Evaluation Of The Advanced Operating System Of The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority: Transfer And On-Time Performance Study: Before And After AOS Implementation, October 1996 - May 1999

In 1997, the Ann Arbor (Michigan) Transportation Authority began deploying advanced public transportation systems (APTS) technologies in its fixed route and paratransit operations. The project's concept is the integration of a range of such technologies into a comprehensive system, termed the "Advanced Operating System" (AOS) to "smart buses", "smart travelers," and a "smart operation center" to benefit from timely and coordinated information on critical aspects of transit operation and maintenance. This study develops, using data before AOS in 1996 and 1997 and after AOS in 1998 and 1999, implementation data on AATA's on-time performance and vehicle-to-vehicle timing of transfers at four major transfer location. Systematic evaluation of on-time performance indicated that AATA improved on-time departures. The opposite was observed regarding on-time arrivals. Bus-to-bus transfer times within AATA system tended to have no significant change from 1997 to 1999. Some improvement was noted when on time performance and transfer times were analyzed jointly. Figures, tables, 20p.\n