Valuation of Bus Characteristics in Urban Area: Al-Najaf as a Case Study

Abstract

Increased population, the rapid growth of vehicles owned, and quick land-use shifts have resulted in an abnormal rise in trips generated and directed to and from the activities area; the occurrence of traffic congestion in different segments of the transportation network leads to extended travel time, resulting in inconvenience and discontent among individuals. It has become necessary to provide alternative transportation systems, as city residents need faster, safer, and more comfortable transportation systems. This study aims to evaluate current public transport in Najaf city and propose a bus line based on international standards as an alternative transport means in al-Najaf city and its effectiveness. Sustainable performance indicators were evaluated based on previous studies, such as traffic congestion, travel time, sustainability, and reliability. Where Traffic flow rates indicate high congestion streets, as flow rates reached 6228 (Veh. /hr.) at Karbala-Najaf Street. The more increase in flow rates the more defect in the network, and the journey time increases reached 30 minutes at Kufa-Najaf Street (8,5) km. The data of traffic mix from most of urban roads have been determined. The results of studies stated that Public The forms of transportation in the city of Najaf are generally represented by several routes starting from the Najaf internal garage and passing through small buses. These routes do not cover the entire city and the actual need for people. The percentage of transport buses and minibuses is about 0.8% and 10%, respectively. The public transport in the city is not managed by any policies and has no schedule times for travels with no considerations for passengers' comfort which indicate that public transport sector in the city of Najaf is significantly poor.