<html> <body> <x-tab>         </x-tab> <a name="_Toc164047854"></a>"Valuing Transit Service Quality Improvements: Considering Comfort and Convenience In Transport Project Evaluation" (<a href="http://www.vtpi.org/traveltime.pdf" eudora="autourl"> http://www.vtpi.org/traveltime.pdf</a><a name="_Toc164047854"></a> ) This report investigates the value travelers place on qualitative factors such as comfort and convenience, and practical ways to incorporate these factors into travel time values for planning and project evaluation. Conventional evaluation practices generally assign the same time value regardless of travel conditions, and so undervalue comfort and convenience impacts. Yet, a quality improvement that reduces travel time unit costs by 20% provides benefits equivalent to an operational improvement that increases travel speeds by 20%. This report recommends specific travel time value adjustments to account for factors such as travel and waiting comfort, travel reliability, and real time transit vehicle arrival information. It describes how service quality improvements can increase transit ridership and reduce automobile travel. =================================== The Victoria Transport Policy Institute is an independent research organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to transport problems. The VTPI website (<a href="http://www.vtpi.org" eudora="autourl">http://www.vtpi.org </a>) has many resources addressing a wide range of transport planning and policy issues. Please let us know if you want no more VTPI newsletters or notices. <x-sigsep></x-sigsep> Sincerely, Todd Alexander Litman Victoria Transport Policy Institute (<a href="http://www.vtpi.org" eudora="autourl">www.vtpi.org</a>) litman@vtpi.org Phone & Fax 250-360-1560 1250 Rudlin Street, Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, CANADA “Efficiency - Equity - Clarity”   </body> </html>