D#

Deadhead#

The duration when a Transit Unit or Vehicle is operating whilst not in revenue service.

Deadhead is an important aspect of public transport service to measure, as this time is

Metrics:

  • Time (in minutes or hours)

  • Percentage (%) of operating time

  • Distance (in kilometres or miles travelled)

Deadhead includes:

  • when a vehicle must travel from a terminal to its first stop or station.

  • when a vehicle must travel from a yard or storage facility to its route.

Dispatch#

  1. The location where operators or drivers receive their daily assignments (Run).

  2. The office that monitors public transport services and communications in real time, which serves as the primary command and control element of a system.

Down Time#

The amount of time a Transit Unit or Vehicle is unavailable for service, generally for maintenance purposes.

This is an important metric to consider in a public transport agency’s fleet readiness and productivity, and has implications for operating and overhead costs.

Metrics:

  • Time (in minutes)

Dwell Time#

The amount of time a Transit Unit or Vehicle spends at a stop or station for the purpose of boarding or alighting passengers.

This is important information for service scheduling, as it influences the overall Cycle Time that a vehicle requires to complete its trips, and by extension impacts the cost-effectiveness of service.

Metrics:

  • Time in minutes