Rail traffic punctuality measurement and monitoring practices in different countries

Punctuality is a key indicator of a rail system's performance and service quality. The monitoring of punctuality enables to assess how Infrastructure Manager and Railway Undertaking have succeeded in their responsibilities. Punctuality monitoring and analysis is aimed at identifying means and resource allocation targets for the improvement of rail traffic performance and quality. The objective of this study has been to describe punctuality practices in different countries, which might prove useful in developing punctuality analysis systems in Finland. This has involved a closer study of four countries: Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Japan. The punctuality practices of nine other countries were investigated on a more general level. Punctuality indicators vary between countries. Based on the findings of this study, the most common approach is to compare train arrival times in relation to timetables. However, measurement practices and accuracies vary. In recent years, several countries have developed practices relating to punctuality, but these developments have not necessarily involved the harmonisation of practices. In some cases, customer experiences are considered just as important an indicator as train running punctuality. In Switzerland, for example, the collection of customer feedback on rail services and punctuality has long been an established practice. When recording delay information, it is important that information on the party responsible for the delay is included in the delay cause field. In improving punctuality, another good practice would be task lists generated on the basis of disturbance notifications. The recording of information on the causes of a delay could be improved using a system that suggests causes, as is the case in Switzerland. However, this would require the combination of information from different systems. While attitudes to performance incentives vary across countries, there was a general consensus that they represent good practice and are beneficial to quality monitoring and improvement. Performance incentives often face the challenge posed by data reliability. Indeed, this is the single-most important reason for their not having been introduced. Punctuality analysis tools remain rudimentary in many countries, even though the need for improvement has been recognised. Separate analysis tools are only used in some countries. Evidence of advanced data analytics was found only in Japan, where an investigation has begun into the feasibility of applying data mining methods in punctuality analysis. This report may be found at http://alk.tiehallinto.fi/julkaisut/pdf3/lts_2010-42_rautatieliikenteen_tasmallisyyden_web.pdf