quality indicators for bus information system usersurban mobility is an attribute of cities that...
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Murilo Lessi Machado Torres
São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Quality indicators for bus information system users
Barbara Stolte Bezerra
São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Nathália Perroca
São Paulo State University (UNESP)
Marcelo Henrique Benites Ciani de Carvalho Oliveira
São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Anna Silvia Palcheco Peixoto
São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Gustavo Garcia Manzato
São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
802
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8
º CONGRESSO LUSO-BRASILEIRO PARA O PLANEAMENTO URBANO,
REGIONAL, INTEGRADO E SUSTENTÁVEL (PLURIS 2018) Cidades e Territórios - Desenvolvimento, atratividade e novos desafios
Coimbra - Portugal, 24, 25 e 26 de outubro de 2018
QUALITY INDICATORS FOR BUS INFORMATION SYSTEM USERS
M. L. M.Torres, B. S. Bezerra, N. Perroca, M. H. B. C. Oliveira, A. S. P. Peixoto, G.
G.Manzato
ABSTRACT
In order to be an attractive option, public transit needs to have some requirements such as
accessibility, safety, reliability, among others. It is in this context that the User Information
System fits in, to be responsible for transmitting to public transport users the necessary
information so they can make a smooth and trustful travel. In addition, a good information
system collaborates to attract new users, reducing the dependence of individual transport.
The paper presents the results of the characterization and analysis of quality indicators
focusing on the information system for public transport by bus in the city of Bauru/SP. It
also analyzed the tools adopted for the provision of information to users by the company
responsible for the public transit in Bauru, which were implemented from 2014.
1 INTRODUCTION
Urban mobility is an attribute of cities that refers to the ease and availability of movements
of people and goods in urban space, by both motorized and non-motorized modes. In
Brazil, the Federal Law Number 12.587 / 2012 guarantees the right to urban mobility, as
well as defines the guidelines of the federal urban mobility policy. Cities play an important
role in the various relations of exchange of goods and services, culture and knowledge
among their inhabitants, but this is only possible if there are adequate conditions of
mobility for people, so it is evident the importance of improvements related to mobility in
cities.
In the preface of the book “Public Transport” (Transporte Público Urbano) by Ferraz and
Torres (2004), the governor of the State of Sao Paulo/Brazil, Dr. Geraldo Alckmin
mentioned the importance of public transport for mobility and urban traffic systems, and
reducing congestion, reduction of emission levels of polluting gases in metropolitan areas.
He also pointed to the social aspect of public transport since it is the only motorized mode
accessible to the low-income population; and democratic aspect, since public transport is
often the only form of transportation for those who do not own automobiles, cannot or do
not want to drive.
In order to public transportation be an attractive option for users of this system, it has to
meet certain requirements, including accessibility, quality of service, safety, well-defined
schedules and time information for each bus stop (Schweiger, 2011). These requirements
can be improved by using the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS). The objective of
ITSs used in transportation systems is to act directly and effectively in increasing safety,
improving operation control, increasing transportation productivity, reducing delays,
congestion and the emission of pollutants in vehicle traffic, among others (Ferraz and
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Torres, 2004). The application of ITS in the information system for public transport users
is closely related to the exposure of information in real time. Due to this fact, access to the
internet and the use of smartphones play a fundamental role in this process. The
widespread use of the internet and smartphones enables the personalized dissemination of
information about various modes of public transport, through mobile apps and information
made available on websites.
The use of more advanced methods for disseminating information has increased users
reliability on public transport, which in turn can contribute to increasing the number of
users and improve the relationship between transport agencies and the population (Alver
and Mizokami, 2007).
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
When discussing the quality of public transport it should be considered the level of
satisfaction of all those involved directly or indirectly in the system: users, community,
government, workers and stakeholders. In order to achieve quality in public transport, it is
essential that everyone involved in the system have clear objectives, know their rights and
obligations, and know how to carry out their tasks and actions efficiently and with quality.
As important as knowing your own goals, rights and obligations is to know those of others
involved in the system (Ferraz and Torres, 2004).
It is necessary to keep in mind that quality sustainability is achieved through the rational
and balanced satisfaction of all those involved, since the dissatisfaction of any group leads
to the imbalance of the system (drop in demand, loss of quality, loss of efficiency, among
others). According to Ferraz and Torres (2004), the quality factors for the users are:
accessibility, frequency of service, travel time, capacity, reliability, safety, vehicle
characteristics, road conditions and information systems. The analysis of the quality of this
last factor comprises the objective of this research.
