ASSESSMENT OF BUS SYSTEM SERVICE AND PERFORMANCE FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT IMPROVEMENT

This study, entitled “Assessment of Bus System Service and Performance for
Public Transport Improvement” was based on a case study of bus service at the Ipoh-
Lumut corridor in Perak, Malaysia. This corridor is serviced by stage buses in mixed
traffic. The problems faced are low quality of buses, inconvenience, long waiting
time, limited facilities, low reliability and low passengers loading which have caused
the system to be unattractive to passengers. The purposes of the study were to analyze
bus service characteristics and performance of the bus system, to assess bus service
reliability and to formulate strategies for the improvement of bus service performance.
A fieldwork investigation was conducted covering preliminary survey, primary
data survey and secondary data collection. The primary data consisted of bus service
operation and passenger boarding and alighting. The approaches of study included
description of study area, analysis of bus service characteristics, performance,
improvement strategies, evaluation of ridership factors elasticity and sensitivity of bus
service demand. Bus service characteristics were analyzed based on fundamental
theory, World Bank Standard and TCQSM Standard. In addition, statistical methods
such as ANOVA, MARE, MAPPE, ARIMA, MLR and SNN model were applied.
The proposed performance indicators to evaluate bus service quality and reliability
comprised of on-time performance, regularity, punctuality and waiting time. The
concept of elasticity and sensitivity were explored to evaluate bus service demand
with respect to ridership factors changes. Finally, gravity model was calibrated to
estimate passenger trip distribution by using data of passenger boarding and alighting.
From this study, it was concluded that the improvement of bus service quality and
performance can be done by changing of frequency, the capacity of passenger and
improving the bus service reliability. Based on the elasticity analysis, in the service
characteristics category, travel time was an elastic factor, whereas ticket fare, fuel
price, per capita income, frequency and headway were inelastic factors in the bus service demand. Meanwhile, in the service reliability category, the punctuality,
waiting time, regularity and on-time performance were categorized as elastic factors.
Moreover, the bus service demand increased by changes of factors such as the
increase in punctuality, decrease in waiting time, increase in level of service and
increase in regularity.