caa a22 4500 445890525 CHVBK 20180317145614.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170323e20110501xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s11116-010-9314-9 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s11116-010-9314-9 Exploring the drivers of light rail ridership: an empirical route level analysis of selected Australian, North American and European systems [Elektronische Daten] [G. Currie, A. Ahern, A. Delbosc] This paper explores the relative influence of factors affecting light rail ridership on 57 light rail routes in Australia, Europe and North America through an empirical examination of route level data. Previous research suggests a wide range of possible ridership drivers but is mixed in clarifying major influences. A multiple-regression analysis of route level ridership (boardings per route km) and catchment residential and employment density, car ownership, service level, speed, stop spacing, share of accessible stops, share of segregated right of away and integrated fares was undertaken. This established a statistically significant model (99% level, R2=0.76) with five significant variables including service level, routes being in Europe, speed, integrated ticketing and employment density. In general these findings support selected results from previous research. A secondary analysis of service effectiveness measures (boardings/vehicle km, i.e. the relative ridership performance for a given level of service), established a statistically significant model (99% level, R2=0.67) with 6 significant explanatory variables including being in Europe, speed, employment density, integrated ticketing, track segregation and service level. The latter implies that a higher frequency results in higher service effectiveness. Overall the research findings stress the importance of providing a high level of service as a major driver of light rail ridership. The ‘European Factor' is also an important though intriguing influence but its cause remains unclear and requires further research to elaborate its nature. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC., 2010 Light rail nationallicence Patronage levels nationallicence Service levels nationallicence Currie G. Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Transport Studies, Monash University, Building 60, 3800, Clayton, VIC, Australia aut Ahern A. School of Architecture, Landscape and Civil Engineering, University College Dublin, Newstead Building, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland aut Delbosc A. Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Transport Studies, Monash University, Building 60, 3800, Clayton, VIC, Australia aut Transportation Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 38/3(2011-05-01), 545-560 0049-4488 38:3<545 2011 38 11116 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-010-9314-9 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-010-9314-9 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Currie G. Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Transport Studies, Monash University, Building 60, 3800, Clayton, VIC, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Ahern A. School of Architecture, Landscape and Civil Engineering, University College Dublin, Newstead Building, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Delbosc A. Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Transport Studies, Monash University, Building 60, 3800, Clayton, VIC, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Transportation Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 38/3(2011-05-01), 545-560 0049-4488 38:3<545 2011 38 11116 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer