train protection automatic see automatic train protection train stop system automatic see automatic train stop system train supervision automatic see automatic train supervision tram see streetcar tramway see transit system streetcar tramway aerial see aerial tramway transfer l A passenger s change from one transit unit vehicle or train or mode to another transit unit or mode 2 A slip of paper card or other instrument issued to passengers either free or with a transfer fee that gives the right to change from one transit unit or mode to another according to certain rules that may limit the direction of travel or the time in which the change may be made transfer free a transfer that requires no additional payment transfer paid a transfer that requires an additional payment transfer fee either at the time of purchase or at the time of boarding another tr
199. of the train and train crew 3 In some bus operations an Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 9 Glossary Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual operating employee other than the bus driver who collects fares and may control doors confidence level a statement of assurance of the accuracy of a statistical statement e g if it is asserted that a population parameter is indeed within the computed confidence interval at confidence level a this means that the risk of error is 1 0 confidence limit a boundary of the confidence interval usually referred to as lower and upper confidence limits connectivity the ability of a public transportation network to provide service to the maximum number of origin and destination trip pairs through the optimal integration of routes schedules fare structures information systems and modal transfer facilities consist in rail systems the makeup or composition number and specific identity of individual units of a train contact rail see rail third contact shoe overhead see overhead contact shoe contact wire trolley wire an overhead electric conductor that supplies power to electric rail vehicles and trolleybuses continuous brake see brake continuous continuous inductive train control system see control system continuous train continuous train control system see control system continuous train continuous w
200. of time passengers must wait at a transit stop for a transit vehicle to arrive as well as the consistency of a passenger s arrival time at a destination from day to day Reliability encompasses both on time performance as well as the regularity of headways between successive transit vehicles Uneven headways result in uneven passenger loadings with a late transit vehicle picking up not only its regular passengers but those passengers that have arrived early for the following vehicle with the result that the vehicle falls farther and farther behind schedule and more passengers must stand In contrast the vehicles following will have lighter than normal passenger loads and will tend to run ahead of schedule With buses this bunching phenomenon is irritating both to passengers of the bunched buses as well as to passengers waiting for other buses who see several buses for another route pass by while they wait for their own bus With signaled rail operations bunched trains often have to wait at track signals until the train ahead of them moves a safe distance forward The resulting unscheduled waits are not popular with passengers particularly when no on board announcements are given explaining the delay Reliability is influenced by traffic conditions for on street mixed traffic operations vehicle maintenance and staff availability reflecting whether a vehicle can leave the garage or is likely to break down on the road and by how well v
201. ome regard people mover as a subset of AGT people mover downtown DPM a people mover that primarily serves internal movements in a central business district performance on time see on time performance performance measure performance indicator measure of effectiveness a quantitative measure of how well an activity task or function is being performed In transportation systems it is usually computed by relating a measure of service output or use to a measure of service input or cost period base or off peak see base period period peak see peak peripheral parking see parking fringe permissive block see block absolute permissive person capacity see capacity person person trip see trip person personal rapid transit see transit system personal rapid Personal Transportation Study Nationwide see Nationwide Personal Transportation Study personnel operating see operating employees plan sketch see sketch planning plan system see system planning platform the front portion of a bus or streetcar where passengers board platform the front portion of a bus or streetcar where passengers board platform passenger that portion of a transit facility directly adjacent to the tracks or roadway at which transit units vehicles or trains stop to load and unload passengers Within stations it is often called a station platform platform center B
202. ometimes against excessive speed or other hazardous conditions automatic train stop system ATS a system that works in conjunction with equipment installed on the electric rail car or locomotive to apply the brakes at designated restrictions or on a dispatcher s signal should the operator not respond properly automatic train supervision ATS the subsystem within automatic train control that monitors trains adjusts the performance of individual trains to maintain schedules and provides data for adjusting service to minimize the inconveniences otherwise caused by irregularities May also be used for systems that merely display train status and rely on staff intervention for any corrective action automatic vehicle location system AVL a system that determines the location of vehicles carrying special electronic equipment that communicates a signal back to a central control facility AVLs are used for detecting irregularity in service and are often combined with a computer aided dispatch system Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual automobile or auto occupancy see vehicle occupancy auto restricted zone ARZ auto restricted area an area in which vehicular traffic is regulated by time of day and type of vehicle Normal automobile traffic and sometimes delivery of goods are limited to certain times public transit emergency vehicles and usually taxicabs are permitted unrestricted access av
203. ons to vehicle drivers or operators distance linked trip see trip distance linked distance total travel see trip distance linked distribution flow see trip assignment distribution trip see trip distribution district central business see central business district district outlying business see outlying business district diversity loading a measure of the unevenness of the passenger loading of transit vehicles in time e g between buses or trains on the same route or location e g between cars of a train See also peak hour factor door double stream a door on a transit vehicle with sufficient width generally 1 14 1 37 m or 3 75 4 5 ft to permit two passengers to board and or alight simultaneously A handrail may or may not be provided to separate the two passenger streams door single stream a door on a transit vehicle that allows passenger flow in only one direction at a time district transit see transit district door to door service see service door to door double see extra section double deck car see car double deck double decker bus see bus double decker double ended car see car bidirectional double ended transit unit bidirectional transit unit rail car or train with an operating cab at each end downtown people mover see people mover downtown driving wheels wheels that are powered by a motor or engine and tha
204. ontrols the movement of a rail transit unit vehicle or train Specific titles are also used such as car operator rapid transit operator streetcar operator order slow see slow order orders authorization to move a train as given by a train dispatcher either in writing or orally organizations see also U S Government and union transit organizations American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials AASHTO membership includes state and territorial highway and transportation departments and agencies and the U S Department of Transportation Its goal is to develop and improve methods of administration design construction operation and maintenance of a nationwide integrated transportation system It studies transportation problems advises Congress on legislation and develops standards and policies organizations American Public Transit Association APTA a nonprofit international industry association made up of transit systems and other organizations and institutions connected to or concerned with the transit industry It performs a variety of services for the industry and its objectives include promotion of transit interests information exchange research and policy development Page 6 24 organizations Association of American Railroads AAR an industry association made up of individual railroads in the United States Canada and Mexico It performs a variety of tech
205. or other high occupancy vehicles right of way exclusive transit a right of way that is fully grade separated or access controlled and is used exclusively by transit right of way segregated roadway or right of way reserved for transit use but which permits other modes to cross the right of way at defined locations such as grade crossings right of way shared roadway or right of way which permits other traffic to mix with transit vehicles as is the case with most streetcar and bus lines right of way miles right of way kilometers first track miles or kilometers the length of right of way occupied by one or more lanes or tracks see also route miles road see highway street or road road collector see street collector distributor roadbed l In railroad construction the foundation on which the ballast and track rest 2 In highway construction the graded portion of a highway within top and side slopes prepared as a foundation for the pavement structure and shoulder road call a mechanical failure of a bus in revenue service that necessitates removing the bus from service until repairs are made Page 6 30 road miles road kilometers linear miles kilometers of highway as measured along the centerline of the right of way road supervisor see inspector roadway that portion of a highway built designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel except the berm or s
206. or to meet peak passenger demands also known as a short turn 2 In rail operations a point along a track at which a train may reverse direction turnout 1 In rail transportation the assembly of a switch and a frog with closure rails by which rolling stock or trains can travel from a track onto either one of two diverging tracks also known as a track switch 2 A short side track or passage that enables trains automobiles and similar vehicles to pass one another 3 A short passing lane on a highway turnout bus see bus bay turnover parking see parking turnover turnover point a point along a transit route at which a large proportion of passengers leave and board a transit unit turnstile a mechanical device used to control and or measure pedestrian entry or exit from an area It uses a bar that rotates out of the way when a pedestrian presses against it When used as a faregate the bars unlock only after the correct fare has been paid turnstile fare registering see fare registering faregate Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual turntable a circular rotating mechanical device that allows a rail car to be turned in place to change its direction of travel It may be motorized or as in the case of San Francisco s cable cars require operators to physically push the car to turn it around UA urbanized area see area urbanized UITP see organizations International Union
207. ors that have essential services not found elsewhere Targets can also be set for the amount of service provided to intermodal transfer centers such as bus terminals train stations and airports e Congestion management The time and speed related measures can be used by areas experiencing traffic congestion to relate auto and transit levels of service A worse automobile LOS than normally desired might be acceptable if transit provides sufficient capacity and acceptable levels of service e Transit operations A transit operator for comfort or liability reasons may wish to limit the allowed passenger load on transit vehicles to the number of seats available An operator may also wish to link the kinds of amenities provided at transit stops to the number of boarding passengers PLANNING AND DESIGN Transit operator policy has direct impacts on capacity calculations used for planning and design For example an operator s passenger load standard affects person capacity calculations service frequency requirements to accommodate a given demand equipment requirements and the sizing of transit station elements The design failure rate used in sizing bus stops impacts reliability A policy on the service frequency to be provided to locations with a given population or employment density affects the person capacity that transit provides at the maximum load point between those locations Measures such as the Transit Orientation Index that link lan
208. overall measured or perceived performance of transit service from the passenger s point of view e Transit Service Measure A quantitative performance measure that best describes a particular aspect of transit service and represents the passenger s point of view It is also known elsewhere as a measure of effectiveness e Levels of Service Six designated ranges of values for a particular service measure graded from A best to F worst based on a transit passenger s perception of a particular aspect of transit service Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 1 Quality of service reflects the passenger s perspective Organization of Part 5 Chapter 1 Introduction Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Indexes Operator point of view The primary differences between performance measures and service measures are the following 1 Service measures must represent the passenger s point of view while performance measures can reflect any number of points of view 2 In order to be useful to users service measures should be relatively easy to measure and interpret It is recognized however that system wide measures will of necessity be more complex than bus stop or route segment measures 3 Level of service LOS grades are developed only for service measures However transit operators are free to develop LOS grades for other performance measures if those measures would be more appropriate for pa
209. own 20 Cc A amp M University 20 C State University 30 D Community College 20 C Hospital 20 C State Office Building 60 E Office Park no R F Shopping Center 1 D Shopping Center 2 E Shopping Center 3 20 C Airport no eee F E Residential E NE Residential no service F N Residential 60 E NW Residential 60 E SW Residential 60 E S Residential 40 E _SE Residential 60 E Thus the service frequency LOS between most of the city s residential areas and the community college is LOS E even though the college itself receives service at 20 minute intervals Service between downtown and Shopping Center 3 is LOS C since both ends of the trip receive service at 20 minute intervals The Results Trips from the residential areas to most employment shopping and educational locations have a service frequency LOS E despite relatively frequent service at most of the trip destinations This means that workers and patients at the hospital for example do not have nearly the number of travel opportunities that the hospital s 20 minute service frequency might indicate On the other hand trips originating in the downtown area receive fairly frequent service to a number of potential destinations Travelers flying into and out of the city will have to find a mode other than transit to get to and from the airport Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 43 Chapter 6 Example Problems Transit Capacity and Quality of S
210. p R An access mode to transit whereby passengers usually commuters are driven to a transit stop and left to board a transit unit and then met after their return trip Transit stations usually rail often provide a designated area for dropping off and picking up such passengers L abbreviation for elevated railway mainly Chicago see transit system rail rapid LIM linear induction motor see motor linear induction LNG Liquefied Natural Gas LOS level of service LRT light rail transit or light rapid transit mainly British see transit system light rail LRV light rail vehicle see car light rail labour Canadian British spelling of labor lane bus bus priority lane preferential bus lane priority bus lane a highway or street lane reserved primarily for buses either all day or during specified periods It may be used by other traffic under certain circumstances such as making a right or left turn or by taxis motorcycles or carpools that meet specific requirements described in the traffic laws of the specific jurisdiction lane bypass see queue jumper lane carpool a highway or street lane intended primarily for carpools vanpools and other high occupancy vehicles including buses either all day or during specified periods It may be used by other traffic under certain circumstances such as while making a right turn Minimum occupancy is contentious many requi
211. pacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 6 GLOSSARY bus suburban transit suburban coach a bus with front doors only normally with high backed seats reading lights and without luggage compartments or restroom facilities for use in longer distance service with relatively few stops bus trolley see trolleybus bus trolley replica a bus with an exterior and usually an interior designed to look like a vintage streetcar bus urban transit see bus standard urban bus bay 1 A branch from or widening of a road that permits buses to stop without obstructing traffic while laying over or while passengers board and alight also known as a blister bus duckout bus turnout pull off or lay by As reentry of the bus into the traffic stream can be difficult many agencies discourage their construction 2 A specially designed or designated location at a transit stop station terminal or transfer center at which a bus stops to allow passengers to board and alight also known as a bus dock or bus berth 3 A lane for parking or storing buses in a garage facility often for maintenance purposes bus bay angle a bus bay design similar to an angled parking space that requires buses to back up to exit allows more buses to stop in a given linear space Typically used when buses will occupy the berth for a long period of time for example at an intercity bus terminal bus bay drive through pull through a b
212. previous model of streetcar and became the standard of U S streetcars for many years See also car PCC organizations Public Utilities Commission PUC Public Service Commission PSC a state agency whose responsibilities include regulation of for hire public and private carriers of passengers and goods within a state Other jurisdictions e g a city may also have a PUC or PSC that regulates for hire carriers within that jurisdiction organizations regional planning agency RPA a nonprofit quasi public organization whose policy board is composed of member municipal government representatives It makes recommendations related to land use the environment human resources housing and transportation for a specific region organizations Transportation Research Board a unit of the National Research Council operating under the corporate authority of the private and nonprofit National Academy of Sciences The purpose of TRB is to advance knowledge concerning the nature and performance of transportation systems by stimulating research and disseminating the information derived therefrom Its affiliates and participants include transportation professionals in government academia and industry origin 1 The point at which a trip begins 2 In planning the zone in which a trip begins origin destination service see service origin to destination origin destination study O D study a study of the origins a
213. ps that opens only for buses 3 A bus only passageway between suburban sub divisions controlled by a gate or a pit that is too wide for automobiles to pass examples in Calgary also known as a vehicle trap business district see central business district and outlying business district bus lane see lane bus Page 6 6 bus mile bus kilometer one bus operated for 1 mile kilometer bus only street see street bus only bus platoon several buses operating together as a convoy with each bus following the operating characteristics of the one in front buspool group of people who share the use and cost of bus transportation between designated origins and destinations on a regular basis for example daily trips to work bus priority lane see lane bus bus priority system a system of traffic controls in which buses are given special treatment over the general vehicular traffic e g bus priority lanes or preemption of traffic signals bus priority system metered freeway a means of giving buses preferential access to enter a freeway by restraining the entrance of other vehicles through the use of ramp metering see also freeway metered bus rapid transit see transit system bus rapid bus run see run bus bus shelter see transit shelter bus stop see stop transit bus turnout see bus bay busway a special roadway designed for exclusive use by buses It
214. r s standpoint however there are significant differences between small towns and large cities particularly in passenger demand volumes and available funding levels These differences can be accounted for in the way transit agencies apply the levels of service a small city agency may set a service frequency goal of LOS E while a large city agency may set a service frequency target of LOS C The measure used to determine level of service is the same in both cities the difference is that one agency sets a higher standard than the other in order to meet its service area s greater needs Level of service ranges are not adjusted to reflect differences in city sizes but different operators may wish to set different LOS targets Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 11 Chapter 2 Quality of Service Framework Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Performance measures in CAPITAL LETTERS have corresponding levels of service in Chapter 3 Other measures shown are discussed in Chapter 3 but do not have levels of service associated with them Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE FRAMEWORK Chapter 3 divides quality of service measures into two main categories availability and quality The availability measures address the spatial and temporal availability of transit service If transit is located too far away from a potential user or if it does not run at the times a user requires the service that user would not consider transit service to
215. r PCC PCC Presidents Conference Committee car a streetcar first produced in 1935 Its performance and efficiency were significantly improved over those of any streetcar previously built The PCC car characterized by lightweight construction smooth and rapid acceleration and deceleration and soft ride became the standard for U S streetcars for many years About 5 500 cars were manufactured in North America 16 000 in Europe and many using PCC features in Russia as recently as 1997 See organizations Presidents Conference Committee car powered see car rail motor car rail diesel RDC diesel rail car a self powered rail car usually with two diesel engines capable of multiple unit operation DMU car rail motor motor car powered car self powered car self propelled car a rail car that is propelled by an electric motor or internal combustion engine located on the car itself see car electric rail and car rail diesel car rail rapid transit rapid transit car subway car heavy rail car bidirectional rail car for rapid transit systems usually powered multiple unit equipped and with a control cab at one or both ends Characterized by multiple double doors per side designed for fast boarding and alighting from high level platforms car self propelled or self powered see car rail motor car single unit SU a powered rail car equipped with a control cab at one or both e
216. r C from everywhere within the metro area except Fish Valley Service between suburbs is generally poor as is often the case with a radial pattern although some suburbs e g Nutria have relatively good service Because of the number of transfers involved transit travel times from Fish Valley are very high compared to the automobile making transit an unattractive option for potential riders Possible improvements to improve service include the following 1 Express service from distant suburbs to Anytown to reduce travel times 2 Express cross town routes between suburbs where demand warrants 3 Decreasing the number of transfers required or improving timed transfers to reduce the average wait time when transferring between routes 4 Transit priority measures on high volume routes serving Anytown to make travel times even more competitive with the automobile Page 5 54 Chapter 6 Example Problems The Situation The Question The Facts v Same assumptions as Example Problems 1 4 Comments vA Survey of peak hour bus passenger loads over several days at the hospital determines that all passengers are seated and that about 1 3 of the seats on average are empty The agency uses standard 12 meter buses v The agency normally checks schedule reliability only for arrivals at the downtown transfer center Over the previous year buses serving the hospital arrived late 7 of the time on average v Other than trips to dow
217. r driving most people still prefer to drive their own cars unless high out of pocket costs such as parking charges provide a disincentive or unless transit travel time is competitive with the automobile The level of service measure is the door to door difference between automobile and transit travel times including walking waiting and transfer times if applicable for both modes It is a measure of how much longer or in some cases shorter a trip will take by transit The trip length is not as important as the trip time a 20 mile trip that takes an Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 31 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Travel Time LOS Difference min Comments A lt 0 Faster by transit than by automobile B 1 15 About as fast by transit as by automobile C 16 30 Tolerable for choice riders D 31 45 Round trip at least an hour longer by transit E 46 60 Tedious for all riders may be best possible in small cities hour longer by transit and a 5 mile trip that takes an hour longer both require an extra hour out of one s day although longer trips have a greater potential for taking longer Travel time for transit includes walk time from one s origin to transit assumed to be an average of 3 minutes wait time 5 minutes travel time on board transit varies walk time from transit to one s destination 3 minutes and any trans
218. r operational demand within a prescribed acceptable time when operated under specified conditions system management transportation see transportation system management system performance see definition of level of service system planning in transportation a procedure for developing an integrated means of providing adequate facilities for the movement of people and goods involving regional analysis of transportation needs and the identification of transportation corridors involved system safety the application of Operating Technical and Management techniques and principles to the safety aspects of a system throughout its life to reduce hazards to the lowest level possible through the most effective use of available resources Page 6 36 system safety engineering the application of scientific and engineering principles during the design development manufacture and operation of a system to meet or exceed established safety goals TCRP Transit Cooperative Research Program TDM Transportation Demand Management TEA 21 Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century See legislation TEA 21 TRB Transportation Research Board see organizations Transportation Research Board TRIS Transportation Research Information Services TSM transportation system management TTS timed transfer system TVM ticket vending machine TWU Transport Workers Union see union tran
219. rake track electromagnetic brake magnetic brake a brake that consists of electromagnets suspended above the track rail between the two wheels on both sides of a truck When applied the brakes are attracted onto the steel rails exerting braking force through friction The brakes are difficult to apply gradually and so are reserved for emergencies often from battery power and are always supplementary to another braking system This type of brake is used on most light rail vehicles and streetcars and on some heavy rail cars modulated electromagnetic track brakes are used on the Vancouver SkyTrain brake trainlined see brake continuous brake shoe the non rotating portion of a tread or disc brake assembly The shoe is pressed against the tread disc or drum when the brake is applied braking closed loop braking under continuous modulation by means of feedback from the train control system braking emergency emergency application in rail operations applying the brakes to stop in the minimum distance possible for the equipment usually at a higher retardation rate than that Glossary obtained with a maximum service brake application Once the brake application is initiated it often cannot be released until the train has stopped or a predetermined time has passed braking full service see braking maximum service braking maximum service full service braking in rail operations a non eme
220. ral Number of transfers at a stop 25 suburban Available space to place shelter 50 100 urban ADA requirements Availability of alternative shelter Average passenger waiting time Bench Somewhat lower than Insufficient space for shelter shelter threshold Walls stairs etc that attract passengers onto adjacent property Stops used by elderly disabled Landing pad Wheelchair deployments at stop Muddy waiting areas Waiting areas damaging adjacent property Information 100 Major trip generators amp transfer points Signs Number of routes using a stop Room to install display Trash Evidence of litter problem at a stop Receptacles Availability of sponsor for maintenance Room to install adjacent to the bus stop Route Segments Reliability Several different measures of reliability are used by transit systems The most common of these are on time performance headway adherence the consistency or evenness of the interval between transit vehicles e missed trips and e distance traveled between mechanical breakdowns On time performance is the most widely used measure in the transit industry is a measure that users can relate to and encompasses several of the factors listed above that influence transit reliability However when vehicles run at frequent intervals headway adherence becomes important to passengers especially when vehicles arrive in bunches causing overcrowding on the lead veh
