Title: THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY FOR URBAN BUS OPERATIONS
Abstract: At present, many urban bus services operate at a very low level of technology in terms of passenger information and ticketing. Very little information is given at stops - often no more than a route number - and, outside major cities, most passengers continue to pay in cash resulting in serious delay to one-person-operated vehicles. Poor profitability means that the industry itself has difficulty in generating funds for essential vehicle replacement, let alone additional technology. At the opposite extreme, one might envisage real-time information systems being provided at each bus stop, and 'smart card' systems being used for fare collection. However, one must question how far this is a realistic prospect. Beyond a small number of demonstration projects and some high density corridors, it is likely that only a small proportion of the network will justify real-time systems. Smart card systems could, in theory, permit every single journey to be recorded, but at the expense of some boarding time delays (vis a vis simpler methods such as travelcard). It is necessary to determine an 'appropriate level' of technology. In this paper, the findings of a survey carried out in Leeds by Colquhoun Transportation Planning in October 1992 to assess the value placed on different items of information by bus passengers is presented. For the covering abstract see IRRD 866258.
Publication Year: 1993
Publication Date: 1993-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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