Estimating Public Transportation Demand for Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand

Abstract

Nakhon Ratchasima was one of the two cities selected by German International Cooperation (GIZ) and Thailand's Pollution Control Department (PCD) to develop a draft of activities toward a Clean Air Plan. Identified as one of the most crucial source of pollution, traffic and transportation activities became one of the main focal points in this study. Focusing on promoting the use of public transportation, the study team investigated service characteristics, quality, ridership and trends in mode share in Greater Nakhon Ratchasima. It identified the role of public transport relative to other modes and current trends in mode share. This paper presents survey techniques with limited staff and time resource in survey and rational estimation. Against the operators' low ridership claim, the study team estimated rather promising passenger volume that could support decent quality public transport. The strengths and weaknesses of the current system were highlighted along with data gaps. The study team proposed a comprehensive but indicative range of practical short term public transport improvement and complementary options. Other supplement transportation management plan were also developed including traffic direction and parking regulations. The ending results would be reduction in travel time, pollution and energy consumption.