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Assessing Bus Rapid Transit system performance in Australasia

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  • Currie, Graham
  • Delbosc, Alexa

Abstract

This paper reviews the performance of Australasian BRT to identifying factors that can best improve performance. Between 2006 and 2013, Australasian BRT corridors increased from 4 to 10 while ridership tripled and now accounts for over 145 M boardings p.a. The Brisbane busway network dominates; it represents 70% of Australasian system ridership. Australasian BRT is characterised by a range of designs ranging from substantive busway infrastructure (e.g. Brisbane) to low order on-street BRT systems (Melbourne SmartBus). Analysis suggests both large-scale busways and the cheaper on-street BRT have characteristics which generate good ridership performance. Principle factors influencing ridership performance are high service levels, low speeds (although direction of causality is unclear), shorter stop spacing, segregated rights of way, modern accessible vehicles, lower fares, system integration and pre-boarding ticketing (the latter is not fully applied in Australasian BRT contexts). Operationally segregated rights of way act to improve BRT operating speeds and reliability compared to on-street BRT.

Suggested Citation

  • Currie, Graham & Delbosc, Alexa, 2014. "Assessing Bus Rapid Transit system performance in Australasia," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 142-151.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:retrec:v:48:y:2014:i:c:p:142-151
    DOI: 10.1016/j.retrec.2014.09.012
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Currie, Graham & Delbosc, Alexa, 2011. "Understanding bus rapid transit route ridership drivers: An empirical study of Australian BRT systems," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(5), pages 755-764, September.
    2. Luca Bertolini, 2008. "Station areas as nodes and places in urban networks: An analytical tool and alternative development strategies," Springer Books, in: Frank Bruinsma & Eric Pels & Piet Rietveld & Hugo Priemus & Bert Wee (ed.), Railway Development, chapter 3, pages 35-57, Springer.
    3. Hidalgo, Darío & Gutiérrez, Luis, 2013. "BRT and BHLS around the world: Explosive growth, large positive impacts and many issues outstanding," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 8-13.
    4. David Hensher & Zheng Li, 2012. "Erratum to: Ridership drivers of bus rapid transit systems," Transportation, Springer, vol. 39(6), pages 1223-1224, November.
    5. G. Currie & A. Ahern & A. Delbosc, 2011. "Exploring the drivers of light rail ridership: an empirical route level analysis of selected Australian, North American and European systems," Transportation, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 545-560, May.
    6. FitzRoy, Felix & Smith, Ian, 1998. "Public transport demand in Freiburg: why did patronage double in a decade?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 5(3), pages 163-173, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Irem Batool & Muhammad Irshad & Muhammad Abid, 2020. "A Policy Move towards Sustainable Urban Transport in Pakistan: Measuring the Social, Environmental and Economic Impacts of Lahore BRT System," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 25(1), pages 27-57, Jan-June.
    2. Zannat, Khatun E. & Laudan, Janek & Choudhury, Charisma F. & Hess, Stephane, 2024. "Developing an agent-based microsimulation for predicting the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) demand in developing countries: A case study of Dhaka, Bangladesh," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 92-106.
    3. Xuelei Meng & Yahui Wang & Limin Jia & Lei Li, 2020. "Reliability Optimization of a Railway Network," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-27, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bus Rapid Transit; Transit performance; Transit ridership;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L9 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities

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