Benefit-Cost Evaluation Method for Transit Stop Removal

The introduction of wider stop spacing through the removal or consolidation of existing stops is one method transit agencies can use to reduce travel time and reliability on many transit lines. A great deal of research has been done to provide tools for determining optimal stop spacing, but tools are still needed to help service planners determine the optimal stops to remove. Stop-level bus performance data provide the information needed to develop a method for assessing the total benefits and costs to riders of removing individual stops. This tool compares the benefit to through-riders in terms of travel time savings with the additional access cost to riders using the stop. The tool was applied to a bus route in Portland, Oregon, using stop-level ridership data from TriMet, the regional transit agency. The case study identifies three stops with very high benefit-cost ratios and discusses the effects of removing those stops. A sensitivity analysis is performed to show the effect of changing the value of time factor or the assumed time savings from each stop removal. Further research needs are identified and tradeoffs are discussed regarding the use of this tool. Overall, the assessment tool provides a relatively simple way for transit service planners to identify ideal stops for removal or consolidation.https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/trec_seminar/1077/thumbnail.jp