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Quick Reference : Home : Case Studies : Glossary
Evaluate your bus system
Benchmarks and Indicators / Percentage of Urban Area within 500m of Bus Stop
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Percentage of Urban Area within 500m of Bus Stop
This is a measure of the coverage of a bus route network. In an urban area, a walk of 500 meters or less to or from the nearest bus stop is normally regarded as desirable: a distance greater than this is regarded as inconvenient.

An acceptable range for a typical city in a developing country is between 75% and 90%, although to some extent what is achievable is influenced by the road system. For example, if roads suitable for bus operation are limited to the main corridors, or if there are very large residential areas where the roads are too narrow for buses, the average distance between bus users’ homes and bus stops will tend to be high. If the road system has a high density of roads suitable for buses, it is possible for the route system to provide greater coverage.

This measure must be used with care. If services at some stops are of very low frequency, then even being within 500m of the stop will be of little benefit as the service itself is so poor.

There is also a relationship between route density and service frequency. If routes are concentrated on a few corridors a higher frequency service can be provided, but walking distances will be greater. Conversely if a greater number of roads are served by buses walking distances will be reduced but frequencies will almost certainly be lower.

   

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