There are two types of information that can be made available to users: the basic type,
which is essential for users to utilize the system; the convenient one, which facilitates the
use of the system. The main forms of information to the public transport system are
detailed as follows (Ferraz and Torres, 2004):
Information on the vehicles: the main information that needs to be displayed is the
number and name of the line, destination, main places where it passes, and the value of
the current fare. Usually, on the upper side, information about routes, connections with
other lines or modes, etc. are placed;
Information at bus stops: in these places it is important to show the numbers and names
of the lines that pass through, the schedules and / or service intervals of the fastest
lines.
Information at the stations / terminals: the information that should be placed in these
locations comprises the station / terminal number and name, schedules or intervals
between vehicles, map of lines with stations / terminals and indication of the
connection sites between the stations / terminals, lines, etc.
Information printed on leaflets: information of the timetables and routes of the lines
(maps) printed on leaflets to be distributed are of great use to the users;
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Telephone information: it is very important for the population to make available a
specific telephone line, with a free call to provide information about the transportation
system;
Internet information: with the dissemination of the use of computers and smartphones,
it is also important to make available, through the Internet, the main information about
public transportation in the city, such as schedules and itineraries of the lines as well as
the general map of the system;
Information by the media: in some situations, such as the opening of a new line, the
adoption of a new ticketing system, etc., it is important to disseminate information
through the most common communication agencies such as television, radio,
newspapers, etc.
The dissemination and exposure of these types of information occurs in a variety of ways
and in different locations: in vehicles, at bus stops, at stations, at terminals, at personal call
centers and/or by telephone, at users' homes, on the streets, among others. With the
advancement of the ITS concept and the increase in the use of smartphone, other ways to
expose this information have emerged, from websites to smartphone programs, capable of
providing, among other relevant information, the location of the vehicle, time of arrival
and departure and routes.
2.1.Classification of user information systems
User information systems provide travelers with information about one or more modes of
transportation, facilitating decision-making before or during travel. In the last decades, the
use of new methods for capturing and transmitting information, has enabled user
information systems to provide real-time information such as arrival and departure times
and even vehicle delays through different means (panels, smartphones, content made
available via the web, among others).
According to Casey et al. (1998), the information systems can be classified according to
three different objectives regarding the user interface:
Pre-Travel Information/ Pre-Boarding Information systems made available before the trip are able to reduce the
uncertainties related to the arrival times of vehicles and their routes. Doubts about
this information are widely used as justification for the not using public transport
services. Providing accurate and periodic information to all potential users before
their travels, assists in their decision-making regarding routes, transfers and
schedules.
Information at the terminals and / or bus stop Terminals and bus stops can provide a wide range of information to users, such as
arrival and departure times, information on connections and transfers, and more.
Information on the vehicles In addition to the static information commonly provided through itinerary boxes,
employees and electronic panels with line name (or number) and stops are those
inside the vehicle. This kind of information is useful to users who are already on
their routes. Several transportation agencies in the United States use a combination
of audiovisual tools to inform passengers about the next stop, major intersections,
and transfer points, among others.
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2.2. Analysis of the components of the User Information System
In a publication for the CERTU (Center for Studies on Networks, Transport, Urban
Planning and Public Construction) by Gouin et al. (1998) information from a study
conducted in different locations in France was analyzed, making it possible to identify the
nature of the information transmitted to users, as well as where this information is made
available and how it is transmitted. According to this study, the analysis of the Information
System should be done based on four questions: "What? How? Where? When?", that are
describe as follows.
"What": What is the character of the information communicated to the user?
(a) General information about the network: related to the general characteristics of the
network, in the medium or long term. The information can be related to the operation
of the network, travel times, service frequencies, ticket sales locations and fare values;
(b) Service identification: the service identification includes a certain number of
information, which the network must carry out its exposure as a stop name, name and
number of lines, destination, etc;
(c) Timetable;
(d) Fares: information regarding the charging of the offered service, providing price of the
tickets, fare zones (when they exist) and discounts or promotions.
"Where": Where can the user access the information?
Usually the information is made available at stops or stations, in vehicles, in guides and
informative folders, or at booths and customer services through the internet and telephone.
The place where the information is made available is related to the available technology.
"How": How is the Information communicated to the user?
In order to communicate the information to the user it is necessary to understand the
different states of the information, that is, its detection and supply conditions, which can be
classified as: Static, which does not change in the short term, and it is not able to react to
sudden changes in the system related to the current state; and Dynamic, which involves
continuous detection of the state performed through the system itself, so the provision of
punctual information is valid for the most current state. For Dynamic it is assumed that the
availability of information occurs permanently (SCHEIN, 2003).
“When": When is the information disseminated?
