A Best Practice for Measuring Transit Performance

The New York MTA isn't the only transit system to spend valuable time evaluating ways to evaluate service, and it certainly won't be the last. TransitCenter suggests one metric to end these kinds of debates.

1 minute read

November 22, 2016, 12:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


DART Dallas

Philip Lange / Shutterstock

A post by TransitCenter examines the question of how to properly measure transit performance, in response to a "longstanding internal debate over how best to evaluate subway performance" at the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

The TransitCenter post argues that in debating whether to use "on-time performance" or "wait assessment" to measure the performance of the city's subway system, the MTA is having the wrong debate.

The agency could quickly adopt a performance indicator that would better reflect reality from the rider point of view and help the MTA more effectively manage its service — excess journey time.  Lauded by transit experts around the world as best practice, excess journey time legibly measures the types of delay mentioned above, and can be calculated using information the MTA already collects and analyzes.

The remainder of the post explains the "excess journey time" metric in more detail and makes the case for the MTA to quickly adopt the metric and get back to work on improving the system.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016 in TransitCenter

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

White Waymo autonomous car driving fast down city street with blurred background at night.

Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars

Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.

3 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Two small wooden one-story homes in Florida with floodwaters at their doors.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?

With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

5 hours ago - Governing

People riding bicycles on separated bike trail.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike

For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

7 hours ago - UNM News