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Network performance

A moving bus Network performance statistics and customer feedback can tell us a lot about how well our bus services are operating - and what we can do to improve them.

Measuring performance

We measure network performance by comparing the number of kilometres a route has done in the last quarter.

We compare each quarter to the same quarter of the previous year, rather than the last quarter of the same year. This is because factors affecting performance, like traffic conditions, can vary depending on the time of year, so this system makes it possible to identify underlying trends.

Scheduled kilometres may not be met because journeys are cancelled or suspended due to:

Traffic congestion
Staff availability
Engineering problems or mechanical breakdown

Quality of service indicators (QSI) are used to monitor service reliability.

Customer satisfaction

We ask a sample of passengers to give a score out of 100 on a wide range of bus service features, based on the journey they have just made.

Passengers are carefully selected each quarter to represent all bus passengers in London.

Recent figures can be found in the latest quarter summary document below.

Defining the passenger journey

This is defined as one ride on a single vehicle - not a bus trip from A to B as this may include more than one bus ride.

Statistics include all London Buses' contracted services but exclude any non-scheduled kilometres, London Service Permit routes and other special services.

Reports

The following reports summarise performance statistics (based on a variety of criteria):

Factors affecting performance, Quarter 4: 5 January-31 March 2013

The overall proportion of kilometres operated improved this quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago, mostly due to a reduction in losses due to traffic delays. Nevertheless, disruption was caused by snow and ice, the helicopter crash at Vauxhall, roadworks in Hackney, and a three week closure of Regent Street due to a burst water main.

In 2012/13 overall, the proportion of scheduled kilometres operated was maintained at 97.6 per cent. This was achieved despite the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and a one-day strike by the majority of drivers in June.

London Buses continues to work with the Bus Operators to improve control of services during periods of disruption due to roadworks, including introduction of more resilient schedules where necessary. Quality of Service Indicators results for high frequency services have been based on more extensive coverage using iBus data from April 2012. Taking this into account, the improvement in Excess Waiting Time (EWT) in quarter 4 compared with a year ago was better than expected.

Over the year as a whole, the improved level of EWT achieved in 2010/11 was maintained. Punctuality of low frequency services improved this quarter compared with a year ago, whilst over the year as a whole the trend of long-term improvement was maintained. Night Bus punctuality in 2012/13 also increased compared with 2011/12. The enhanced service control facilities available to Bus Operators through iBus have helped maintain the high levels of reliability currently being achieved.