One of the key elements in the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s Route Optimization Initiative is on-time performance.
According to data collected since the program began Dec. 1, the likelihood a bus will arrive at a stop on time has increased, on average, 14 percent.
The 78 percent on-time performance recorded in July set a record for timely arrivals and departures.
Prior to the program, the authority didn’t have a formal process to gather accurate data on how often buses ran their routes on time based on the published schedule, said Lisa Darnall, vice president of transit operations.
They estimated on-time performance at 65 percent.
“Supervisors would stand on street corners and monitor buses,” she said. “It was very unreliable.”
The campaign to make buses more dependable began in May 2013, when a pilot program, On Time Transit Operations, was put in place on 12 poorly performing routes.
Hub arrival and departure times were adjusted and time points were designed into the routes to allow a bus to get back on schedule if it is running early or late.
If a bus arrives early at a time point, it waits until the scheduled departure time.
If a bus is behind schedule, having wait time built into the route allows the bus to return to its published schedule by shortening the period it’s supposed to be stopped.
Technology available on buses to automatically count passengers and log when passengers got on or off buses was used to establish a baseline.
During the initial performance improvement program, buses were on schedule on average about 65 percent of the time, Darnall said.
In December, the local mass transit system implemented the most major route and schedule changes in more than 30 years. Some routes were eliminated, some added and some combined to increase efficiency.
The headway, or time between buses at any particular stop, was reduced systemwide. The number of routes that go through Rosa Parks Transit Station Downtown also was reduced, creating a more regional layout to better serve customers who travel within suburban areas.
Another part of the route optimization program is NextBus. It combines GPS data with predictive software to allow riders to use the Internet or a smartphone app to accurately determine when their bus will arrive at their stop.
“Its sole purpose is to provide on-time data,” Darnall said. “JTA knows exactly where every bus is at all times.”
On-time performance has steadily improved since the initial optimization program began.
The July record percentage is ahead of the 2014-15 goal of 75 percent and just two points below the authority’s ultimate goal of 80 percent.
Each operator’s schedule conformance is monitored on a daily basis. Operators who are graded below the standard are counseled, retrained and possibly disciplined.
Those who perform substantially above the standard are recognized for their achievement. Of the 373 full- and part-time bus operators behind the wheel, nine were at least 90 percent on-time time one or more months and each received a certificate of excellence from the authority.
“No matter where you have to go or how long you ride, being on time is the most important part of transit for the customer,” said Darnall.
Improving punctuality is the foundation of quality mass transit, Darnall said. It’s also the foundation of the authority’s ongoing effort to attract more “choice riders,” people who have access to a personal vehicle but choose instead to use mass transit.
“If you can’t depend on JTA, you’ll use another option,” Darnall said.
On-time percentage
65.0*: Before change
68.2: December
70.8: January
70.2: February
70.4: March
71.3: April
70.9: May
73.9: June
78.0: July
*estimated
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