221. ratio operating ratio the ratio of operating expenses to operating revenue the inverse of cost recovery ratio It is used as a measure of financial efficiency See also fare recovery ratio operating revenue total see revenue total operating operating speed see speed running and speed schedule operating speed effective see speed overall trip operating time see time operating operating unit see basic operating unit operation see operator and property operation automatic train see automatic train operation operation train see train operation operational characteristic any characteristic of transit service operation i e this route is frequently overcrowded operations mixed traffic see mixed traffic operations operator 1 An employee of a transit system whose workday is spent in the operation of a transit unit vehicle or train examples include bus driver gripman motorman train operator Such an employee may also be known as a platform operator 2 The organization that runs a transportation system on a day to day basis also known as an operation property agency or system see also property operator car see operator train operator motor see operator train operator rapid transit see operator train operator streetcar see operator train operator train motor operator motorman engineer the operating employee who c
222. rd For transit operations this distance is much shorter it is usually confined to the yard itself or to a short lead usually less than 1 6 km 1 mile in length zone auto free see auto free zone zone auto restricted see auto restricted zone zone layover see layover zone zone accessibility see accessibility zone zone or zoned fare see fare zone Glossary
223. rd vehicles or both that pass a given checkpoint during a given time period It may be classified by type of vehicle See also count traffic operations mixed see mixed traffic operations trailer car see car trailer train 1 Two or more transit vehicles physically connected and operated as a unit see also transit unit 2 One or more locomotives or self propelled rail cars with or without other cars but with marker lights train bad order a train that is in need of repair train local a train that stops at every station on the line see also service local train push pull a locomotive and a set of cars equipped with one or more cab cars from which the locomotive can be controlled The train is either pulled and controlled from the locomotive in the conventional manner or pushed by the locomotive and controlled from the leading car Glossary train berth in rail operations the space designated for a train of given length to occupy when it is stopped at a station platform in a terminal on a transfer track or at some other designated place train control see automatic train control system train control system manual see control system manual train train control territory the portion of a railroad division or district that is equipped with an automatic train control system train density 1 The number of trains that can be operated safely over a segment of railr
224. re that the transit operator provide additional facilities parking lots bicycle storage facilities and or bicycle racks If transit service is not provided near one s destination the choices are even more limited The car one drove to a park and ride lot will not be available at the destination nor will a bicycle left behind in a storage facility be available A bicycle carried in a bicycle rack on a bus will be available at the destination but a customer will need some degree of confidence that space will be available in the bike rack when the bus arrives A small number of transit systems allow bicycles on board transit vehicles typically rail vehicles but often not during peak commute hours or in the peak commute direction A bicycle storage facility will also be required at one s destination and probably depending on the climate and the length of the ride showers lockers and changing facilities Pedestrian Environment Even if a transit stop is located within a reasonable walking distance of one s origin and destination the walking environment may not be supportive of transit Lack of sidewalks poorly maintained sidewalks lack of street lighting and hills all discourage pedestrian travel Wide or busy streets without signalized crosswalks at regular intervals or without pedestrian refuges in the median also discourage pedestrian travel This latter factor in particular poses difficulties for transit operators providing se
225. re passengers wait for board alight and transfer between transit units vehicles or trains It is usually indicated by distinctive signs and by curb or pavement markings and may provide service information shelter seating or any combination of these Stops are often designated by the mode offering service for example bus stop car stop stopped time see time stopped stored value card a magnetic striped or smart electronic farecard purchased with a set monetary value from which the cost of each trip is decremented see also fare collection system automatic and smart card street see highway street or road street bus only a street devoted to bus traffic only street mixed mode a street carrying mixed traffic that is having no exclusive transit lanes or priority lanes for transit street transit a street reserved for transit vehicles only streetcar an electrically powered rail car that is operated singly or in short trains in mixed traffic on track in city streets In some areas it is also Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual known as a trolley car and primarily in Europe as a tram streetcar heritage an old streetcar or streetcar built to resemble an older vehicle electrically operated on rail tracks generally in downtown areas for local distribution and tourists Not to be confused with rubber tired replica streetcars see bus trolley repli
226. re shown in lower case Exhibit 5 4 Quality of Service Framework Service amp Performance Measures Category Transit Stop Route Segment System Availability FREQUENCY HOURS OF SERVICE SERVICE COVERAGE accessibility accessibility person minutes served passenger loads indexes Quality PASSENGER LOADS RELIABILITY TRANSIT AUTO TRAVEL TIME amenities travel speed travel time reliability transit auto travel time safety Some measures appear in more than one cell of the table but only one service measure is assigned to each cell representing the performance measure that best represents the passenger s point of view of availability or convenience for a particular transit element In many cases though it may be helpful to combine the service measures into a kind of transit report card that compares several different aspects of transit service at once An example problem in Chapter 6 illustrates this concept Availability Transit Stops The spatial aspect of transit availability at a transit stop is a given since the stop exists During a typical hour long analysis period hours of service is also a given either transit service exists or it does not Therefore frequency is identified as the service measure for this category Page 5 12 Chapter 2 Quality of Service Framework Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Although not so easy to quantify transit stop acc
227. rea The vans should have a seating capacity greater than seven persons including the driver It is a mass transit service operated by a public entity or in which a public entity owns purchases or leases the vehicles Other forms of public participation to encourage ridesharing arrangements such as the provision of parking spaces utilization of high occupancy vehicle HOV lanes coordination or clearing house service do not necessarily qualify as public vanpools vehicle accessible public transportation revenue vehicles which do not restrict access are usable and provide allocated space and or priority seating for individuals who use wheelchairs vehicle active the vehicles that are available to operate in revenue service including vehicles Glossary temporarily out of service for routine maintenance and minor repairs vehicle articulated rail see articulated rail vehicle vehicle dual mode a vehicle that operates both manually on public streets and automatically on an automated guideway May also be used to describe vehicles with more than one source of power for example a bus that can be propelled by a diesel engine or an electric motor vehicle high occupancy HOV any passenger vehicle that meets or exceeds a certain predetermined minimum number of passengers for example more than two or three people per automobile Buses carpools and vanpools are HOV vehicles vehicle light rail see
228. rements for a minimum of three passengers have been reduced to two through political pressure or legal action lane contraflow a highway or street lane on which vehicles operate in a direction opposite to what would be the normal flow of traffic in that lane Such lanes may be permanently designated contraflow lanes or more usually they may be used as contraflow lanes only during certain hours of the day Frequently the use of a contraflow lane is restricted to public transit and possibly other specially designated vehicles lane diamond a high occupancy vehicle lane physically marked by diamonds painted on the pavement and often indicated by diamond shaped signs as well Often used synonymously with high occupancy vehicle lane lane exclusive carpool a highway or street lane reserved for carpools and vanpools lane exclusive transit reserved transit lane a highway or street lane reserved for buses light rail vehicles or both Glossary lane high occupancy vehicle HOV lane a highway or street lane reserved for the use of high occupancy vehicles HOVs see lane carpool lane priority a highway or street lane reserved generally during specified hours for one or more specified categories of vehicles for example buses carpools vanpools lane ramp meter bypass a form of preferential treatment in which a bypass lane on metered freeway on ramps is provided for the exclusive use of
229. rgency brake application that obtains the maximum brake rate that is normally regarded as comfortable for passengers and consistent with the design of the primary brake system braking open loop unmodulated braking without feedback control from the train control system braking programmed automatically controlled braking that causes a train to stop or reduce its speed to a predetermined level at a designated point within a specified range of deviation braking rate see deceleration braking service service application in rail operations retardation produced by the primary train braking system at the maximum rate of retardation regarded as comfortable for repeated use in service stopping See brake service for rates broad gauge see gauge broad bulge see bus bulge bunching with transit units a situation that occurs when passenger demand is high and dwell times at stops are longer than scheduled Headways become shorter than scheduled and platoons of transit units vehicles or trains develop with longer intervals between platoons The same effect one transit unit caught by the following can also be caused by lack of protection from general road traffic congestion or by traffic signal timing Bunching can become cumulative and can result in delay to passengers and unused capacity bus a self propelled rubber tired road vehicle designed to carry a substantial number of passengers at l
230. rges passengers at frequent designated places stops on city streets service many to few a service that picks up passengers at many different origins and delivers them to a few destinations service many to many a service that picks up passengers at many different origins and delivers Page 6 32 them to many different destinations within the service area service many to one gather service a service that collects passengers from many origins and delivers them to a specific point for example an office building train station or bus stop service one to many scatter service a service that picks up passengers at one point of origin and delivers them to many destinations service origin to destination service in which the passenger carrying vehicle will not stop along the way to pick up additional passengers service owl transit service provided late at night usually from midnight to between 0300h and start of service the next day service peak service during peak periods service point deviation public transportation service in which the transit vehicle is required to arrive at designated transit stops in accordance with a prearranged schedule but is not given a specific route to follow between these stops It allows the vehicle to provide curbside service for those who request it See also point to point deviation service public automobile see transportation system publ
231. rip v Wait time for transit is assumed to be 5 minutes at the start of a trip v Each transfer is assumed to add 10 minutes to a trip v Auto trips to Anytown add 5 minutes for parking in garages and 3 minutes average walk time from parking garages to offices Plentiful free parking is available at all work locations outside Anytown Congestion in central Nutria adds 5 minutes to access the freeway system by car SS Page 5 52 Chapter 6 Example Problems Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Outline of Solution Calculate the travel time between each pair of locations by auto and by transit Adjust these times by the criteria listed above to obtain door to door travel times Subtract the adjusted auto time from the adjusted transit time to obtain the travel time difference for each pair of locations and the resulting level of service Steps 1 Determine the auto travel times not including parking and off highway congestion mentioned in the comments between each pair of locations For example travel time between Juniper and Anytown is 48 minutes based on the map on the previous page Nutria Juniper Mtn View Chipville Bucksburg Hopland Conestoga Fish Valley Nottingham Stripeton Riverbank Fort Plains West Cones Anytown 15 48 30 35 18 17 31 24 31 25 21 15 32 Nutria 33 45 20 32 32 41 39 29 14 27 30 42 Juniper 78 13 65 65 74 72 62 47 60 63 19 Mtn View 65 45 30 28 10 52 51 42 35 32 Chipville 52 52 61 59 49 34 47 50 62 B
232. ritish island a passenger platform located between two tracks or guideways so that it can serve them both Glossary platform high a platform at or near the floor elevation of the transit unit vehicle or train eliminating the need for steps on the transit unit platform low a platform at or near the top of the running surface of the transit unit vehicle or train requiring the passenger to use steps to board and alight platform mini high high block platform a small high level platform that usually provides access only to the first door of a light rail train in order to allow boarding by wheelchairs scooters etc platform side a passenger platform located to the outside of the tracks or guideways as distinguished from a center platform located between the tracks or guideways platform operator see operator platform time see time platform platoon bus see bus platoon p m peak see peak pneumatic brake see brake electropneumatic pocket track a third track to store spare or disabled trains to act a crossover or a turn back often between the two main tracks and often with switches at both ends point maximum load see maximum load point point time see time point point turnover see turnover point point check see check point deviation service see service point deviation point to point deviation a transit routing pattern i
