Increasing Boarding Lost Time at Regular Bus Stops during Rainy Conditions: A Case Study

[Abstract] Inclement weather conditions affect the behavior of travelers and transportation system operations. Understanding this influence can help improve operational planning schemes for any mode of transport, especially for buses. One of the factors that can be affected by rainfall is the time expended by a passenger from the moment a bus opens its doors until he/she boards the bus. This time is known as “boarding lost time” (BLT), and it was first introduced in the latest edition of the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (TCQSM). TCQSM only considers BLT for bus rapid transit (BRT) stations with more than one berth. Weather conditions are not considered when calculating the current BLT for a BRT system, given the provision of protective shelters over the entire boarding area of such stations. Furthermore, recommendations with regard to BLT for regular bus stops have not been provided. This paper presents analyses of BLT for a two-berth regular bus stop under different rainy conditions. The findings demonstrate that the increment in BLT between Berth 2 and Berth 1 under heavy rainfall is significantly higher than in the absence of rainfall. This study is part of the research project “Experimental analysis and modeling of the influence of stops, transfers, and right-of-way in bus systems,” reference RTI2018-097924-B-I00 MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE.