Service Delivery Level

Description / objective

This level has been taken just to cover the operational and user interface aspects of service delivery, and not the general support services that enable or facilitate operations. It therefore covers the rostering of buses and crews; their preparation for service; managing the service delivery; managing disruptions; and the customer-facing services, including fare collection, traveler information and security. All of these functions are carried out on a routine basis, mostly to a daily or continuous schedule.

These functions are undertaken by all public transport operators, whether in the formal or para-transit sectors, though the systems applied will vary from the sophisticated to the ad hoc depending on the sector (formal or informal), operator scale and structure. Again all functions related to fare collection are covered in greater detail in the Public Transport Fares Toolkit.

ITS applications

This is the passenger transport level with the greatest range of ITS applications and ITS-facilitated functions in widespread international practice. Vehicle and crew scheduling and preparation of vehicles for duty can be facilitated through ITS, and performance of service delivery can be assisted by driver aids. Operations management covers control of service delivery (e.g. dispatching, real time supervision) and management of incidents. Electronic fare collection and real-time traveler information are further applications, and security and other customer services can be facilitated by surveillance equipment.

Advantages and cautions

The use of ITS applications in these domains greatly increases accuracy and productivity, as well as enabling functions in real time that could not otherwise be provided. However these applications are not a pre-requisite to the provision of effective and efficient transport, and most involve significant investment costs that should be subjected to critical analysis where financial resources are scarce.