233. rolleybus with a diesel or gasoline engine that can operate away from overhead wires also known as a dual powered bus bus electric battery bus a bus that is propelled by electric motors mounted on the vehicle The power source usually a battery or battery pack is located in the vehicle or on a trailer bus express see service express bus bus hybrid a bus combining two power sources usually a small diesel gas or Sterling engine and batteries The engine drives an electrical generator at constant speed optimizing efficiency and minimizing pollution When maximum power is required the generator plus batteries feed the traction motor s often hub type At other times the generator and regenerative braking power charges the batteries Combinations can include fuel cells and or flywheels bus intercity over the road coach a large bus with luggage space used primarily for transportation between cities It usually has reclining seats and restroom facilities bus local see service local bus bus low floor a bus without steps at entrances and exit The low floor may extend throughout the bus or may use a ramp or steps to access the raised rear portion over a conventional axle and drive train Wheelchair access is provided by a retracting ramp bus motor motor coach a bus that has a self contained source of motive power usually a diesel engine bus New Look generally refers to a
234. rom the bus stop out to 1 4 air mile from the stop These areas are within 5 minutes of a bus arrival but not at the closest stop These areas should not be considered to have service availability this minute 0 0 25 0 5 0 75 1 Miles On a minute by minute basis therefore the population and number of jobs with transit availability can be compared to the total number of people and jobs within the analysis area When summarized over a period of time an hour a day or a week for example the total person minutes served can be computed This number can then be divided by the total number of people or jobs within the analysis area times the number of minutes during the analysis period to calculate the performance measure The measure reflects both the spatial and temporal aspects of transit availability and on a system wide basis is sensitive to population and employment density Transit Orientation Index A long range planning study for Tri Met in Portland Oregon used the concept of a transit orientation index TOI One element of this study analyzed the factors that influenced transit ridership in the Portland metropolitan area The study found that employment density housing density and retail employment density were the most significant variables influencing ridership accounting for 81 of the variation in transit demand within the Portland area A regression equation was developed to estimate ridership based on these thre
235. rossing track track gauge see gauge track trackless trolley trolleybus mainly East Coast usage see trolleybus track miles track kilometers the sum of the one way linear miles kilometers of all trackage in a system including all main track and trackage in yards car barns switches and turnouts track miles revenue revenue track kilometers the number of miles kilometers of track used in passenger catrying service track miles service service track kilometers the number of miles kilometers of track used exclusively in non revenue service track special work see trackwork special track switch see turnout track trip a device that is located near the track and interconnected with the signal system so that it triggers the emergency brakes of any train that passes when the signal is red trackless trolley trolleybus mainly East Coast usage see trolleybus Page 6 38 trackwork the rails switches frogs crossings fastenings pads ties and ballast or track support slab over which rail cars are operated trackwork special track special work all rails track structures and fittings other than plain unguarded track that is neither curved nor fabricated before laying traction 1 Colloquial term for all electric transit 2 Grip of wheel on rail or tire on road traction motor see motor traction traction interlock traction safety interlock in ra
236. rticular applications Indexes are a special form of performance measure that are developed by weighting two or more other performance measures LOS grades may or may not be assigned to ranges of index values depending on the application Because the weighting systems used depend on local data and or policy decisions indexes are difficult to apply on a national basis and so are not used in this manual to develop service measures However indexes are discussed in Chapter 3 for the benefit of transit operators and planners who desire to develop measures with more detail than the basic quality of service measures presented in this manual Levels of Service The selection of level of service thresholds for each of the service measures presented in this manual represent the collective professional judgment of the TCRP A 15 project team and panel However the LOS grades in particular LOS F are not intended to set national standards It is left to local transit operators and policy agencies to decide how to apply the LOS measures To aid in this effort this manual provides guidance on the changes in service quality perceived by passengers at each LOS threshold TRANSIT PERFORMANCE MEASURES To get a sense of what quality of service is it is useful to understand what it is not Exhibit 5 1 illustrates one possible way that transit performance measures can be categorized and shows how quality of service fits into the spectrum of transit performa
237. rvice is provided obviously coverage exists in that area or at that location Since it is a system wide measure service coverage LOS takes more time to calculate and requires more information than do the transit stop and route segment LOS measures This task can be simplified through the use of a geographic information system GIS However this section also provides a calculation method that does not require a GIS One measure of service coverage is route kilometers per square kilometer or route miles per square mile This measure is relatively easy to calculate but does not address on a system wide basis how well the areas that generate the most transit trips are being served nor does it address how well transit service is distributed across a given area Another measure would be the percentage of the system area served However land uses and population and job densities may vary greatly from one system to another depending on how land uses have developed and how the system s boundaries have been drawn Urban transit system boundaries might include large tracts of undeveloped land that may develop in the future while county wide systems will likely include large tracts of rural land Neither area would be expected to generate transit trips How the boundaries are drawn will determine how much area is included within the service area which in turn will affect any area based performance measures As a result service areas are not the best
238. rvice on arterial streets the arterial street generally provides better transit vehicle speeds but potential passengers using stops along the street must cross the street at some point during their round trip either when they depart or when they return Passengers with disabilities must have sidewalk facilities curb cuts and bus stop loading areas between both their origin and a transit stop and between their destination and a transit stop in order to have the ability to access fixed route transit service In the U S new or improved facilities must meet Americans with Disabilities Act ADA standards Without these facilities passengers with disabilities must rely on paratransit service which generally provides customers with fewer choices in travel times and usually costs substantially more for transit operators to provide service Scheduling How often transit service is provided and when it is provided are important factors in one s decision to use transit The more frequent the service the shorter the wait time when a bus or train is missed or when the exact schedule is not known and the greater the flexibility customers have in selecting travel times The number of hours during the day when service is provided is also highly important it does not matter whether a transit stop is located within walking distance if service is not provided at the times one desires to travel transit will not be an option for that trip Part 5 QUALIT
239. s Other automobile costs such as fuel maintenance insurance taxes and the cost of buying an automobile generally do not occur for individual trips and thus generally do not enter into a person s consideration for a particular trip Thus if a person does not pay a toll to drive someplace and free parking is provided at the destination transit will be at a disadvantage because there will be no immediate out of pocket cost for driving while there will be for transit Some Transportation Demand Management TDM techniques seek to overcome this obstacle by encouraging employers who provide free parking in effect subsidizing the true cost of providing parking to also provide subsidized transit passes or other means of encouraging transit use as an alternative to the private automobile Safety and Security Riders perceptions of the safety and security of transit as well as actual conditions enter into the mode choice decision Not only is personal safety considered relating to potential transit crime and vehicular crashes but personal irritants are considered as well such as encountering unruly passengers on a regular basis or having to listen to someone else s radio Security at transit stops can be improved by placing stops in well lit areas and by having public telephones available for emergency calls Transit systems use a variety of methods to enhance security on board transit vehicles including having uniformed and plainclothes pol
240. s Portland OR 1994 Weinstein Aaron and Rhonda Sachs Securing Objective and Reliable Service Quality Data The Redesign of BART s Passenger Environment Measurement System Preprint 809 presented at the 1998 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting Page 5 40 Chapter 5 References Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual 6 EXAMPLE PROBLEMS Service Frequency Hours of Service Service Coverage LOS Manual Method Service Coverage LOS GIS Method Transit Auto Travel Time LOS Manual Method Transit Report Card OoaPonw Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 41 Chapter 6 Example Problems Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Service frequency LOS Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Example Problem 1 As part of an overall review its service a transit operator wants to determine the level of transit availability it provides to its customers The Situation How often is service provided during peak hours between various locations within its service area The Question The Facts v The transit operator provides fixed route bus service to a city of 125 000 Two universities a community college and numerous government offices are scattered about the city Comments v Frequency LOS is determined between pairs of locations The longest service frequency encountered along the trip controls the level of service For example if service is provided every 15 minutes at one s origin but onl
241. s also on Toronto subway for unattended token actuated entrances island platform British see center platform island loading or pedestrian see loading island jaywalk to illegally cross a street in the middle of the block or against a pedestrian signal jerk time rate of change of acceleration or deceleration of a vehicle measured in m s ft s jitney privately owned vehicle typically a relatively small vehicle such as a small van operated on a fixed route but not on a fixed schedule see also transportation system jitney and service jitney journey linked see trip linked journey time see time journey jumper queue see queue jumper junction 1 In transit operations a location at which transit routes or lines converge or diverge 2 In traffic engineering an intersection junction flying a grade separated rail junction allowing merging and diverging movements to be made without conflict and with minimal impact on capacity Page 6 18 K amp M see pendulum suspension K amp R kiss and ride K factor in vehicle operations the ratio of the minimum operating separation between two vehicles to the maximum emergency stopping distance Normally the factor is greater than to provide a margin of safety kilometer kilometre for all terms containing kilometer or kilometre see equivalent term with mile kiss and ride kiss n ride K am
242. s from a given area on a prepaid reserved seat basis Subscription buses are often arranged for and partly subsidized by an employer to serve a specific work location service subscription van service similar to that provided by a subscription bus except that the van may be privately owned leased from a public or private company or provided by the employer The driver is usually a member of the group service subsidized taxi a taxicab service in which the fares are lower than actual taxi fares and the taxi company is reimbursed the difference The service may be provided to the general public or to special groups such as elderly people Funds for the subsidy can come from a variety of sources including local taxes or social service agency program funds Often an economical way to provide better off peak service in low density areas that cannot support fixed routes service taxicab exclusive ride taxi taxi service demand responsive public transportation service on an exclusive basis in a vehicle licensed to render that service see also shared ride and service subsidized taxi service application see braking service service area see area service service attributes those aspects of a transportation system that affect travel decisions about its use such as travel time reliability comfort e g crowding standees cost ease of use and safety service brake see brake service service
243. sary MG set see motor generator MLP maximum load point MLS maximum load section MU multiple unit see car multiple unit MUTCD Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices magnetic brake see brake track magnetic farecard a card containing a magnetic tape strip or other electronic means of indicating the value purchased The card is usually obtained from a vending machine and must be inserted into a farecard reader to gain access to the paid area of the transit system In systems with fares by distance the card must also be inserted into a farecard reader to exit the paid area see also smartcard and fare collection system automatic magnetic levitation MAGLEV support technology that keeps a vehicle vertically separated from its track or riding surface by magnetic force either attractive or repulsive After interest in the 1970s and 1980s this technology has been discredited for urban transit use and is essentially moribund main line see line main maintenance the upkeep of vehicles plant machinery and equipment It may be scheduled planned progressive or periodic on the basis of pre established intervals of time hours or mileage and employ preprinted checklists preventive maintenance or it may be unscheduled or corrective in which case it is generally not interval based major activity center MAC activity center a geographical area characterized by a large tran
