Performance of Urban Public Transportation Networks

Abstract

Despite the objectives of sustainable development, which aim to reduce pollution and energy consumption, many cities face issues caused by traffic congestion and inadequate public transportation. In this framework, the chapter emphasizes the challenges of public transportation services and analyses a comprehensive set of criteria for evaluating public transportation performances. The functions of public transportation and their linked criteria for performance evaluations are discussed. Then, the particularities of effectiveness and efficiency in public transportation networks are explained. Effectiveness is defined as the level of achievement of preset tasks of public transportation. Efficiency is related to the ratio between the outputs and the used resources. Additionally, different indicators must be defined for production and commercial efficiency. The presented analysis supports developing an effective and efficient urban transportation system in a dynamic social environment, with rapid changes in user requirements.