Abstract:
Travel time reliability is one of the key measures of transport network performance. It also
provides an indication of the level of predictability of travel time from origin to destination
for any mode of transport. This paper presents an investigation of the travel time reliability
of the Bus Rapid Transit system in Johannesburg - the Rea Vaya Bus service. The study
method involves field collection of travel time information through onboard surveys along
the BRT corridors. Travel time reliability is measured using a set of indicators proposed by
the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the US Department of Transportation.
Among the objectives of the study is to gain some insight into the critical operational and
road network factors that impact travel time for both peak and off-peak periods. Some of
the factors considered include commuter boarding and alighting delays, stop frequency
and delays at intersections. From the study, one of the notable factors found to currently
affect travel time reliability for the BRT system was additional delays from traffic signal
disruption due to the ongoing load-shedding scheme implemented by the national power
agency, ESKOM.