244. see union transit unlimited access see access unlimited unlinked passenger trip see trip unlinked unlinked trip see trip unlinked unlinked trip distance see trip distance unlinked unlinked trip time see time unlinked trip urban ferryboat see ferryboat urban urban fringe that part of an urbanized area outside the central city or cities Urban Mass Transportation Act see legislation Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 Urban Mass Transportation Administration see U S Government Federal Transit Administration Urban Mass Transportation Research Information Service UMTRIS a computer based information storage and retrieval system developed by the Transportation Research Board Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 43 Glossary Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 6 GLOSSARY under contract to the Federal Transit Administration It consists of summaries of research projects in progress and abstracts of published works urban place A U S Bureau of the Census designated area less than 50 000 population consisting of closely settled territory not populous enough to form an urbanized area urban public transportation transportation systems for intraurban or intraregional travel available for use by any person who pays the established fare It consists of transit and paratransit urban rail car see car urban rail urban transit bus see
245. sient population and heavy traffic volumes and densities for example central business district major air terminal large university large shopping center industrial park sports arena major activity center transit system see transit system major activity center mall transit see street transit management headway see headway management management transportation system see transportation system management manual block control system see control system manual block Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices standard reference published by the U S Department of Transportation guiding the usage of traffic and in the future transit control devices manual train control see control system manual train many to few service see service many to few many to many service see service many to many many to one service see service many to one market 1 The potential or actual consumers or both of a transportation product or service A general market denotes the entire population of a designated geographical area whereas a specialized market denotes particular groups such as thc elderly handicapped students 2 The extent of demand for a transportation commodity or service market share the percentage of a transportation market realized by or available to a particular transportation provider Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual marrie
246. sit target point a continually advancing or fixed stopping point in a moving block signaling system at which a train must always be able to stop under the most adverse conditions including partial braking failure see control system moving block taxicab a passenger automobile or a specially designed vehicle driven by a professional driver in a for hire taxi taxicab service see service taxicab taxi service subsidized see service subsidized taxi terminal 1 The end station or stop on a transit line or route regardless of whether special facilities exist for reversing the vehicle or handling passengers also known as a terminus 2 An assemblage of facilities provided by a railroad or intercity bus service at a terminus or at an intermediate location for the handling of passengers and the receiving classifying assembling and dispatching of trains or dispatching of buses also known as a depot terminal off street a transit terminal or turnaround point for transit vehicles that is located away from other vehicular traffic terminal stub a dead end terminal in which the entering rail or other guided transit unit must depart by the same guideway on which it entered Because no loop is provided a bidirectional transit unit vehicle or train is necessary terminal layout sheet see sheet terminal layout terminal stop see stop terminal terminal time see time terminal
247. sportation Section 5335 the section of the United States Code that authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to request and receive statistical information about the financing and operations of public mass transportation systems eligible for Section 5307 grants on the basis of a uniform system of accounts and records This information is compiled in the National Transit Database Formerly Section 15 of the Federal Transit Act of 1964 legislation Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 see legislation Federal Transit Act of 1964 level of service LOS 1 A set of characteristics that indicate the quality and quantity of transportation service provided including characteristics that are quantifiable system performance e g frequency travel time travel cost number of transfers safety and those that are difficult to quantify service quality e g availability comfort convenience modal image 2 For highway systems a qualitative rating of the effectiveness of a highway or highway facility in serving traffic in terms of operating conditions The Highway Capacity Manual identifies operating conditions ranging from A for best operation low volume high speed to F for worst conditions 3 For paratransit a variety of measures meant to denote the quality of service provided generally in terms of total travel time or a specific component of total travel time 4 For pedestrians sets of area occupancy classificat
248. sportation and U S Government Department of Transportation departments U S see U S Government dependent transit see transit dependent depot see garage terminal carhouse and barn derail 1 To run off the track 2 A track safety device designed to guide a rail car off the rails at a selected location to prevent collisions or other Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 11 Glossary Part 6 GLOSSARY Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual accidents commonly used on spurs or sidings to prevent unattended rolling cars from fouling the main line also known as a derailer derailment an instance of the wheels of a rail vehicle coming off the track design capacity see capacity design design hourly volume DHV the amount of traffic a transportation facility is designed to carry in 1 hr desire line a straight line on a map that connects the origin and destination of a trip theoretically the ideal or most desirable route and may indicate by its width or density the volume of trips between that origin and destination destination 1 The point at which a trip terminates 2 In planning the zone in which a trip ends destination sign or blind a sign on a transit unit vehicle or train indicating the route and or route number or letter direction destination of the unit or any combination thereof Destination signs are most commonly located on the front of the transit unit but ma
249. ss or product for determining the degree of conformance with specified requirements quality of service transit the overall measured or perceived quality of transit service from the user or passenger s point of view queue A line of vehicles or people waiting to be served by the system in which the rate of flow from the front of the line determines the average speed within the line Slowly moving vehicles or people joining the rear of the queue are usually considered a part of the queue queue jumper 1 A short section of exclusive or preferential lane that enables specified vehicles to bypass an automobile queue or a congested section of traffic A queue jumper is often used at signal controlled freeway on ramps in congested urban areas to allow high occupancy vehicles preference It is also known as a bypass lane or queue bypass 2 A person who violates passenger controls RDC rail diesel car see car rail diesel ROW right of way RPA regional planning agency see organizations regional planning agency RRIS Railroad Research Information Service rack railway see cog railway radial network see network radial Page 6 28 rail contact see rail third rail continuous welded CWR a number of standard length rails welded together into a single length of 122 or more m 400 or more ft It provides a smoother running surface and ride than jointed rail rail girder rail with a
250. ssenger capacity is a load factor of 100 percent If a car is added for 10 more passengers the load factor drops to 55 percent yet in many ways productivity has gone up not down passenger platform see platform passenger riding count or check see check passenger service time see time passenger service passenger station see station passenger traffic see passenger flow passenger trip see trip linked trip passenger and trip unlinked passenger vehicle see vehicle passenger passenger volume line volume the total number of passengers carried boarded on a transit line during a given period passing track see siding path in planning any series of links where each succeeding link has the ending node of a previous link as its beginning node patron see rider patronage see ridership peak peak period rush hours 1 The period during which the maximum amount of travel occurs It may be specified as the morning a m or afternoon or evening p m peak 2 The period when demand for transportation service is heaviest peak base ratio peak off peak ratio 1 The ratio between the number of vehicles operating in passenger service during the peak hours and that during the base period 2 The ratio between the number of passengers carried during the peak hours and during the base period A low ratio lt 2 3 characterizes large cities with healthy transit
251. ssenger peaking characteristics Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Other Measures Accessibility Pedestrian bicycle automobile and ADA accessibility to transit stops is difficult to quantify An evaluation of pedestrian accessibility should consider whether or not sidewalks are provided the condition of the sidewalks terrain traffic volumes on streets that pedestrians must cross to access a transit stop and the kind of traffic control provided on those streets and whether out of direction travel is required One possible measure could be pedestrian travel time to a stop from a point 0 4 km 0 25 mi away with different walking times assigned to different walking environments and accounting for the delays involved with 1 waiting for a WALK indication at signalized intersections and 2 waiting for a sufficiently large gap in traffic to walk across a street at an unsignalized intersection The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and the ITE Manual of Transportation Engineering Studies provide guidance on pedestrian travel speeds and assessing gaps in traffic Garrity and Eads provide a method for assessing the ADA accessibility of bus stops and the routes leading to bus stops As the ADA regulations may change in the future this method should be used for guidance in developing accessible routes for bus stops but the current version of the regulations should be relied upon for determining legal compliance with the ADA
252. system see control system multiple unit NCHRP National Cooperative Highway Research Program NCTRP National Cooperative Transit Research and Development Program NEPA National Environmental Policy Act see legislation National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 NFPA NFPA 130 National Fire Prevention Association 130 Standards for fire and life safety on fixed guideway transit systems Adopted into law in Canada and the United States and in part or whole in some other jurisdictions Even where not adopted the standards are generally applied in designing new fixed guideway systems worldwide Older rail transit systems are nor required to retrofit to these standards first issued in 1983 Separate standards issued in 1998 for automated guideway transit Available from NFPA Batterymarch Park Quincy MA 02269 USA NPTS Nationwide Personal Transportation Study NTD National Transit Database NTSB National Transportation Safety Board see U S Government National Transportation Safety Board narrow gauge see gauge narrow National Cooperative Highway Research Program NCHRP a program established by the American Association of State Highway Officials now American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials to provide Glossary a mechanism for a national coordinated program of cooperative research employing modern scientific techniques The NCHRP is administered by
253. system and is another system wide quality measure Page 5 14 Chapter 2 Quality of Service Framework Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual 3 QUALITY OF SERVICE MEASURES INTRODUCTION This chapter presents transit quality of service measures of transit availability and convenience for transit stops route segments and systems as well as other performance measures that transit operators and planners may want to consider for specific applications Although each combination of quality of service category and transit system elements has only one service measure analysts may find it useful to combine measures into a transit report card in order to better compare a number of quality of service aspects of various alternatives An example of this is provided in the example problems Each quality of service measure has been divided into six levels of service representing ranges of values for a particular service measure The following considerations entered into the development of the transit level of service LOS system 1 The transit LOS system should use an A F scale A survey of transit operators cities counties metropolitan planning organizations state departments of transportation and transit professionals conducted for the TCRP A 15 project found a preference for this system The benefits of this system are two fold 1 decision makers are already familiar with the A F scale for highways presented in the Highway C
254. t district propulsion system the motors driving mechanism controls and other devices that propel a vehicle frequently assumes electric operation propulsion system dual power a propulsion system that is capable of operation from two different types of power sources for example an internal combustion engine and electricity protection train see automatic train protection proximity card see smart card public automobile service system see transportation system public automobile service publicly owned transit system see transit system publicly owned Public Service or Utilities Commission see organizations Public Utilities Commission public service vehicle see vehicle public service public transit passenger transportation service usually local in scope that is available to any person who pays a prescribed fare It operates on established schedules along designated routes or lines with specific stops and is designed to move relatively large numbers of people at one time Examples include bus light rail rapid transit public transit agency see property transit district public transportation transportation service to the public on a regular basis using vehicles that Part 6 GLOSSARY Page 6 27 Glossary Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 6 GLOSSARY transport more than one person for compensation usually but not exclusively over a se
