A MODEL FOR ASSESSING BUS SYSTEM SERVICE AND FARE CHANGES

This paper describes a performance indicator-based microcomputer spreadsheet model developed for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Bus System. The Service Fare Adjustment (SFA) Model is designed to be a quick-response planning tool for forecasting the impact of route specific bus service modifications and systemwide fare changes on a bus system's ridership, operating expenses, and passenger revenue, and on key service-type or systemwide performance indicators such as cost per passenger and farebox recovery ratio. The SFA model offers several important features which make it an effective transit management and budget planning tool, including its relative simplicity, speed of operation, and flexibility. By keying on specific performance indicator values for individual bus routes, the SFA model can be used to develop and test service adjustment scenarios which optimize important policy objectives.