Abstract:

To analyze the effects of external operation environment on the performance of bus routes, a model framework is developed for independent measurement of operation efficiency and quality efficiency of bus routes. The model adopts a more sophisticated two-stage approach based on Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA). Furthermore, four operation environment factors are introduced at the microscopic level of bus routes, which reflect the effects on the performance, and a set of performance indicators is established. Results of empirical analysis show that, the developed model framework is rational;the operation environment indicators significantly influence the operation efficiency and quality efficiency, especially the later. With respect to the operation efficiency and quality efficiency, both the average intersection density and average dwell time per bus stop are unfavorable;high percentage of priority lanes and high average pure operation speed are favorable;long route length and high bus stop density are helpful for operation efficiency but unhelpful for quality efficiency.

Key words: engineering of communications and transportation of system, bus routes, data envelopment analysis, stochastic frontier analysis, performance measurement, external operating environment