255. t passengers can take with them available on board transit vehicles at transit facilities and at local businesses e Posted information on board vehicles and at transit facilities As transit systems adopt automatic vehicle location AVL systems it is becoming feasible to display real time schedule information on board buses at bus stops and at bus terminals e On board announcements of major transit stops assist not only the visually impaired but passengers unfamiliar with a route or area e Telephone information available at times that are convenient to potential passengers including weekends and evenings e Personal computers can be used to access transit information via the Internet and to subscribe to e mail lists that automatically send service change and other announcements to persons on the list Transfers Requiring transfers between routes adds to a passenger s total trip time by transit although this can be minimized by implementing timed transfers It also raises the possibility that a missed connection will occur which would further increase the length of the transit trip Transfers increase the complexity of a transit trip to a first time passenger as well Requiring a surcharge for transfers can inhibit ridership Page 5 8 Chapter 2 Quality of Service Framework Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Total Trip Time Total trip time includes the travel time from one s origin to a transit stop
256. t provide the tractive effort through contact with the running surface that propels the vehicle dual control or mode see transit system dual mode and bus dual mode dual mode bus see bus dual mode dual mode light rail see transit system light rail dual mode Glossary dual mode transit system see transit system dual mode dual mode vehicle see vehicle dual mode dual powered bus see bus dual mode dual powered locomotive see locomotive dual powered dual power propulsion system see propulsion system dual power duckout see bus bay dwell time see time dwell dynamic block control system see control system moving block dynamic brake see brake dynamic dynamic routing in demand responsive transportation systems the process of constantly modifying vehicle routes to accommodate service requests received after the vehicle began operations as distinguished from predetermined routes assigned to a vehicle E amp H Elderly and handicapped EMU electric multiple unit car see car multiple unit EPA Environmental Protection Agency see U S Government Environmental Protection Agency effective demand see demand effective effectiveness 1 In transportation the correspondence of provided service to intended output or objectives particularly the character and location of service in other words producing the intended result doing
257. t route or routes from one fixed point to another Routes and schedules of this service may be predetermined by the operator or may be determined through a cooperative arrangement Subcategories include public transit service and paratransit services that are available to the general public public transportation urban see urban public transportation public transportation disability see handicapped public way any public street road boulevard alley lane or highway including those portions of any public place that have been designated for use by pedestrians bicycles and motor vehicles puller an articulated bus with the center axle powered purpose trip see trip purpose push pull train see train push pull push through a bus operating technique used in busy peak hour street operations when heavy passenger loads can combine with general road traffic delays to create bunching A push through is an unscheduled bus that is held at a key point to be inserted by an inspector or street supervisor into a route when a serious gap occurs It is used to prevent worsening of service pusher an articulated bus with the rear axle powered quality ride see ride quality quality service see definition of level of service quality control the system of collection analysis and interpretation of measurements and other data concerning prescribed characteristics of a material proce
258. t system into mechanical power The average speed of normal operation is equal to the frequency of the power system to which it is connected Page 6 22 motor traction an electric motor usually direct current and series wound that propels a vehicle by exerting its torque through the wheels see also motor series wound motor brake see brake dynamic motor bus see bus motor motor car rail see car rail motor motor coach see bus motor motor generator MG set an electrical motor usually at line voltage mechanically coupled to a direct current generator to provide low voltage 12 24 or 32 volts sometimes higher supply for rail transit cars and trolleybuses Now replaced with solid state DC DC convertors motor operator or motorman see operator train move reverse see reverse move mover people see people mover moving block control system see control system moving block moving ramp see ramp moving moving sidewalk see moving walkway moving walkway moving sidewalk passenger or pedestrian conveyor passenger belt travelator a fixed conveyor device usually a flexible belt on which pedestrians may stand or walk while being transported see also ramp moving multimodal see intermodal multimode transit agency a transit agency operating more than one mode of service multiple unit car see car multiple unit multiple unit control
259. te operates during the middle of the day it does not operate at a minimum one hour frequency therefore this time is not counted Early evening service A bus route operates every half hour between 5 30 a m and 8 00 p m The total hours of service is 15 20 00 minus 5 30 is 14 5 round down to 14 and add one hour Exhibit 5 8 Hours of Service LOS LOS Hours per Day Comments A 19 24 Night or owl service provided B 17 18 Late evening service provided C 14 16 Early evening service provided D 12 13 Daytime service provided E 4 11 Peak hour service limited midday service F 0 3 Very limited or no service Fixed route number of hours per day when service is provided at least once an hour Paratransit number of hours per day when service is offered Hours of service LOS is based only on those hours when service is offered at a minimum one hour frequency Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 19 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE At LOS A service is available for most or all of the day Workers who do not work traditional 8 5 jobs receive service and all riders are assured that they will not be stranded until the next morning if a late evening transit vehicle is missed At LOS B service is available late into the evening which allows a range of trip purposes other than commute trips to be served Transit runs only into
260. tem demand response transportation system passenger cars vans or buses with fewer than 25 seats operating in response to calls from passengers or their agents to the transit operator who then dispatches a vehicle to pick up the passengers and transport them to their destinations A demand response operation is characterized by the following a The vehicles do not operate over a fixed route or on a fixed schedule except perhaps on a temporary basis to satisfy a special need and b typically the vehicle may be dispatched to pick up several passengers at different pick up points before taking them to their respective destinations and may even be interrupted en route to these destinations to pick up other passengers The following types of operations fall under the above definitions provided they are not on a scheduled fixed route basis Many origins many destinations many origins one destination one origin many destinations and one origin one destination transportation system dial a ride a demand responsive system in which curb to curb transportation is provided to patrons who request service by telephone either on an ad hoc or subscription basis It is also known as dial a bus when buses are the vehicles used transportation system fixed route service provided on a repetitive fixed schedule basis along a specific route with vehicles stopping to pick up and deliver passengers to specific locations each fixed rout
261. termined primarily by the alignment profile and structure clearance time see time clearance clock headway see headway clock close up in rail transit operations the process where a train approaching a station will close up to the train berthed in the station to the minimum distance permitted by the signaling or train control system This is usually the critical line condition that combined with the dwell at the maximum load point station establishes the minimum headway closed loop braking see braking closed loop coach motor see bus motor coach over the road see bus intercity coach suburban see bus suburban transit coach transit see bus standard urban coach trolley see trolleybus coasting freewheeling of a vehicle running without influence of either the propulsion or braking systems that is with tractive and braking forces at zero Use of coasting on rail transit sometimes increased outside peak periods to reduce energy consumption Desirable feature of automatic train operation coefficient riding frequency or habit see riding frequency coefficient coefficient utilization see definition of load factor coefficient of directness 1 The ratio of the length measured in units of either distance or time of a transit trip between two points and the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual length of the most direct highway route between the two poi
262. terminus see terminal territory train control see train control territory theoretical line capacity see capacity theoretical line third rail see rail third third rail shoe a graphite sliding contact attached to the trucks of electric rail vehicles for the purpose of collecting current from the third rail distribution system uses gravity or spring pressure Glossary throughput 1 The volume of vehicles passing or people transported past a point or series of points during a given period of time 2 Traffic through routing the efficient practice of joining the ends of radial transit routes with similar demand to travel through downtown instead of having each route turn back in the downtown and return to its origin ticket 1 A printed card or piece of paper that gives a person a specific right to ride on a train or transit vehicle 2 To provide a ticket or tickets ticket commutation see commutation ticket tie see crosstie time access the time elapsed on a trip from the moment of leaving the point of origin i e home or work to the moment of boarding a vehicle time clearance all time losses at a stop other than passenger dwell times It can be viewed as the minimum time between one transit vehicle leaving a stop and the following vehicle entering including any delay associated with waiting for a sufficient gap in traffic to allow a transit vehicle to re ent
263. tes usually designed for coordinated operation network grid 1 In planning an imaginary network of evenly spaced horizontal and vertical bars or lines that divides a study area into small geographic zones 2 In transit operations a service pattern in which two sets of parallel routes intersect each other at right angles network radial in transit operations a service pattern in which most routes converge into and diverge from a central hub or activity center e g central business district like the spokes of a wheel The hub may serve as a major transfer point New Look bus see bus New Look fishbowl node in planning a point that represents an intersection of two or more links highways or transit lines or routes or a zone centroid used in trip assignment nonambulatory handicapped see handicapped nonambulatory non fixed route see transportation system non fixed route non home based trip see trip non home based non transportation revenue see revenue non transportation normal vehicle capacity see capacity vehicle not in service time see time deadhead Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual OBD outlying business district OCS overhead contact system O D study origin destination study occupancy area see area occupancy occupancy vehicle see vehicle occupancy off line not in the main flow of traffic or not on the main l
264. th which may make the provision of wheelchair access difficult seating longitudinal seats that are placed parallel to the sides of a transit vehicle so that passengers sit sideways relative to the direction of travel This seating arrangement increases the aisle width so allowing more standing room but may be less comfortable for seated passengers seating transverse seats that are placed perpendicular to the sides of a transit vehicle so that passengers face forward or backward relative to the direction of travel This seating arrangement is often used when it is desired for most passengers to have a seat although it is also possible to have single transverse seats on either side of the vehicle with a wide aisle in between seat mile revenue see revenue seat mile section for sections of legislation see definition of legislation section block see block section extra see extra section section maximum load see maximum load section self propelled locomotive see locomotive self propelled self propelled or self powered car see car rail motor self service barrier free fare collection system see fare collection system open barrier free proof of payment self service semi metro system see transit system semi metro sensor induction loop see induction loop sensor separation grade see grade separation series time see time series series woun
265. th in terms of being able to find a seat and in overall crowding levels within the vehicle From a transit operator s perspective a poor LOS may indicate the need to increase service frequency or vehicle size in order to reduce crowding and to provide a more comfortable ride for passengers A poor passenger load LOS indicates that dwell times will be longer for a given passenger boarding and alighting demand at a transit stop and as a result travel times and service reliability will be negatively affected Passenger load LOS for bus and rail uses the same measure area per passenger but the ranges used to determine LOS differ between the two modes because of differences in the level of crowding that passengers will tolerate and because most rail modes with the notable exception of commuter rail provide more standing area than do buses Passenger load LOS can be measured by time of day e g LOS D peak LOS B off peak or by the amount of time a certain condition occurs e g some passengers must stand for up to 10 minutes The exhibits in Part 2 Bus Transit Capacity and Part 3 Rail Transit Capacity can be used to estimate the passenger area provided within different kinds of transit vehicles Alternatively the load factors passengers per seat given in Exhibit 5 14 can be used to estimate level of service Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 27 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual
266. the upright position activates a train s emergency braking system 3 The movement of a transit unit vehicle or train in one direction from the beginning of a route to the end of it also known as a run trip inbound a trip toward the central urban area into the central business district or to a timed transfer point or major activity center trip linked linked journey linked passenger trip a trip from the point of origin to the final destination regardless of the number of modes or vehicles used trip non home based a trip that has neither its origin nor its destination at a residence trip one way see trip trip outbound a trip away from the central urban area out of the central business district or Page 6 42 away from a timed transfer point or major activity center trip passenger one passenger making a one way trip from origin to destination trip person a trip made by a person by any mode or combination of modes for any purpose trip round the movement of a person or a vehicle from a point of origin to a destination and then back to the same point of origin trip track see track trip trip unlinked 1 A trip made in a single vehicle 2 The boarding of one transit vehicle in revenue service also known as an unlinked passenger trip 3 Any segment of a linked trip trip vehicle the one way movement of a vehicle between two points trip arm see trac
