Community of Metros Research – Page 8 – Community of Metros Benchmarking Group

Research: Investigating the Cost Efficiency of Metros

October 21, 2014October 13, 2014

Transport bodies across the world often use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs); this work goes beyond standard KPI comparisons to consider causality for differences in cost efficiency. Using the rich data set gathered from the international Community of Metros, investigates why metro cost performance varies so significantly between different cities. The research showcases a successful partnership between RTSC researchers at Imperial College and practitioners at London Underground (LU). The resulting academic insights are being used to inform LU’s £10 billion efficiency programme.

Using regression analysis and panel data, for both the network and line level, we reviewed the main cost drivers of operating costs and its subcategories, including service operations, maintenance in various categories, and administration. For each subcategory we estimated expected costs for each metro given the metro’s conditions and compared them with the metro’s actual costs. This enabled us to benchmark each metro with “itself,” as if it behaved like the average CoMET and Nova metro. We also quantified the relative impact of each cost driver on metro costs.

Overview of the constituents of metro operating cost modelled by this study

The analysis revealed important factors that affect metro costs within and outside operator control, which conventional benchmarking can mask. For example, rolling stock maintenance costs were observed to increase by 2-3% with a 10% increase in fleet age. The effects of unit prices in labour and energy were quantified, offering a detailed understanding of the cost structure of various transport operators. Historically, LU unit costs have appeared higher than peers; this work helps LU understand why.

This research gives the transport provider (in this case London Underground) invaluable guidance as to how best to target performance improvement initiatives and optimise available funding to generate maximum value, given scarce resources and high demand for services. LU is using this research to validate their plans, and to determine whether efficiency targets are sufficiently stretching. For any public body operating in a political context, negotiating and working with stakeholders can be challenging. The research facilitates better communications with government and other stakeholders – for example by allowing the reasons for decisions to be communicated.

Research: Unattended Train Operation

August 6, 2015March 4, 2014

RTSC’s recent research into unattended train operations (UTO) has investigated the role of human operational support on UTO lines. In doing so, a key finding relates to the use of attendants or train captains – metro staff members who are based in the passenger car, rather than in a separate driver’s cab. Formal definitions of Grades of Automation as in IEC-62290 assume that if a staff member is onboard, they are fulfilling a necessary role, in operating the train, as in London’s Docklands Light Railway where attendants close the doors. The assumption is therefore that lines capable of being operated unattended (Grade of Automation 4) are operated unattended. This research study has found that in fact some metros with GoA4 lines actually use attendants on all trains for other reasons, for example to provide customer service. This has led RTSC to describe this type of line as ‘Attended GoA4,’ reflecting the fact that it fits the specification for a GoA4 line as described in IEC-62290, but is not being operated unattended. The diagram below illustrates how ‘Attended GoA4’ automation fits in with the grades of automation.

Adapted from IEC-62290 for the purposes of demonstrating differences in the real-world operational application of the formal Grades of Automation (GoA1-4) defined in the standard.

The case study explored in more detail the actual staffing levels used or planned on participating metros’ automatic lines. The total number of operational staff was compared with the number of assets (stations and trains) in service, providing metros with a useful benchmarking metric that normalised for differences in line length and service level. A typology of staffing models was also developed and linked with associated staffing levels. This work on staffing was complemented by investigation into the technologies required to enable automation; their costs; and metros experiences with their reliability.

This research was presented as a poster at the 94th Transportation Research Board of the National Academies Annual Meeting in Washington DC, in 2015.

Research: Asset Information Systems

March 26, 2014February 22, 2014

A Nova research project examined how metros manage their asset information and what systems and applications are used to achieve this. The study identified eight key asset information management (AIM) ‘maturity factors’ adopted by good practice metros. These factors were used to compare the combined effects of each metro’s asset information management, systems and applications. The results were then analysed to begin to understand the reasons behind and paths toward maturity.

Asset information maturity factors — Management and control of asset information are more important than the system used

The study’s key finding is that a metro’s asset information system (AIS) cannot itself manage asset information – it should support a metro’s overall AIM strategy. An AIS itself and the associated technologies are secondary to the need to structure and manage asset information to match the requirements of the business and its users.

Some Nova and CoMET metros have forged ahead and are developing mature approaches that are using the new technology based on good information standards, with sound system management that is based around users and a culture of continuous improvement.

Research: Incident Response & Recovery: Phase 2 Study and Workshop

March 26, 2014February 20, 2014

Following the success of the CoMET 2011 case study on Improving Incident Response and Recovery, a drill-down study was proposed to understand some of the best practices identified in more detail. The drill-down study added to the detailed incident data collected in Phase 1 and completed a more disaggregated analysis of the data, looking at detailed causes and the durations associated with incidents of different causes. An area of particular interest to the case study sponsors was the organisation of incident management, and here the ‘strategic-tactical-operational’ (gold-silver-bronze) structure adopted in two European metros was recommended. The sponsoring metro has since contacted these metros to learn more about this structure.

A crucial part of this Phase 2 study was a workshop, bringing together incident response experts from ten CoMET and Nova metros, as well as two members of CoMET and Nova’s sister benchmarking group for suburban railways, ISBeRG. This workshop resulted in the development of 14 ‘golden rules’ for incident response and recovery, which provide clear and concise guidance to metros and have since been adopted by a European metro. Similarly, an American metro is implementing best practices from the case study in resource distribution, infrastructure maintenance, and emergency response. A key recommendation arising from the workshop was the use of ‘hot debriefs’ to ask staff how the management of an incident could have been improved, immediately after the event; this good practice has since been taken on by a European metro.

Research: Train Driver Productivity

March 26, 2014July 20, 2013

A Nova research study on train driver productivity aimed to identify the most important factors that influence driver efficiency, understand what methods operators have successfully used to modernise restrictions to working arrangements and identify the scope for metros to modify the most important constraints, rules and parameters that have a negative effect on both driver productivity and costs.

The study found that metros need to have sufficiently flexible labour rules to achieve higher levels of driver productivity. Correlating the level of working time flexibility with driver productivity showed that less restricted metros were more productive than metros that face stricter constraints. Organisations with part time drivers and / or the ability to utilise split shifts were associated with higher levels of driver productivity and increased effectiveness of driver time at work (better able to cover ‘peaks and troughs’ in service). Moreover, it was found that variable shift lengths were arguably more effective than split shifts for metros with a flatter service profile, allowing metro managers to adjust shift schedules as necessary and to avoid the build up (unproductive time) of staff during less busy and off peak periods. In the long term, savings from increased flexibility could more than offset the higher driver wages associated with greater flexibility. Increasing automation of train services through automatic train turnaround, remote booking-on for drivers and driverless trains can positively influence driver productivity and allow driver roles to be deployed more effectively through more customer facing roles.

It is hoped that the information contained within this study can be used to support negotiations with labour unions, government and other key stakeholders by showing evidence of how “imposed” restrictions may impact an organisation’s ability to improve and manage productivity.