1. NetPlan – A Practitioner’s Experience
HASTUS International User Group
September 2012

2. 2. Our NetPlan Experience
1. Introduction
2. Our NetPlan Experience
3. Project Focus – Invicta intermodal Scheduling Project
4. NetPlan Solutions to Implementable Outcomes
September 2012

3. Phillip Boyle & Associates has worldwide experience in use of Hastus
and NetPlan to produce successful operating outcomes
September 2012

4. 2. Our NetPlan Experience
1. Introduction
2. Our NetPlan Experience
3. Project Focus – Invicta intermodal Scheduling Project
4. NetPlan Solutions to Implementable Outcomes
September 2012

5. Phillip Boyle & Associates has used NetPlan extensively for planning studies and for service implementation projects
Service Location
Project Type
Outcome
Ipswich, QLD
Implementation/Service Change
Major improvement in connectivity/service quality and improved efficiency
Caboolture, QLD
Park Ridge, QLD
Western Sydney
Competitive Tendering
In progress
Croydon, Vic
Implementation/Network Change
Doncaster, Vic
Cranbourne, Vic
Bendigo, Vic
Latrobe Valley, Vic
Canberra, ACT
Network Change/Planning Study
Las Vegas, NV
Improved gold-line timetable
September 2012

6. Westside Bus, Ipswich (Queensland)
Service Area
18 bus routes, 70 peak vehicles (incl. schools)
Heavy rail service to downtown Brisbane requiring strong intermodal connectivity at five stations
Several routes serving common corridors
Project Approach
Complete re-write of all timetables, on a revised network
Provide an implementable solution, complete with driver paddles and period rosters
Work with the bus company on behalf of the state (Translink)
Outcomes
Major improvement in connectivity & timetable quality
Improved operating efficiencies
Increased patronage
September 2012

7. Westside Bus, Ipswich (Queensland) – NetPlan Schematic
September 2012

8. ACTION Buses (Canberra)
Service Area
80 bus routes, approx 350 peak buses
Bus is the only mode
Network serves downtown plus four additional regional centres
Trunk services supported by feeder routes
Project Approach
Support network planning to identify resource impacts of potential network changes
Run NetPlan for both existing and proposed networks to allow valid comparison
Use NetPlan solutions as basis for more detailed scheduling tasks
Outcomes
Allowing strong support of evidenced-based planning process
Identifying potential for improved timetable quality
Ongoing project
September 2012

9. Caboolture (Queensland)
Service Area
6 bus routes, 8 peak buses
Heavy rail service to downtown Brisbane requiring strong intermodal connectivity at five stations
Project Approach
Complete re-write of all timetables, for an existing network
Provide an implementable solution, complete with driver paddles and period rosters
Work with the bus company on behalf of the state (Translink)
Outcomes
Major improvement in connectivity & timetable quality
Improved operating efficiencies (8% more service for 2% more cost)
Strong patronage increases
September 2012

10. 2. Our NetPlan Experience
1. Introduction
2. Our NetPlan Experience
3. Project Focus – Invicta intermodal Scheduling Project
4. NetPlan Solutions to Implementable Outcomes
September 2012

11. The Invicta bus network covers a substantial part of eastern Melbourne, operating 21 routes with an additional 80 dedicated school services
Existing Route Network - Invicta
September 2012

12. The network has a range of complexities that require sophisticated scheduling approaches
A few challenges:
Strong connectivity required with the heavy rail system
A range of different route types, and sometimes vehicle types
Some routes offer demand-responsive or flex-route configurations
A number of dedicated school runs are operated and integrated (scheduling-wise) with the regular route services
September 2012

13. 2. Our NetPlan Experience
1. Introduction
2. Our NetPlan Experience
3. Project Focus – Invicta intermodal Scheduling Project
Project process
4. NetPlan Solutions to Implementable Outcomes
September 2012

14. The project focus was to provide timetable and connectivity enhancements as part of a service change implementation
The key project objectives were:
Generate substantial service quality improvements
Improve the understanding of connection requirements through additional research (Monash ITS – recommended the NetPlan SQI as the most appropriate indicator of relative timetable quality)
Provide network improvements
Ensure the final solution is of sufficient operating robustness to be implemented
Provide a completed operating solution
September 2012

