Track Record 34, January to March 2008 - Public Transport Victoria

Track Record
Victoria’s Public Transport Services
How punctuality and reliability are measured
All timetabled train and tram services are monitored every day of the week.
Delays, cancellations and other service failures are measured to the nearest 60 seconds and ‘weighted’ according to the
number of people estimated to be travelling on the train or tram. The passenger weightings vary according to the time
period, day of week and direction of travel. Delays to a heavily-loaded peak train or tram are given a greater value than
delays to a less loaded off-peak train or tram. This system provides a measure of operational performance expressed in
‘passenger-weighted minutes’ of delay.
Passenger-weighted minutes of delay in each month are checked against performance targets set in the partnership
agreements. Performance against these targets determines whether a bonus or a penalty applies to an operator. This bonus
and penalty system is referred to as the operational performance regime (OPR).
Performance targets are periodically adjusted so they become increasingly challenging. Significant reductions in passengerweighted
minutes of delay are required, compared to those measured in 1998, before bonus payments are made. The
required improvements in performance are:
• 32 per cent for metropolitan trams
• 36 per cent for metropolitan trains.
Metropolitan bus services are not included in this performance regime. Bus operators provide performance data for bus
services (on-time running and cancellations) via monthly ‘key performance indicator’ returns.
6.3 Payments
The details presented in this bulletin on payments for public transport services include:
• Information on the fares collected and distributed (referred to as the farebox); and
• Components of the contract payments made by the State to the operators and major service suppliers for the
services provided.
The incentive and penalty payments relating to performance during a particular period are reported on an accrual basis.
The figures are not final, as the contracts allow for adjustment in limited circumstances in later periods. Payments for prior
quarters are subject to change based on audits or mitigated performance adjustments.
All payments are exclusive of GST. Negative figures represent payments by the franchisee to the State.
6.4 Passenger compensation
Train and tram partnership agreements require operators to provide punctuality and reliability (number of cancellations)
service levels above a government-set threshold. Operators must report to customers every month on whether or not they
have met the minimum service requirements.
Operators who fail to meet minimum service levels must provide compensation (in the form of complimentary tickets)
to customers. The compensation applies only to passengers holding valid periodical tickets of four weeks or more
who travelled on the service concerned during the month in question. Customers apply directly to the operator for the
compensation.
V/Line services within each corridor are separated into short-distance and long-distance services, with passenger
compensation assessed and payable separately for the two categories.
Table 10 Service level thresholds for compensation purposes (%)
Metropolitan trains V/Line Passenger Metropolitan trams
Punctuality 92 92 80
Reliability 98 96 95
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