Ridership Factors Change and Bus Service Demand Sensitivity Assessment of the Fixed- Route Bus Service for Short-term Action Plan

• Main Authors: Suwardo, W, Napiah, Madzlan, Kamaruddin, Ibrahim
• Format: Citation Index Journal
• Published: International Journal of Engineering and Sciences (IJENS) 2010
• Subjects: HE Transportation and Communications
• Online Access: http://eprints.utp.edu.my/5859/1/IJCEE_Journal-2010%28RidershipFactors%29.pdf; http://www.ijens.org; http://eprints.utp.edu.my/5859/
• Institution: Universiti Teknologi Petronas

Bus service demand generally raises when bus service quality attractively increases achieving viable and reasonable standard. There are many important aspects to be considered in the increasing bus service demand include the changes of bus service elements and characteristics of ridership factors. The study aims to evaluate the change in ridership factors and to assess the bus service demand sensitivity with respect to ridership factors change. Primary data on bus services are collected from the regular stage bus operated in the mixed traffic at a corridor level and secondary data are compiled from some resources with respected institution. The study concludes that the bus service demand responses most sensitive on travel time elasticity. Meanwhile, some other factors such as ticket fare, fuel price, per capita income, service frequency, and headway indicate inelastic factors in the change of bus service demand. Therefore, especially for current bus system and based on the short-term period, the bus service demand is not sensitive with respect to the change in ticket fare, fuel price, per capita income, service frequency, and headway. It may change based on those factors and some circumstances for long-term period.