Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual
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TCRP Web Document 6 (Project A-15) Contractor’s Final Report Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual Prepared for Transit Cooperative Research Program Transportation Research Board National Research Council Submitted by Kittelson & Associates, Inc. In association with Texas Transportation Institute Transport Consulting Limited January 1999 ACKNOWLEDGMENT This work was sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and was conducted through the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP), which is administered by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Research Council. DISCLAIMER The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in the report are those of the research agency. They are not necessarily those of the TRB, the National Research Council, the FTA, the Transit Development Corporation, or the U.S. Government. This report has not been edited by TRB. Information on this report is available from the TCRP, 2101 Constitution Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20418 Telephone: 202/334-3502 Fax: 202/334-2006 Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual TABLE OF CONTENTS Report Organization.........................................................................................................viii Foreword............................................................................................................................ix Acknowledgments..............................................................................................................xi PART 1: INTRODUCTION AND CONCEPTS 1. TRANSIT IN NORTH AMERICA ..........................................................................1-1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1-1 The Dominance of Large Systems .............................................................................. 1-2 Statistics...................................................................................................................... 1-2 Bus Service Types ...................................................................................................... 1-4 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1-4 Segregated Right-of-Way (Busway) ....................................................................... 1-6 Exclusive Reserved Lanes (Bus Lanes) .................................................................. 1-7 Shared Reserved Lanes (HOV Lanes) .................................................................... 1-8 Mixed Traffic.......................................................................................................... 1-9 Demand-Responsive ............................................................................................... 1-9 Route Deviation.................................................................................................... 1-10 Rural and Intercity ................................................................................................ 1-10 Observed Bus and Passenger Flows...................................................................... 1-11 Bus Priority Treatments........................................................................................ 1-12 Rail Transit ............................................................................................................... 1-14 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1-14 Rail Right-of-Way Types...................................................................................... 1-16 Light Rail Transit.................................................................................................. 1-17 Heavy Rail Transit................................................................................................ 1-20 Commuter Rail...................................................................................................... 1-23 Automated Guideway Transit ............................................................................... 1-26 Other Rail ............................................................................................................. 1-28 Aerial Tramway .................................................................................................... 1-31 Public Elevators.................................................................................................... 1-32 Ferry Services ........................................................................................................... 1-32 2. TRANSIT CAPACITY AND QUALITY OF SERVICE CONCEPTS ...............1-35 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1-35 Capacity.................................................................................................................... 1-35 Person Capacity .................................................................................................... 1-35 Transit Line Capacity............................................................................................ 1-35 Loading Diversity ................................................................................................. 1-37 Economic Constraints ........................................................................................... 1-37 Agency Policies .................................................................................................... 1-37 Quality of Service ..................................................................................................... 1-38 Transit Availability............................................................................................... 1-38 Transit Quality...................................................................................................... 1-39 Quality of Service Framework.............................................................................. 1-39 3. REFERENCES ........................................................................................................1-41 APPENDIX A. RAIL ROUTE CHARACTERISTICS ............................................1-43 Page i Table of Contents Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual PART 2: BUS TRANSIT CAPACITY 1. BUS CAPACITY BASICS ....................................................................................... 2-1 Overview..................................................................................................................... 2-1 Definitions .............................................................................................................. 2-1 Types of Bus Facilities and Service............................................................................ 2-3 Factors Influencing Bus Capacity ............................................................................... 2-5 Vehicle Capacity..................................................................................................... 2-5 Person Capacity .................................................................................................... 2-13 Fundamental Capacity Calculations.......................................................................... 2-15 Vehicle Capacity................................................................................................... 2-15 Person Capacity .................................................................................................... 2-22 Planning Applications............................................................................................... 2-23 2. OPERATING ISSUES............................................................................................ 2-25 Introduction............................................................................................................... 2-25 Bus Operations.......................................................................................................... 2-25 Passenger Loads.................................................................................................... 2-25 Skip-Stop Operation ............................................................................................. 2-26 Roadway Operations................................................................................................. 2-28 Bus Preferential Treatments at Intersections......................................................... 2-28 Bus Preferential Treatments on Roadway Segments............................................. 2-33 Person Delay Considerations ................................................................................ 2-37 Roadway Operations Summary............................................................................. 2-37 3. BUSWAYS AND FREEWAY HOV LANES........................................................ 2-39 Introduction............................................................................................................... 2-39 Calculating Vehicle Capacity.................................................................................... 2-40 Freeway HOV Lanes............................................................................................. 2-40 Busways ................................................................................................................ 2-40 Calculating Person Capacity ..................................................................................... 2-41 Calculating Speed ....................................................................................................