Meeting_Body
AD HOC CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
JULY 20, 2017
Subject
SUBJECT: BUS SYSTEM SPEED AND ON-TIME PERFORMANCE
Action
ACTION: APPROVE ACTION PLAN TO IMPROVE TRANSIT SYSTEM SPEED AND ON TIME PERFORMANCE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
A. RECEIVING AND FILING status report on Bus System Speed and On-Time Performance.
B. AUTHORIZING the Chief Executive Officer to Develop a Plan to improve speed and on-time performance on key corridors of the Metro transit system, including:
- Identify the top ten key transit corridors that will benefit the most from speed and on-time performance improvements; and
- For each corridor, identify the congestion hot spots, develop a series of traffic signal, transit priority, and operational solutions, and evaluate the costs and benefits of solutions.
Issue
ISSUE
In the last five years, Metro and other operators have seen significant declines in the use of their bus systems. Even with the excellent performance of the new rail lines added to the region, bus system use continues to decline. Metro has expanded its peak 15 minute network to include 72 bus lines, added service to the Rapid network, and recently initiated 24-hour service on both the Metro Orange and Silver Lines. As one factor of the overall discussion concerning ridership loss, it has been argued that both the speed and reliability of the Metro system has declined. This report explores the issue of declining operating speeds and the associated impacts on service reliability.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The primary question that staff seeks to answer is what the agency can do to make the underlying bus system more attractive and useful to our customers. Metro is emphasizing the reduction in bus operating speed because as speeds decrease, the agency must spend more resources to maintain current service. In addition, as speeds decline, the attractiveness of transit is also impacted. Reasons why system speeds have decreased include:
* Increa...
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