Coverage Practices in a Patronage Based Bus Network Design Process

Abstract

The goals of bus services can be split into patronage (regarding the number of people that actually use the service) and coverage (regarding the number of people that are able to use the service) goals. Current bus networks are designed primarily for the coverage goals, as a consequence the patronage is lacking resulting in only few bus services to be cost-efficient. Literature provides several practices for increasing the cost-efficiency, but the effects on the coverage function are often neglected. This report follows a design process for a Dutch case in order to find how the coverage can be enhanced by including several new practices from the beginning of a network design. New design tools were
developed in order to compare four different network designs relying on various coverage practices. The results show that a two layered system consisting of a high quality service combined with a supporting service in the form of a regular and/or demand responsive service is the best approach. Within the existing cost constraints, it is possible to create a large high quality network that relies on bicycles as access mode. By including shared bicycles, the coverage function is ensured while increasing the cost-efficiency of the network by allowing for faster routing. As a result, 10 percent more trips were made per timetable hour and 3 percent more passenger kilometres were covered. Replacing regular fixed line services by demand responsive services resulting in only a marginal increase that was highly dependent on the costs not to turn out higher. In combination with bicycle sharing, the results turned out to be much more positive with an additional 11 percent increase. By using a two layered system a high quality service can be provided that also serves a large coverage function. Of the supporting services, the use of shared bicycles allow for opportunities to improve even further, especially when combined with demand responsive transport.