Evaluating Transit Accessibility to Education and Effects of Operational Delays in Japanese Regional Cities: A Case Study of Matsumoto City

TL;DR

This study assesses school accessibility in Matsumoto City, Japan, considering operational delays in public transport, revealing significant delay impacts and suggesting strategies for equitable education access.

Contribution

It introduces a method to evaluate the effects of operational delays on school accessibility using GTFS data and provides policy recommendations.

Findings

78% of children can reach a high school within 90 minutes using public transport and active modes.

Delays significantly affect bus routes connecting central and suburban areas.

Some delays lead to improved accessibility due to irregular transfer times.

Abstract

Realistic assessments of school commuting accessibility in areas with infrequent public transport services require accounting for operational delays; however, the impact of these delays has not been sufficiently examined. This study evaluates high-school accessibility in Matsumoto City, a regional city in Japan, using GTFS data representing both scheduled timetables and actual operating conditions. Accessibility levels are assessed under scheduled operations, while the effects of delays are examined through a comparative analysis based on actual delay measurements over a five-day workweek. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis of travel-time thresholds was conducted. Results show that, when walking, cycling to stations, and public transport use are allowed, 78% of children under 15 can reach at least one high school within a 90-minute round trip, and 67% within a 60-minute round trip. Extending the threshold to 120 minutes enables access to nearly all schools in the city center, but the overall proportion increases only marginally to 81%. Delay impacts are particularly pronounced along bus routes connecting the central station with suburban areas, while in some areas, delays generate idiosyncratic events, where irregular transfers and reduced waiting times result in improved accessibility. Results underscore the need for both short-term measures,such as adjusting school start times, prioritizing buses, and introducing dedicated school routes, and long-term strategies, such as incorporating public transport accessibility into school consolidation decisions, to guarantee fair access to education opportunities without relying on private vehicles.