Analysis of Passenger-Ferry Routes Using Connectivity Measures

This study examines ferry routes that arrive at a Central Business District (CBD) during peak periods. Ferries are investigated because in certain locations they provide an alternative to buses and private vehicles, with potentially faster and more reliable journey times. The objectives of the study were to (1) conduct a connectivity analysis of existing commuter ferry services and (2) investigate potential demand for ferry services and develop potential new routes. The case study is of Auckland, New Zealand. The first stage of the study analyzed the connectivity of existing ferries routes to the CBD with bus services within the CBD utilizing measures of connectivity with attributes of walking, waiting, and travel times, and scheduled headways. The second stage involved developing new commuter routes from within the greater Auckland region to the CBD. The origins of these new routes were developed based on the potential demand of area units derived from journey-to-work data from the 2006 New Zealand Census. These new routes were then compared with existing bus routes from similar locations to the CBD to provide an additional assessment of the feasibility of the new routes. Finally, recommendations are made on the establishment of the new ferry routes