267. the trip and the traveler will either use another mode or will not make the trip If however transit service is available at the trip origin and destination or the traveler can use another mode to get to and from transit if information is available on where when and how service is provided and if transit service is provided at or near the time the trip needs to be made then transit becomes an option Assuming the latter is true the decision making process moves to step two weighing the comfort and convenience of transit service against competing modes This process is illustrated in Exhibit 5 3 Exhibit 5 3 Transit Trip Decision Making Process Transit Convenience 1 How long is the walk Are there sidewalks and pedestrian signals 2 Is the service reliable 3 How long is the wait Is there a shelter at the stop 4 Are there security concerns walking waiting or riding 5 How crowded is the vehicle Are the vehicles and shelters clean How much will the trip cost How many transfers are required How long will the trip take in total How long relative to other modes Unlike the first decision the kinds of questions weighed by a potential customer are not necessarily all or nothing Each person has their own personal values that they apply to a given factor and each person will weigh the factors shown above differently Regular transit users familiar with the service may perceive transit ser
268. tion of State Highway and Transportation Officials see organizations American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials AAWDT annual average weekday traffic see traffic annual average weekday ABS automatic block signal see control system automatic block signal AC alternating current ADA Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 see legislation Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ADB advanced design bus see bus advanced design ADT average daily traffic see traffic average daily ATTB Advanced Technology Transit Bus AFC automatic fare collection see fare collection system automatic AGT automated guideway transit automated guided transit see transit system automated guideway APTA American Public Transit Association see organizations American Public Transit Association ATC system automatic train control system ATO automatic train operation ATP automatic train protection ATS automatic train supervision automatic train stop system ATU Amalgamated Transit Union see union transit AVL automatic vehicle location system AWD AW1 AW2 AW3 see car weight designations absolute block see block absolute absolute permissive block see block absolute permissive acceleration increase in velocity per unit time in transit usually measured in feet per second squared meters per second squared or in the Part 6 GLOSSARY Unit
269. tion of line to move all trains into a station or to keep part of the line operating normally Page 6 20 loading link see link loading loading area see bus bay loading island 1 A pedestrian refuge within the right of way and traffic lanes of a highway or street It is provided at designated transit stops for the protection of passengers from traffic while they wait for and board or alight from transit vehicles also known as a pedestrian or boarding island 2 A protected spot for the loading and unloading of passengers It may be located within a rail transit or bus station 3 On streetcar and light rail systems a passenger loading platform in the middle of the street level with the street or more usually raised to curb height often protected with a bollard facing traffic also known as a safety island local bus or service see service local bus local train see train local location vehicle see automatic vehicle location system locomotive a powered rail vehicle used for towing rail cars It does not carry passengers and is usually powered by electric motors or diesel engines locomotive diesel electric a locomotive that uses one or more diesel engines to drive electric generators that in turn supply electric motors geared to the driving axles By far the dominant type of locomotive in North America locomotive dual powered a locomotive that is capable of both diesel and el
270. travel on that segment also known as line miles kilometers or miles kilometers of directional roadway 3 Two way mileage kilometers is total mileage kilometers of each route covered from start to finish No attention is given to direction of routes or number of routes using any particular segment of roadway or guideway route structure 1 A network of transit routes 2 The pattern of transit routes for example grid radial See network route supervisor see inspector routing dynamic see dynamic routing routing through see through routing rule in rail operations a law or order authoritatively governing conduct or action run 1 The movement of a transit unit vehicle or train in one direction from the beginning of a route to the end of it also known as a trip 2 An operator s assignment of trips for a day of operation also known as a work run run bus the daily assignment of a bus numbered and listed in a master schedule Each vehicle displays its bus run number run owl a run that operates during the late night through early morning hours most commonly midnight to 0400h or the start of the next day s service Some systems designate hours after midnight when operated by vehicles starting the previous day as 2500h 2600h and so on run cutting the process of organizing all scheduled trips operated by the transit system into Glossary runs for the assignme
271. tructure the system set up to determine how much is to be paid by various categories of passengers using the system in any given circumstance faregate a device that unlocks to allow a passenger to enter the paid area after a pass smartcard farecard or the correct amount of money or tokens has been inserted into it federal agencies see U S Government Federal Highway Administration see U S Government Federal Highway Administration Federal Railroad Administration see U S Government Federal Railroad Administration Federal Transit Act of 1964 see legislation Federal Transit Act of 1964 Federal Transit Administration see U S Government Federal Transit Administration feeder service see service feeder ferryboat a vessel that carries passengers vehicles or both over a body of water usually for short distances and with frequent regular service A ferryboat is generally a conventional shallow draft boat but hydrofoils catamarans and hovercraft are also used Often such vessels are double ended with a pilot house at each end for control purposes so that the vessel need not be turned around for the next trip ferryboat urban Ferryboats that have at least one terminal within an urbanized area excluding international rural rural interstate island and urban park ferries few to few service see service few to few few to many service see service few to many first track
272. tudents seniors A single concession fare reduces the complexity of having multiple fares for different classes of passengers into two full and concession fare E amp H see definition of elderly and handicapped fare exact a transit operations policy that precludes the making of change for passengers A passenger must therefore have the correct change for the fare or else overpay it Almost universal on North American transit except where ticket kiosks or ticket vending machines make change fare flat method of travel pricing that uses a single fare for the entire service area regardless of the trip s distance time of day area of travel or other characteristics fare graduated a fare that is proportional to the distance traveled also known as mileage fare or to the length of time that a passenger may ride on a service fare mileage see fare graduated fare off peak or peak see fare time of day fare peak period surcharge see fare time of day fare pre paid any fare not paid on board a transit vehicle e g a transit pass a ticket purchased at a machine prior to boarding a vehicle or a fare paid prior to entering a fare paid area Page 6 14 fare reduced a special fare for children students senior citizens or others that is less than the regular fare fare regular see fare base fare time of day a fare that varies by time of day It is usually higher
273. ty of Service Manual Reliability includes both on time performance and the evenness of headways between transit vehicles Customer surveys help transit operators identify the quality of service factors of greatest importance to their customers Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE varies by the type of service In general transit provides load factors at or below 1 0 for long distance commute trips and high speed mixed traffic operations Inner city service may approach 2 0 or even more while other services will be in between Because the number of seats provided varies greatly between otherwise identical rail vehicles operated by different transit systems passengers per unit vehicle length is being applied more often for rail capacity calculations than load factors Appearance and Comfort Having clean graffiti free transit stops stations and vehicles improves transit s image even among non riders Some transit systems for example Bay Area Rapid Transit in the San Francisco Bay Area Housatonic Area Regional Transit in Danbury CT and the Tidewater Transportation Commission in Norfolk have established standards for transit facility appearance and cleanliness and have also established inspection programs R Passengers are also interested in ride comfort which includes both seat comfort and the severity and amount of acceleration and deceleration both lateral and longitudinal Reliability Reliability affects the amount
274. ucksburg 15 14 42 24 18 14 33 10 Hopland 14 31 38 33 28 38 18 Conestoga 29 24 27 14 36 4 Fish Valley S9 45 45 29 33 Nottingham 15 10 46 20 Stripeton 13 36 23 Riverbank 36 10 Fort Plains 40 2 Determine the transit travel times including transfers but not including walk and wait time between each pair of locations For example transit travel time between Juniper and Anytown is 63 minutes from the map and a 10 minute wait to transfer between routes occurs in Chipville for a total transit travel time of 73 minutes Nutria Juniper Mtn View Chipville Bucksburg Hopland Conestoga Fish Valley Nottingham Stripeton Riverbank Fort Plains West Cones Anytown 24 73 45 46 24 24 42 58 50 31 30 18 38 Nutria 57 79 40 52 58 76 92 55 26 42 52 72 Juniper 128 17 107 107 125 141 122 93 109 101 121 Mtn View 101 79 79 92 17 105 86 85 73 93 Chipville 80 80 98 114 105 76 92 74 94 Bucksburg 58 21 92 55 26 52 52 14 Hopland 27 92 84 65 64 52 44 Conestoga 110 86 57 82 70 7 Fish Valley 118 99 98 86 106 Nottingham 19 45 78 79 Stripeton 16 59 50 Riverbank 58 78 Fort Plains 66 Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE Page 5 53 Chapter 6 Example Problems Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Nutria Juniper Anytown 7 28 Nutria 30 Juniper Mtn View Chipville Bucksburg Hopland Conestoga Fish Valley Nottingham Stripeton Riverbank Fort Plains Nutria Juniper Anytown B Cc Nutria Cc Juniper Mtn View Chipville Bucksburg Hopland Conestoga Fish Valle
275. up values into levels of service based on the passenger s perspective Service measures are a subset of performance measures Chapter 1 Introduction Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Vehicle point of view Passenger point of view The vehicle point of view includes measures of vehicular speed and delay routinely calculated for streets and highways using the procedures given in the Highway Capacity Manual This point of view also includes measures of facility capacity in terms of the number of transit vehicles that can be accommodated Because transit vehicles carry passengers these measures also reflect the passenger s point of view passengers on board a transit vehicle traveling at an average speed of 20 km h 12 mph individually also experience this same average travel speed However because these vehicle oriented measures do not take passenger loading into account the passenger point of view is hidden because all vehicles are treated equally regardless of the number of passengers in each vehicle For example while a single occupant vehicle and a 50 passenger bus traveling on the same street may experience the same amount of delay due to on street congestion and traffic signal delays the person delay experienced by the bus is 50 times as great as the single occupant vehicle The passenger point of view or quality of service directly measures passengers perception of the availability comfort and conve
276. urban scheduled transit service procedures since the basic service is scheduled The measure of service frequency for paratransit service is access time the minimum amount of time from when a passenger first requests service to the time a pick up can be Page 5 16 Chapter 3 Quality of Service Measures Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual guaranteed to occur as shown in exhibit 5 6 Therefore access time for standing reservations where passengers are picked up every day at a given time unless the service provider is notified otherwise is calculated for the situation when a request for service is first made Exhibit 5 6 Service Frequency LOS Paratransit Service LOS Access Time h Comments A 0 0 0 5 Fairly prompt response B 0 6 1 0 Acceptable response C 1 1 2 0 Tolerable response D 2 1 4 0 Poor response may require advance planning E 4 1 24 0 Requires advance planning F gt 24 0 Service not offered every weekday or at all Paratransit service frequency at LOS A levels provides a ride within a half hour of the request minimizing the wait time after one decides to make a trip At LOS B and C the wait time increases but travel still requires little or no planning on the part of the passenger At LOS D same day round trip service is still possible but generally requires some planning on the part of the passenger The threshold between LOS E and F is one day s advance notice for obtain
277. us bay design providing several adjacent loading islands between which buses drive through stop and then exit Allows bus stops to be located in a compact area Sometimes used at intermodal transfer centers as all buses can wait with their front destination signs facing the direction passengers will arrive from e g from a rail station exit bus bay linear a bus bay design where buses stop directly behind each other requires the bus in front to leave its bus bay before the bus behind it can exit Often used when buses will use the bus bay only for a short time e g at an on street bus stop bus bay sawtooth a bus bay design where the curb is indented in a sawtooth pattern allowing buses to enter and exit bus bays independently of other buses Often used at transit centers bus berth see bus bay bus bulge curb bulge an extension of the sidewalk into the roadway for passenger loading without the bus pulling into the curb gives priority to buses and eases reentry into traffic often landscaped and fitted with bus shelter and other passenger amenities bus dock or duckout see bus bay bus gate 1 A bus priority signal control for intersection approaches Signals located upstream from the intersection stop traffic in regular lanes while the bus lane remains open allowing buses to proceed to any lane at the intersection signal ahead of other traffic 2 In some areas a crossing gate on highway ram
