An Evaluation on Planning to Integrate School Bus Services into Community Bus Systems

This paper deals with integration of bus systems to propose effective community bus systems. Although there is a strong claim for the necessity of such integration, there have been few actual cases. This paper describes the method of integration and effects acquired by that integration through an actual example in Yabu town. Integration with a school bus was taken up as an example, because it is a feasible method. It proposes a method of integration which does not spoil the usage of the original user. The original community bus ran every other day. However, in order to serve school bus services by community buses, it had to run every day and the cost increased. The improvement in the some services became possible by integration. The problems of distance to bus stops and inconvenient transfers were solvable. Change from operation every other day to every day gives residents a feeling of security. Change in time tables for bus lines was difficult; there were also many people who felt the service was convenient. However, the opinion that the service became inconvenient can not be denied, either. In conclusion, however, it can be said that the community bus became more convenient by integration.