Bus Maintenance Staffing Calculator

2017-06-15T21:00:15Z

WebinarTest2: added file

[[Image:busrepair.jpg|right|thumb|600px|Bus maintenance is an important part of a transit agency's operations. Source: [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kecko/1533470077 Kecko]
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==Introduction==
Buses used to be relatively simple, so a bus-to-mechanic ratio was sufficient to determine if a transit agency had enough staff to maintain its fleet. But today, with the proliferation of digital technology, new fuel systems, and accelerated maintenance schedules, it’s more difficult to determine how many employees will be required to take care of a fleet. A team working for Transit Cooperative Research Program developed the Excel-based [http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/173927.aspx Maintenance Staffing Calculator] to help agencies calculate optimum staffing levels.

==How it Works==
The Maintenance Staffing Calculator is an Excel tool consisting of seven worksheets. An agency employee very familiar with the fleet and maintenance should use the tool, because its accuracy is dependent on getting accurate, detailed information. Input cells are clearly labeled and color-coded. The sheets are:

===Fleet Inventory===
The first sheet contains information about the agency’s fleet. This can be as specific as the agency wants, with vehicles broken down by broad category (35-foot buses, cutaway buses) all the way down to year, manufacturer, or other specifics. The detail entered here will be reflected in the detail of the tool’s outcomes.

If an agency does all its maintenance in one location then using the tool once is sufficient. But many agencies conduct maintenance across locations or use a mix of in-house and contracted work. In these cases it might be a good idea to perform separate analyses for each location.

===Existing Staff===
[[Image:Maintenancestaffing.jpg|right|thumb|500px|An example of a completed Results - Staffing Sufficiency sheet. Source: [http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/173927.aspx Maintenance Staffing Calculator]]
Here an agency can enter information about its full-time and part-time employees. This only includes bus mechanics and technicians, not facility maintenance staff, mechanics who deal only with non-revenue vehicles, or supervisors. It is important that the staff listed here directly match the vehicles included in the first sheet.

===Required Hours - Core Maintenance===
This is where the bulk of the calculator’s work takes place. It contains annual hours needed for core maintenance like preventative inspections and brake relines, as well as unscheduled maintenance. It also includes average hours spent on follow-up repairs.

===Required Hours - Heavy Repair and Overhaul===
Maintenance activities not included in the previous sheet are entered here. This will generally be heavy repairs like body work, brake machining, and small component rebuilds. Remember that only repairs conducted by employees in the existing staff worksheet are included, so outsourced work should be left out.

===Results - Staffing Sufficiency===
These next two worksheets present the results of the tool’s calculations. This one calculates the required number of hours and full time equivalent (FTE) employees and compares this data to the actual existing staffing levels. Ideally, the calculated levels should match the actual levels.

===Results - Staffing Comparison===
This sheet compares an agency’s existing staffing levels to that of peer agencies. The data is broken down into statistics like vehicles maintained per technician, FTE technicians per vehicle, and annual maintenance hours per 10,000 vehicle miles.

===Benchmarks===
The final worksheet provides a summary of data for all peer groups.

==Methodology==
The calculator was created by first analyzing fleet and staffing information from the 2010 [https://www.transit.dot.gov/ntd National Transit Database (NTD)]. This showed some broad trends in regards to agency size, duty cycle, and spare ratio, but there was significant variation between agencies. To investigate these discrepancies, the research team conducted two rounds of interviews with transit agencies. The first round of interviews was extremely detailed and covered agency profiles and service data, profiles of maintenance facilities, fleet inventories, maintenance times and requirements, maintenance workforce roles, and training practices. This level of detail proved to be difficult to collect, so the second round of interviews involved a streamlined questionnaire. In total, more than 60 agencies of varying size were surveyed.

Even with the responses to the surveys, the study yielded limited correlative data. There was evidence that large agencies have proportionally more staff than smaller ones (likely due in part to performing more heavy repairs in house), and that more complex fleets require more maintenance. However, there was significant variation across agencies in regards to most variables examined. As such, the results of the calculator should be considered to reflect broad comparisons rather than objectively “correct” staffing levels. Regression analyses were performed, and results include standard deviations to help judge how closely peer agencies perform on various measures.

==Applications==
The calculator can help agencies perform three mains tasks:
* Comparing staffing levels to peer agencies - The tool’s main value lies in its ability to benchmark agency performance against other agencies of similar size.
* Planning for necessary staffing levels - Agencies can add potential new vehicles to the inventory worksheet and see what effect this would have on required staffing.
* Modeling the effects on staffing levels of possible changes in maintenance policy - By changing the data on routine maintenance practices, agencies can what effect these policies have on staffing.

The calculator can be used by all sorts of agencies; survey participants had fleet sizes ranging from 10 vehicles to more than 1,000. Entering basic operations information into the calculator will provide a quick snapshot of the agency's staffing needs, but it is also possible to go into much more detail.

