Evaluation of Spatiotemporal Transit Accessibility: Weighted Indexing Using the CRITIC-MCDM Approach and Performance Gap Analysis

Abstract

Transit performance is greatly influenced by its accessibility, which considers the spatial distribution of transit facilities with different periods of operation. The present study analyzes the spatiotemporal variation in transit accessibility and proposes a modification to enhance the evaluation process. The proposed modification involves assigning weighted indexing to the public transport coverage index (PTCI) using the CRITIC (criteria importance through intercriteria correlation) MCDM technique. The indicators exhibit temporal and spatial variations based on network and operational characteristics, with temporal variations relying on the number of scheduled transits and spatial variations influenced by the network and other operational attributes. The case study conducted in Surat, India, reveals that areas such as the city center and inner fringe have a higher concentration of scheduled transits and bus stops. However, demand fulfillment, measured by the offered seat capacity per population, is relatively low in most zones. To prioritize areas for resource allocation and policy implementation, the use of “RAdial REferenced Scatter QUAdRant (RARE SQUARE) Performance” charts are developed, which provide a straightforward tool to validate findings. The study highlights a low relative transit demand in the city, resulting in a mode share of approximately 2.5%.