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Table – Bus Routes
That Violate Schedule
Adherence in AM

Table – Bus Routes
That Violate Schedule
Adherence in PM

Bus Data Map – Inner
Core Upper Area (PDF)

Bus Data Map – Inner
Core Middle Area (PDF)

Bus Data Map – Inner
Core Lower Area (PDF)

Bus Data Map – MAGIC
Area (PDF)

Bus Data Map – MetroWest
Area (PDF)

Bus Data Map – North
Suburban Area (PDF)

Bus Data Map – North
Shore Area (PDF)

Bus Data Map – South
Shore Area (PDF)

Bus Data Map – SWAP
Area (PDF)

Bus Data Map – TRIC
Area (PDF)

Staff Contact

Project Manager
Ryan Hicks

Mobility Management – Transit – On-Time Performance
OVERVIEW • REGIONAL TRENDS • ROADWAYS • INTERSECTIONS • TRANSIT
BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN • HOV LANES • TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT • PARK-AND-RIDE

Overview • On-Time Performance • Passenger Crowding

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has established on-time-performance (schedule-adherence) thresholds for all of its services.

Bus
In the case of bus performance, the CMP analysis uses an on-time-performance measure that is based only on arrivals, not departures. Off-time arrivals are defined as any bus trip (with at least a 10-minute headways) that arrives at its terminus more than two minutes earlier, or five or more minutes later, than its scheduled arrival time. A bus route meets the performance standard if 60 percent or more of morning and evening peak-period trips arrive on time; if less than 60 percent of peak-period trips arrive on time, the route is flagged as a mobility concern.

This threshold is different from that used by the MBTA for its service planning, because the CPM analysis is designed to link poor bus on-time performance to congested roadway conditions during the peak periods. Roadway congestion is generally the primary cause of late arrivals by buses. This CMP measure should lead to corridor studies that benefit both automobile and transit users.

Route-specific information regarding on-time performance can be viewed by downloading the maps and tables at right.

Commuter Rail
In order to meet the on-time performance standard, 95 percent of all trips on a commuter rail line must operate within five minutes of the scheduled trip time. The percentage of peak-period trips that met this standard, by line, are shown in the table below.

On-Time-Performance (Schedule Adherence)

	Service	Percent On-Time Trips

	Newburyport Line	66%

	Rockport Line	62%

	Haverhill Line	69%

	Lowell Line	78%

	Fitchburg Line	70%

	Worcester Line	74%

	Needham Line	79%

	Franklin Line	81%

	Fairmount Line	89%

	Providence Line	64%

	Stoughton Line	82%


	Middleborough/Lakeville Line	85%

	Plymouth/Kingston Line	83%

	Greenbush Line	90%

(Source: March 2011 MBTA ScoreCard; Feb. 2011 data)

Most MBTA commuter rail lines are not meeting the on-time-performance standard. The Greenbush Line, which opened in 2007, comes closest to meeting the standard.

Rapid Transit
In order to meet the on-time performance standard, trains on a rapid transit line must leave the first station within 150% of the scheduled interval between trips. The percentage of trips that met this standard, by line, are shown in the table below.

On-Time Performance (Schedule Adherence)

	Service	Percent On-Time Trips

	Blue Line	96%

	Orange Line	93%

	Red Line	96%

	Green Line: Boston College (B)	85%


	Green Line: Cleveland Circle (C)	89%

	Green Line: Riverside (D)	87%

	Green Line: Heath Street (E)	89%

	Mattapan High Speed Line	81%

Note: Green Line and Mattapan High- Speed Line data are from March 2011 CTPS data collection. Red, Orange, and Blue Line data are from the May 2011 MBTA ScoreCard.

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