Information that does not change in the short term, such as information on schedule times
and route / map of the system, are made available at fixed locations, such as bus stops or
vehicles. Therefore, such information is available at all times despite not transmitting the
actual situation of the system. However, the use of ITS technologies enables updated
information on arrival and departure times, location of the desired vehicle, routes, among
others, to be passed on to users in real time and continually updated to facilitate the use of
the system.
3. METHOD
Through literature review, a list of variables was compiled to elaborate a questionnaire
aimed at identifying the main variables related to the quality of public transport
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information system in the city. This questionnaire contained open questions related to what
information participants would judge important at different stages of their travels; and
closed questions to measure the use of information tools made available by the company
responsible for the public transport. The elaboration of the questionnaire followed the
survey method. The analysis of the data collected through the open questions was
performed using software NVivo.
Generally, the survey method consists of obtaining information on the characteristics,
actions or opinions of a sample of the target population, usually through the application of
questionnaires (Pinsonneault and Kraemer, 1993). The surveys have three distinct
characteristics. First, the purpose of the survey is to describe aspects of the sample under
study. Second, the main way to collect data is through structured and pre-defined
questions. The answers to these questions are the data to be analyzed. Third, the
information is usually collected from a fraction of the population being analyzed, but it is
collected in a way that allows the generalization of the results for the entire population
(Babbie, 2003).
3.1. Structuring the Questionnaires
The questionnaire was carried out with the objective of capturing the main variables
related to the User Information System and their impact on the quality of the system and its
use. The main variables are presented in Table 1.
Table 1 Main variables for travel information
Stage of travel Variable (Information) Source
Pre-trip (Casey et al., 1998)
Schedules
Ferraz (2004) Itineraries
Network Map
Routes
Points of interest in the route Casey et al. (1998)
Fares
Terminals/Bus stop
(Casey et al., 1998)
Bus Stop/ Terminal Identification
Ferraz (2004)
Line Identification
Schedules/Service Intervals
Network Map
Connections and Transfers
Real-time Information Silva (2000)
Vehicles (Casey et al., 1998)
Line Identification
Ferraz (2004) Destination
Main stops along the route
Itineraries
Bus Stops
Casey et al. (1998) Stop Notification
Transfer Points
Points of Interest (hospitals, parks) Gouin et al. (1998)
To characterize the sample subjects, the first part of the questionnaire consists of closed
questions elaborated to obtain personal information, such as: age, sex and education,
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possession of a driver’s license and Smartphone, and frequency of use of the bus
transportation system in Bauru. At the end of the section, for respondents who reported not
using public transport, an open-ended question was elaborated to understand the reason for
that, in order to collect data on what could make the public transport system more
attractive. The main questions are presented in Table 2.
Table 2 Main questions in the first section of the questionnaire for travel information
Questionnaire 1 - Main Questions
How often do you use the public transport?
What is the reason for your displacement?
Why do you not use the public transport?
What information is important before starting the trip?
What information is important at the bus stops and terminals?
What information is important inside the vehicles?
What information is important outside the vehicles?
The second section of the questionnaire has open and closed questions, elaborated based on
the literature review. The questions were ordered following the three stages of the trip, or
according to the three objectives of the User Information Systems, which are pre-boarding,
terminals/bus stops and vehicles. The closed questions were aimed at measuring the use of
tools made available by Transurb (bus operator company in Bauru) in its website, QR
Code, Moovit application and telephone service. The open questions aimed at collecting
data directly from the respondents, through questions related to what information the
participants thought would be important in these three different moments of the trip. The
questionnaires were implemented using Google Forms. The main questions are presented
in Table 3.
Table 3 Main questions in the second section of the questionnaire for travel
information
Questionnaire 2 - Main Questions
Evaluate the importance of the Transurb Website to obtain trip information
Evaluate the importance of the "Seu ônibus online" tool to obtain trip information
Evaluate the importance of the "Moovit" app to obtain trip information
Evaluate the importance of the bus system map at the bus stops and terminals
Evaluate the importance of the identification of the lines that serve the bus stop
Evaluate the importance of the schedules/route frequency of the lines that serve the bus stop
Evaluate the importance of the identification of the line inside and outside the vehicle
Evaluate the importance of the line destination in the vehicle
Evaluate the importance of the presence of the route information in the vehicle
Evaluate the importance of the presence of bus stop information in the vehicle
Evaluate the importance of the presence of the line itinerary in the vehicle
The second section of the first questionnaire contained open questions. For the analysis of
this section, it was necessary to code the answers, as suggested by Babbie (2003). To this
end, the data obtained were selected and analyzed through the Software QSR NVivo. Also,
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an Average Ranking was calculated based on the frequency values for each question using
the Likert Scale of five categories, ranging from not important to very important.
