Analysing the modal competitiveness of public transport through the concept of generalised journey time

Exploring ways to improve the travel time of the bus compared to that of the private car

Abstract

Amongst a range of factors, travel time of the bus relative to the equivalent journey in the private car is considered the strongest predictor in the selection of travel mode. In order to incentify a shift toward more sustainable modes of transportation, the bus  must decrease its travel time to compete with the car and attract and retain ridership. There is limited literature on the travel time ratio between the car and the bus, and very little work that addresses this issue in the context of Ōtepoti Dunedin. It is a complicated area of research that has no simple answer, as there is no single measure of time related quality of the typical bus  service. This report uses the concept of Generalised Journey Time - which recognises that a single bus journey is a multimodal trip and breaks the journey into different stages. It then makes policy and governance suggestions that focus on the broader picture and aim to foster the delivery of a faster and more attractive public transportation system in Ōtepoti Dunedin. Increased public transport usage will reduce the reliance on global fossil fuel markets, generating cities that align with modern, sustainable,  environmentally conscious visions. 

Supervised by Ray O'Brien & Craig Cliff, Sustainability Office, University of Otago
Scholarship funded by: Dunedin City Council