15. The network was defined in NetPlan, with the heavy rail system fixed (for connectivity)
September 2012

16. Many instances of common route corridors were also considered
September 2012

17. Over 70 meet builders were defined, both intermodal and bus-to-bus
September 2012

18. Of particular note was the need to, in some instances, build the whole-of-day timetable based on travelling past the school at morning/afternoon bell times, but keeping an all-day clockface
Bell times modeled by defining a ‘route’
September 2012

19. To understand how to weight/prioritize the meet builders, we undertook a system-wide on-board survey, using an advanced iPad data collection system, tracking the number of passengers transferring at key locations
September 2012

20. Our approach modeled alternatives to find the ‘sweet spot’ in the tradeoff between efficiency and timetable quality/intermodal connectivity
Off-Peak SQI Comparison
Existing Off-Peak
September 2012

21. In the end a complete set of all day timetables, blocks and runs were developed from the NetPlan solutions
September 2012

22. 2. Our NetPlan Experience
1. Introduction
2. Our NetPlan Experience
3. Project Focus – Invicta intermodal Scheduling Project
Coordination Improvements Summary
4. NetPlan Solutions to Implementable Outcomes
September 2012

23. The NetPlan Service Quality Index indicated significant improvements to timetable quality, and these were supported by a detailed comparison of the timetables…..
Why use the SQI?
Allows an objective comparison of different options or solutions
Enables better understanding of the tradeoff between cost and quality
Recommended by Monash ITS research as the best method for evaluating timetable quality
The SQI for the off-peak indicated a doubling of timetable quality but needed less vehicles
September 2012

24. On weekdays, there are 19% more scheduled connections within 12 minutes.
September 2012

25. In particular, there has been a significant increase in scheduled connections of 3 to 8 minutes
September 2012

26. On weekends, there are 42% more scheduled connections < 12 minutes.
September 2012

27. As a result, there are 50% fewer scheduled connections of greater than 20 minutes on weekends.
September 2012

28. 2. Our NetPlan Experience
1. Introduction
2. Our NetPlan Experience
3. Project Focus – Invicta intermodal Scheduling Project
Patronage impacts after 12 months
4. NetPlan Solutions to Implementable Outcomes
September 2012

29. Overall patronage from May 2011 to May 2012 has increased by over 15 percent on the eight routes surveyed
Route
May 2011
May 2012
Change
664
1,498
1,586 6%
671
192
165
-14%
672
167
236
41%
675 92
131
42%
676 98
100 2%
677
171
154
-10%
691
1,192
1,280 7%
693
1,263
1,715
36%
Overall
4,673
5,367
15%
Source – PBA surveys conducted in May 2011 & May 2012
September 2012

30. 2. Our NetPlan Experience
1. Introduction
2. Our NetPlan Experience
3. Project Focus – Invicta intermodal Scheduling Project
Changes in connectivity patterns
4. NetPlan Solutions to Implementable Outcomes
September 2012

31. The survey results show a signifcant increase in passengers transferring between buses and trains, well above general patronage level increases
Invicta Phase 1
Summary of Weekday Patronage Changes
Existing
Proposed
Change
Total Bus Patronage
4,673
5,367
694 (+15%)
Total Connecting Passengers
849
1,278
429 (+51%)
Total Connecting Passengers as % of bus Patronage
18%
24%
Source – PBA surveys conducted in May 2011 & May 2012
September 2012

32. Both on a per-route basis, with almost every route showing increases in the percentage of connecting passengers…..
Source – PBA surveys conducted in May 2011 & May 2012
September 2012

33. ….and by time of day, where only evening services show any reduction
Source – PBA surveys conducted in May 2011 & May 2012
September 2012

34. 2. Our NetPlan Experience
1. Introduction
2. Our NetPlan Experience
3. Project Focus – Invicta intermodal Scheduling Project
On-time running improvements
4. NetPlan Solutions to Implementable Outcomes
September 2012

35. Finally, service reliability has also improved, with on-time running increasing overall from 73% to 81% across all routes, and some routes showing substantial levels of improvement
Source – PBA surveys conducted in May 2011 & May 2012
September 2012

36. 2. Our NetPlan Experience
1. Introduction
2. Our NetPlan Experience
3. Project Focus – Invicta intermodal Scheduling Project
4. NetPlan Solutions to Implementable Outcomes
September 2012