278. us bulge current collector the mechanical component on an electric rail car that makes contact with the conductor that distributes the electric current see also overhead contact shoe pantograph third rail shoe and trolley pole cut and cover a method of construction that consists of excavating the terrain from ground level placing a structure in the excavation and then filling over the structure Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual cutting see run cutting DC 1 District of Columbia 2 direct current DE double ended rail or streetcar with driving positions at both ends DHV design hourly volume DMU diesel multiple unit car see car mutltiple unit DOT department of transportation see organizations department of transportation and U S Government Department of Transportation DPM downtown people mover see people mover downtown day pass or daypass ticket for unlimited travel for one day usually to end of service the following day may be for one or more zones of travel may be restricted in morning peak period may be good for one adult one concession rider or for a family or similar group Can be valid through a weekend Often contains scratch panels for user to designate day and month of use deadhead an unproductive or non revenue move without passengers aboard often to and from a garage or from one route to another Some agencies carry passengers
279. us control of the train by one operator control system overlay A train control system usually software controlled that is overlaid on top of a conventionally fixed block control system Permits closer headway of trains equipped for the overlay while providing operation and safe separation of non equipped trains control system traffic see control system centralized traffic control system transmission based see control system moving block controlling dwell the dwell usually at the busiest station on a rail transit line that added to the minimum separation time of the train control system for the applicable speed sets the closest headway possible conventional rail transport transportation systems that consist of steel wheeled trains running on duo rail tracks Trains may be self propelled or hauled by locomotive with diesel or electric propulsion conveyor passenger or pedestrian see moving walkway cordon count in planning a count of vehicles and people across a designated cordon line to determine the total flow people and vehicles by mode and time period into and out of the study area cordon line in planning an imaginary line circumscribing a specific geographic study area corner check see check corridor in planning a broad geographical band that follows a general directional flow or connects major sources of trips It may contain a number of streets and highways
280. ven vehicle occupancy and for rail the uneven loading of cars within a train Usually the maximum capacity with unlimited vehicles if constrained by number of vehicles this must be clearly stated Achievable capacity is preferred usage as practical capacity has been defined in different ways in different studies capacity crush crush load the maximum feasible passenger capacity of a vehicle that is the capacity at which one more passenger cannot enter without causing serious discomfort to the others Note that the crush load specification for some rail transit vehicles does not relate to an achievable passenger loading level but is an artificial figure representing the additional weight for which the car structure is designed or for which the propulsion and braking system will meet minimum performance criteria capacity design l For highways the maximum number of vehicles that can pass over a given section of a lane or roadway in one or both directions during a given time period under prevailing environmental e g weather light roadway and traffic conditions 2 For transit the maximum number of passengers that can be transported over a given section of a transit line in one direction during a given time period usually 1 hr under prevailing traffic conditions and design comfort standards 3 For vehicles the total number of spaces or people a vehicle can accommodate capacity fleet rolling stock capacity
281. vice more favorably than non users In the end the choice to use transit will depend on the availability of other modes and how the quality of transit service compares with those competing modes These factors relating to transit availability comfort and convenience are discussed in more detail in the next section Page 5 6 Chapter 2 Quality of Service Framework Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual QUALITY OF SERVICE FACTORS Service Coverage Whether or not transit service is provided near one s origin and destination is a key factor in the choice to use transit Ideally transit service is provided within a reasonable walking distance of one s origin and destination or demand responsive service is available to one s doorstep The specifics of reasonable walk varies from source to source and depends on the situation for example people will walk farther to rail stations than to bus routes and the elderly do not walk as far as average adults Potential barriers such as wide or busy streets hills or an absence of pedestrian facilities also play an important role In general 0 4 km 0 25 mi or 5 minutes walk time is the limit of a bus route s typical service area for a rail transit station these figures can be doubled If transit service is not provided near one s origin other possible options include driving to a park and ride lot or riding a bicycle to transit Both of these options requi
282. w the planned development of transit oriented uses around the station station off line a station at which a transit unit vehicle or train stops outside the main track or travel lane so that other units can pass while passengers board and alight rare but found on a few automated guideway transit systems and busways station on line a station in which transit units vehicles or trains stop on the main track or travel lane This is the common design and the term is used only to distinguish this station from off line stations station passenger see station station accessibility see accessibility station station platform see platform passenger stinger a portable cable to connect electric rail vehicles to traction power while in the workshop stock rolling see fleet stop far side a transit stop located beyond an intersection It requires that transit units vehicles or trains cross the intersection before stopping to serve passengers stop midblock a transit stop located at a point away from intersections stop near side a transit stop located on the approach side of an intersection The transit units vehicles or trains stop to serve passengers before crossing the intersection stop off line see station off line stop on line see station on line stop terminal a transit stop located at either end of a transit route or line stop transit an area whe
283. waiting time for a transit vehicle travel time on board a vehicle travel time from transit to one s destination and any time required for transfers between routes during the trip The importance of each of these factors varies from person to person Some persons will view the trip as an opportunity for exercise during the walk to transit and for catching up on reading or work while on transit Other persons will compare the overall door to door travel time of a trip by transit to the time for the same trip by private automobile Waiting time at a transit stop may seem longer than the equivalent amount of time spent walking or on board a vehicle In general both the absolute travel time and the travel time in relation to competing modes will be factors in a potential passenger s choice to use transit Total trip time is influenced by a number of factors including the route spacing affecting the distance required to walk to transit the service frequency affecting wait time and the frequency of stops traffic congestion signal timing and the fare collection system used affecting travel time on board a transit vehicle Cost Potential passengers weigh the cost and value of using transit versus the out of pocket costs and value of using other modes Out of pocket transit costs consist of the cost of the fare for each trip or the cost of a monthly pass while out of pocket automobile costs include road and bridge tolls and parking charge
284. way at a predetermined rate rapid bus see transit system bus rapid rapid the see transit system rail rapid rapid rail transit see transit system rail rapid rapid transit generic term introduced in the 1890s to denote any transit that was faster than its predecessor most particularly for the replacement of horsecars with electric streetcars now generally used for rail systems on exclusive right of way i e heavy rail or metro See adjacent listings and specific entries under transit systems rapid transit car see car rail rapid transit rapid transit operator see operator rapid transit rapid transit system see rapid transit and specific entries under transit systems bus rapid group rapid light rail rapid personal rapid rail rapid rapid rate of flow see flow rate ratio cost recovery see cost recovery ratio ratio fare or farebox recovery see fare recovery ratio ratio operating see operating ratio ratio peak base or peak off peak see peak base ratio ratio travel time see travel time ratio reader farecard see farecard reader recovery ratio see cost recovery ratio and fare recovery ratio recovery time see time layover rectifier station see electric sub station reduced fare see fare reduced refuge pedestrian see pedestrian refuge regenerative brake see brake regenerative regional planning agency see organ
285. y Nottingham Stripeton Riverbank Fort Plains Part 5 QUALITY OF SERVICE 3 Adjust the travel times based on the comments to obtain door to door travel times and calculate the travel time difference for each pair of locations For example the door to door auto time from Juniper to Anytown is 56 minutes including the 8 minutes required to park and walk The door to door transit time is 84 minutes including the 11 minutes required to walk and wait The difference in automobile and transit travel times is 28 minutes Mtn View Chipville 18 14 40 26 61 15 47 Bucksburg 9 26 53 45 39 Hopland Conestoga Fish Valley Nottingham Stripeton Riverbank Fort Plains West Cones 10 14 37 22 9 12 6 9 32 41 59 32 18 21 28 36 53 62 80 71 57 60 49 57 60 75 18 64 46 54 49 72 39 48 66 67 53 56 35 43 54 18 61 42 19 49 30 15 24 72 57 43 47 25 37 92 73 41 79 45 14 74 65 64 68 84 15 46 43 70 14 34 38 33 79 37 4 Calculate the level of service for each pair of locations For example the travel time difference of 28 minutes between Juniper and Anytown equates to LOS C Mtn View Chipville Cc B D Cc F B E The Results Bucksburg 0uUmMmMoOW Hopland Conestoga Fish Valley Nottingham Stripeton Riverbank Fort Plains West Cones B mommo oomnnn w nmmn ng n m oo En m o ng mno oOo onooommmOoO w omninm mmmmo w o o oR OoOo mow omno ngu O Uu Om o w The radial route pattern serving Anytown provides good levels of service B o
286. y 30 minutes at one s destination LOS is based on the 30 minute frequency v All routes pass through a downtown transfer center No trip requires more than one transfer Outline of Solution A number of locations around the city representing residential commercial office and institutional land uses are selected for analysis Their locations are illustrated on the map below Each location is examined to determine the number of routes that pass by it and how frequently they run If a location has several routes that pass by it within 3 minutes of each other only one route is counted towards determining service frequency Bus Routes Streets x NW Residential x Shopping Sala NE Residential N Residentia alae Vy a N Pfa ae s DA ye Shaner Downtown ts B A amp N ronal fai S2 ai l EXE Y A S Residential Airport n Office Park Shopping Q x E Residential gt x SW Res SE Resldentia Page 5 42 Chapter 6 Example Problems Steps Develop a table listing the peak hour service frequency for each location Since each trip involves no more than one transfer i e a third bus is not taken in the middle of the trip either the frequency at the origin or the destination will control LOS whichever is longer Exhibit 5 5 provides frequency LOS for urban scheduled transit service Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Location Peak Hour Peak Hour Frequency min LOS Downt
287. y also be located on the back side or both Includes roll signs printed on cloth or plastic and electronic signs most usually dot matrix See also head sign deviation point to point see point to point deviation device grade crossing traffic control see grade crossing traffic control device device signal actuating see pedestrian signal actuating device and vehicle signal actuating device device traffic control see traffic control device dial a bus or dial a ride see transportation system dial a ride diamond lane see lane diamond diesel electric locomotive see locomotive diesel electric diesel multiple unit car DMU see car mutltiple unit diesel rail car see car rail diesel differential fare see fare differential direct current DC fixed polarity electrical distribution system universally used for heavy rail light rail and trolleybuses For a given load at the voltages used there are lower losses and longer distances possible between feeder points and sub stations than with alternating current AC direct current motor see motor direct current directional route miles see route miles directional split the proportional distribution between opposite flows of traffic on two way facilities directness coefficient of see coefficient of directness disability public transportation see definition of handicapped disadvantaged transport
288. zing transit passes for their employees or charging their Page 5 36 Chapter 4 Applications Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual employees the true cost of providing them with free parking spaces can help equalize some of the out of pocket cost differences between transit and auto use Land use planning efforts that increase density or minimize out of direction travel by pedestrians can help transit serve more people with the same amount of resources POLICY AND GOAL SETTING The counterpart to service assessment is policy and goal setting In order to assess something one needs a standard to compare it to Inherent in service measures is the concept that LOS F represents an unacceptable condition to the user However there are many cases when a higher standard may be desirable Using service and performance measures to set policy and goals allows transit operators communities states and others to provide a consistent quantitative means of defining the kind of transit service they wish to provide and to provide the basis for evaluating in the future how well their goals are being met Targets can be set for any of the measures presented as part of the quality of service framework Potential policy and goal applications include the following e Statewide mobility planning The availability measures can be used to establish goals for the amount of transit service provided between smaller communities and their larger neighb

Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (Part E)

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