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CYCLE TIME COMPUTATION

TOPIC #11

MOST PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS OPERATE SERVICE THAT HAS SOME COMMON
CHARACTERISTICS. THE MOST SALIENT OF THESE ARE THE VEHICLE CYCLE AND THE
NOTION OF CAPACITY.
IT IS USEFUL TO REFER TO THE OPERATION OF A VEHICLE (VAN, BUS, OR TRAIN)
THROUGH THE COURSE OF A DAY OF TRANSIT SERVICE; THIS IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO
AS THE VEHICLE CYCLE BECAUSE IT TENDS TO REPEAT ITSELF FROM ONE DAY TO THE
NEXT.

THE CYCLE
PULL-IN

CAPACITY
Capacity in transit operations is measured as the maximum number of passengers that can be
carried past a single point on a fixed route, in a given period of time. The most common
measure of capacity is in terms of passengers per hour.

Frequency (vehicle/hour) f

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HEADWAY
In transit operations, we define the time between vehicles past a given point as the headway (or
time headway), usually in minutes. The inverse of the headway is called the frequency,
essentially capturing the number of vehicles per unit time past a certain point on a route,
usually measured in vehicles per hour.

Headway (in min) h

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AS AN EXAMPLE, A ROUTE WITH A 10-MINUTE HEADWAY HAS A FREQUENCY OF 6

VEHICLES PER HOUR.
THE CAPACITY OF A TRANSIT ROUTE IS GIVEN AS THE PRODUCT OF THE FREQUENCY AND
THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PERSONS PER VEHICLE:
Capacity (passengers/hr) on the Route = Croute = f * Ncar * Ccar

Where:
f = frequency on the route (veh/hr)
Ncar = Number of cars per train (=1 for bus)
Ccar = maximum number of persons per car (or bus)

BUS OPERATION
Bus operations generally follow the traditional vehicle cycle presented above. Operation of each
bus is under control of an operator (the driver). That operator is responsible for operating the
bus safely along the route, as well as managing passenger boarding and alighting at stops
along the route. They may also have responsibility for managing fare payment on board, and for
ensuring passenger safety and security.

Capacity on a bus route is the product of the routes frequency and the number of passengers
on each bus. To get higher capacity, one may increase the frequency of buses or increase the

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passenger-carrying capacity of each bus, or both.

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EXAMPLE
a bus route with a frequency of 6 buses/hr and a maximum of 55 persons on each bus
6x1x55 = 330 capacity of passengers per hour

RAIL OPERATIONS
Rail vehicles (trains) also follow the vehicle cycle computation
the trains stop at every station on the route.
fare collection is performed in the station, allowing all doors of the train to be used for
passenger boarding and alighting.
Rail systems can run in a grade-separated environment with its own guideway and no
conflicting traffic
Rail systems most commonly operate on electric power being transmitted to the vehicle
through either what is called a third rail, located just off the ground near the existing rails, or
through an overhead catenary.

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RAIL OPERATION

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The capacity of a rail line is based on the frequency of trains, the number of cars per train, and
the maximum number of persons per car.
The frequency is usually constrained at the upper end by the amount of time a train occupies a
block. Since two trains cannot occupy the same block, the longest time to traverse a block
becomes the minimum headway between trains; the highest frequency is then the inverse of
the minimum headway. To increase frequency (and hence increase capacity), one must reduce
the block length or determine other ways to control vehicle operation.
Usually, the number of cars per train is limited by the geometry of the station platforms, or of
other route geometric features (e.g., the distance between two cross-streets in mixed
operation). When the train stops at a station, all cars allow passengers to board and alight,
meaning that all cars must fit on the platform. So, adding cars to trains is only possible if all
stations on the line can allow the cars to fit on the platform.
Car capacity depends in part on the length of the car and the arrangement of seating and
standing space within the car. Greater standing space means more capacity, although
passengers will be less comfortable.
Additionally, in electric rail systems, the number of trains and cars per train can in practice be
limited by the electric power capacity of the distribution system, because each additional car
increases the electrical load.
Finally, some rail systems have fully automated or semi-automated operation, where the train
speed may be controlled through an automated system. Signals are transmitted through the
rails or through the power system to the train motors, indicating the appropriate speed for a
given block.

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SAMPLE PROBLEM
A transit agency has an existing 8.5-mile train route (in one direction) where the average speed
*between* stops is 16.9 miles per hour. The route has 22 stops along the route. If the average
dwell time at each stop is 18 seconds, what is the average train speed along the route as a
whole?
And, if a 5-minute layover is required at the far end of the route, what is the total round-trip
travel time? Assume the time for the inbound trip is identical in time to the outbound trip.

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SOLUTION:
Total travel time = (8.5 mi) / (16.9 mi/hr) + (22 stops)*(18 sec/stop)*(1 hr / 3600 sec) = 0.613 hr
= 37 minutes (rounded up to the nearest minute)
The average speed = (8.5 mi / 0.613 hr) = 13.9 mph.
The total round-trip time = 37 min + 5 min layover + 37 min = 79 min