4. RESULTS
The analysis of the data from the first questionnaire was performed based on 122
responses. The results are presented in two stages. The first stage presents the results
obtained from the user’s personal opinions (first section of the questionnaire). The second
stage presents the results obtained through NVivo, which is shown in Table 4.
The personal information questions enabled the identification of the main characteristics of
the participants. The results and their respective percentages will be presented next. The
participants' age ranged from 20 to 24 years (32%) and up to 19 years (30%). Regarding
their education, 51% reported having higher education in progress and 32% higher
education completed. Other characteristics of the participants are: 60% declared to be male
and 40% female; 74% reported having a driver's license; 37% have cars or motorcycles,
only 9% have children; 94% have Smartphone; and 74% use public transport, with 27%
using public transportation up to 5 times a week. As to the reason for the displacement,
"work" (75%) and "study" (12%) were predominant.
Among the people who declared that they did not use public transportation, 30% did not
use it because they owned their own vehicles and 21% due to travel time. Regarding where
participants get information before starting the trip, 71% stated they use the Transurb
website and 22% use the Moovit application. On the Transurb website, the most demanded
types of information were “operating hours” (60%) and “route” (18%).
Regarding users’ preferred means of information communication, the Transurb website
(56%) and the Moovit app (28%) were the most cited. As for the means of communication
which should receive more investments, the results pointed to the Transurb website (38%)
and Moovit app (32%).
The information most demanded at each stage of the travel process, based on the frequency
analysis of each of the following questions: "What information is important before starting
the journey?", "What information is important at bus stops?”, “What information is
important inside the vehicle?" and "What information is important on the outside of the
vehicle?" are presented in Table 4.
Table 4 Structure of an Information System and frequency of citations in the questionnaire
Primary Level (Stage) Secondary Level (Place) Tertiary Level
(Information)
Pre-trip
Transurb Website Timetable (45.8%)
Moovit App Route (17.2%)
Bus stop Travel time (8.3%)
Flyers Itinerary (7.9%)
Terminals/Bus stop
Panels Schedules (35.4%)
Information Centers Lines (17.0%)
Monitors Network Map (16.5%)
Itinerary (8.0%)
Vehicles
Inside the Vehicle Outside the Vehicle
Itinerary Bus Stops (15.4%) Line Information (38.6%)
Employees Schedule (14.7%) Route (15.6%)
Panels Route (14.7%) Main stops (11.7%)
Itinerary (10.5%) Destination (5.6%)
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In pre-trip information, the timetables in the Transurb website were the most relevant
information for the users, followed by the route feature available in the Moovit app. In
terminals and bus stops, the most relevant information is schedules, followed by lines and
network map information. The types of information inside the vehicles that had more
relevance, and are almost equally distributed, are bus stops information, schedule and
route. The most relevant information outside the vehicle is the line information, followed
by the route and main stops.
The ranking of the most important information for the bus system at the vehicle and bus
stops was obtained in the second questionnaire, as shown in Table 5. The ranking for the
information system importance was also obtained, and the results are shown in Table 6.
Table 5 Ranking regarding information importance
Type of Information Ranking
Line destination outside the vehicle 1st
Schedules/ route frequency of the lines at the bus stops 2nd
Identification of the lines that stop at the bus stops 3rd
Identification of the line inside the vehicle 4th
Bus stops identification 5th
Route information inside the vehicle 6th
Map of the bus system at the bus stop 7th
Bus stops information inside the vehicle 8th
Table 6 – Ranking regarding information system importance
Information system Ranking
Transurb site for trip information 1st
“Moovit” app for trip information 2nd
“Call center” for trip information 3rd
“Seu Ônibus Online” tool for trip information 4th
The line destination outside the vehicle is the most relevant information, followed by
schedules/route frequency of the lines at bus stops, identification of the lines that stop at
the bus stops, bus stop identification, route information inside the vehicle, map of the bus
system at the bus stop and bus stops information inside the vehicle. Also, the information
system that is most relevant for information is the Transurb site, followed by Moovit app,
call center and “seu ônibus online” tool.
5. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
This research reached its objective to study, evaluate, and identify the main variables of the
User Information System, that is, the information most demanded by users. Based on the
analysis of the first questionnaire, a high demand for information regarding the schedules
of the lines at the bus stops for pre-trip situations was noticed. This suggests the need to
improve and control this type of information in the public transportation system, and make
it more easily available, in order to bring security, reliability and convenience to the users.
From the second questionnaire, it was possible to rank both the most relevant information
at bus stops and vehicles and the importance of each existing information system, allowing
operators to invest in the most relevant areas. Further research in this topic is
recommended since this research had an exploratory objective.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to thank the Brazilian agencies CNPq and FAPESP grant number
2016/00737-1 for the support received.
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