Calculation of Transit Performance Measures Using Smartcard Data

Abstract

Smartcard automated fare collection systems (SCAFC) for transit have been consid-ered primarily for their administrative function of controlling access to the service and for revenue management. However, it is likely that data from these systems also can be used to describe both transport supply and demand. This article illustrates the use of smartcard data to estimate various transit performance measures. Com-bined with well-established evaluation processes, such measures can help operators monitor their networks in greater detail. The performance of the network supply (vehicle-kilometers, vehicle-hours, commercial speed, etc.) and the statistics on pas-senger service (passenger-kilometers, passenger-hours, average trip length, etc.) can be calculated from these datasets for any spatial or temporal level of resolution, including route and bus stop levels.