==[http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/173927.aspx Bus Maintenance Staffing Calculator]==

[[File:NotBusCalculator2.pdf|This is an alternative bus calculator]]

==Additional Reading==

[http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_rpt_184CalculatorUserGuide.pdf Mall, K., & Sekera, J. (2016). Maintenance Staffing Calculator User Guide. Transit Cooperative Research Program.]

: This user guide explains how to use each worksheet included in the calculator.

[http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/173927.aspx Mall, K., & Sekera, J. (2016). Maintenance Technician Staffing Levels for Modern Public Transit Fleets. Transit Cooperative Research Program.]

: This report details the methodology used to develop the calculator. The research team analyzed NTD information and conducted two rounds of interviews with transit agencies.

[http://files.metro-magazine.com/images/2016maintenance.pdf Roman, A. (2016). 2016 Bus Maintenance Survey: Shops Still Dealing with Electrical Learning Curve. Metro Magazine]

: [http://www.metro-magazine.com/ Metro Magazine] conducts a yearly survey of transit agencies about bus maintenance issues. While less detailed than TCRP's work, it does provide an interesting look at broad year-to-year trends.

[[Category:Managing transit]]

Pedestrian connections

2017-06-15T20:52:54Z

WebinarTest2: added a period. Added a new heading.

[[File:San_Jose_light_rail_train.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A VTA light rail train station in San Jose illustrates an inviting and comfortable environment for pedestrians. Photo by Flickr user Albert's Images.]]
==Introduction==
All commuters begin and end their trips as pedestrians, so a safe, secure and pleasant pedestrian experience is an important component of any public transportation system. Agencies can work with local governments to identify and improve the quality of pedestrian connections surrounding transit stations and ensure that there are well-maintained sidewalks and safe street crossings that connect commuters to the transit station. Pedestrian connections share some of the benefits of [[bicycle connections]].

=== Out of Vehicle Experience ===
Agencies have begun to take a more active role in improving the [[out-of-vehicle experience]] at transit stops by providing amenities that offer information and protect riders from the elements. Studies show that out-of-vehicle waiting experience can be even more important than in-vehicle experience. [[Bus stop spacing and location]] can have an important effect on whether people use transit because it will determine the catchment area of the line, or how far people will walk to arrive at stations.

==Improvements to pedestrian access and connections==
The provision of a comprehensive network of safe, comfortable, and secure paths for pedestrians is ultimately the responsibility of the municipalities served by transit agencies. However, the transit agency can play a supportive role in this regard. Los Angeles County Metro disperses funds through its Call for Projects, which includes dedicated funding for pedestrian improvements that "promote walking as a viable form of utilitarian travel, pedestrian safety, and an integral link within the overall transportation system."<ref>Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. [http://www.metro.net/projects/call_projects/ "Call for Projects."]</ref> Los Angeles County Metro also has a specific program for pedestrian planning and has sponsored at least one symposium in the past to promote discussion and exchange of strategies to improve the pedestrian experience.<ref>Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. [http://media.metro.net/projects_studies/pedestrian_symposium/images/Metros-2010-Pedestrian-Symposium-Agenda-FINAL.pdf "Metro's 2010 Pedestrian Planning Symposium."]</ref>

Agencies may want to give careful attention to ensuring:
* An extensive sidewalk network connects transit stations to origins and destinations.
* Sufficient safe street crossings, because virtually every transit trip involves crossing the street at the departure or return.
* Protection from the elements, such as shade trees along sidewalks.

For discussion of pedestrian environment at stops and stations, see the section on how to improve [[out-of-vehicle experience]] for transit users.

==References==
<references/>

==Additional Reading==
Transit Cooperative Research Program. [http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/159782.aspx “TCRP Report 125: Guidebook for Mitigating Fixed-Route Bus-and-Pedestrian Collisions.”] 2008.
: This guidebook is focused specifically on preventing or remedying dangerous situations where collisions between buses and pedestrians are likely or common. Sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration, it describes the four most common types of collisions and ways that agencies can mitigate them. The guidebook draws on commentary from stakeholders and several case studies.

WalkingInfo.org. [http://www.walkinginfo.org/develop/sample-plans.cfm?/pp/exem2005.htm “Pedestrian Plans.”]
: This website, sponsored by the US Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, maintains a running list of pedestrian and bicycle master plans. There are examples from around the country, including a technical report on creating bicycle and pedestrian facilities by Caltrans. That technical report also includes traditional and innovative practices for traffic calming.

[[Category:Investment and planning]]
[[Category:Transit and Public Health]]
[[Category:First and Last Mile]]

TransitWiki - User contributions [en]

Bus Maintenance Staffing Calculator

Pedestrian connections