Comparative Evaluation of Alternate Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) Planning, Operation and Design Options

Abstract

A comparative evaluation examines alternate planning, operational and design options for Bus Rapid Transit Systems. Quantified performance results for different indicators for various planning and design configurations are generated using a spreadsheet tool. Sixteen theoretical configurations, two standard designs in varying contexts and two currently operational design variations are compared. Results show that bus operational speeds in open systems are approximately 25% less than those in closed systems. However, high operational speeds do not help offset passenger transfer delays for short trips. Open systems provide higher passenger speeds than closed bus operations for trip length less than 10km. Restricting peak bus speed to less than 40km/h for safety considerations does not hamper passenger or operational performance.