ANALYSIS OF URBAN BUS ROUTES

Abstract

Fifty Seven routes operated by APSRTC City service in the study area consisting of portion of Visakhapatnam City are analysed in this work. The area served has been disaggregated into 23 zones out of which data on transport supply and parameters associated with the demand could be extracted. The zonal division of study area was based upon the graduated fare structure criterion. Bus travel demand models for the five slots of the operation during a week day and also the demand for the total daily operation period have been developed. Several forms of the models were tried to establish relationship between the bus travel demand with the supply and the socio-economic parameters. The final models are of multiplicative form. The resulting models have R2 - value ranging between 0.61 to 0.75. The most significant variables related to the bus demand are frequency of operation and the distance from the CBD. Although the non-inclusion of other parameters in the models appears to be illogical but in the absence of attributes of other modes of transportation, the findings are acceptable. The t-values associated with estimated coefficients are significant at 95 per cent level of confidence. The elasticity of demand with respect to the change in frequency has also been computed. The findings of this study provide a handy tool to test the results of operational policy changes In the short run.