OPERATING COST EVALUATION OF URBAN RAILWAYS AND BRT SYSTEMS, CASE Burak BIROL İstanbul Ulaşım A.Ş., Maintenance and Operation , İstanbul, Turkey

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In this study, operating cost of urban railways and BRT systems have been researched. Bağcılar- Kabataş tramline, T4 Topkapı-Habibler tramline, Aksaray-Havalimanı , Şişhane- Hacıosman metro, Kirazlı-Olimpiyat metro, Kadıköy-Kartal metro have been evaluated as urban railways. As a BRT example, İstanbul BRT line have been studied with its phases. The operataing result tables used for urban rail that taken from İstanbul Ulaşım A.Ş which is the operating firm of İstanbul urban railways. Operating informations related with BRT system are derived from İ.E.T.T. which is the operating firm of İstanbul BRT system. Operating costs of these tables are separated and re-arranged by subtopics, and some assumptions are made.Abroad urban rail system cost is taken as calculated from their respective sources.When comparing operating costs, the cost are calculated in terms of rates that is written below the related tables. In 2011 occurred the sudden rise in the dollar exchange rate against Turkish liras. This cause the operating costs of the relevant year has been lower in rate of U.S. dollar. T1 and T4, which are lines in İstanbul is necessary to examine separately. Tram lines are usually operated single vehicle worldwide, but T1 are operated two combined vehicles and T4 are operated 3 combined vehicles. This situation increases the cost per vehicle-km.Among the tramlines, T1 tramline is special. It has much more passenger transport volume when it is compared with the similar European tramlines. In fact, this volume is well over the passenger transport volume of subway system. Therefore, it is useful to keep T1 tramline separate from other tram systems. Cost per passenger of T1 is 0,49 $ and cost per passenger (CPP) of T4 is 0,88 $ in 2012. Average CPP in Istanbul is 0,68 $ in 2012. In London, the average CPP for the tramlines is 1,48 $ in 2000, in Montpellier the average CPP for the tramlines is 0,74 $ in 2008, in Vancouver the average CPP for the tramlines is 0,51 $ in 2009. In the light of this information, T1 has lower CPP. On the other hand, T4 has the higher CPP among the tramlines except London. Development level and gross national product of countries, passenger numbers and age of lines are the factors that affect CPP. The reasons that the average cost in Istanbul low among the others are lines is relatively new, the labor force is cheaper and more energy efficient technologies is used.When M1 line compared the similar in the worldwide in terms of operational cost, it is almost same with examined light rail lines. Cost per vehicle (CPV)-km is evaluated, M1 has 14,22 $ CPV-km in 2012. The same value in 1999 is 7,67 $ in Dallas, 7,18 $ in Denver, 8,47 $ in Los Angeles and 7,17 $ in New York. For reliable evaluation of costs, inflation in the related cities should be taken into account. All the related cities is in U.S.A. and if inflation rate is taken 5% per year , the real value of costs per vehicle-km for the cities are around 14-15 $.