Through the Bus Drivers’ Eyes

Linking Operational Data and Drivers’ Perspectives to Network Monitoring and Planning

📅️ 15/09/2025

👥 Gonçalo Matos, Filipe Moura, Rosa Félix

Topics

  • Thesis structure
  • Qualitative analysis outcomes
  • Conclusions
  • Quantitative analysis methodology
  • Next steps

Thesis structure

📄 Document

Qualitative analysis outcomes

Improved with Van Oort, 2011

The codes

  • Factors impacting operation
  • Strategic management
  • Tactical management
  • Operational management
  • Drivers

The codes

  • Operational goals
  • Factors impacting operation External factors
  • Strategic management planning
  • Tactical management planning
  • Operational management
  • Drivers’ self-consciousness

The codes

  • Operational goals
  • External factors
  • Strategic planning
  • Tactical planning
  • Operational management
  • Drivers’ self-consciousness

The codes

  • Operational goals
    • What is a good operational performance for drivers?
  • External factors
    • Conflicts with other vehicles, passengers
  • Strategic planning
    • Network design, infrastructure, working conditions, vehicles
  • Tactical planning
    • Route scheduling, ticketing
  • Operational management
    • Schedule adjustments, central dispatch, XTran, enforcement, passenger information
  • Drivers’ self-consciousness
    • Meta-perception, informal procedures, self-awareness, company perspective

Conclusions

Conclusions

  • Drivers have relevant insights on all planning levels and should be included in these processes
  • During operations, drivers should be provided with better information about the network state to improve their decision-making
  • XTran system should be improved to better reflect the drivers and central dispatch necessities and enable a more efficient communication
  • Carris has a lot of data, but is making little use of it, which could be improved with the development of a Business Intelligence platform

Quantitative analysis methodology

Quantitative analysis methodology

  • Generic indicators of regularity, ponctuality, bus bunching, …
  • Identify patterns in messages, to justify its relevance
  • Relation with drivers concerns
    • Messages of “start next service” before ending current
    • Stops with high passenger demand and schedule adjustments
    • Number of services accomplished vs planned offer

Next steps

Next steps

  • Execute EDA on messages and events
  • Write methodology and results of EDA
  • Write discussion relating quantitative and qualitative analysis
  • Improve case study description
  • Improve literature review
  • Write conclusion
  • Write introduction
  • Write abstract