Evaluating the Performance of Isfahan City Bus Lines with Data Envelopment Analysis Model (Case Study: Lines that Overlap with a Subway Line)

The lack of an efficient transportation system is one of the obstacles to the growth and development of any country. Among the types of intra-city transportation, the role of the bus is more prominent than other methods. Considering that bus lines have the largest role and contribution in the country's intra-city transportation, therefore, they should have the necessary efficiency. In this research, the efficiency of parallel lines with a metro line in Isfahan city has been evaluated by using data envelopment analysis technique.

The research method in this study was applied in terms of its purpose and in terms of descriptive-analytical nature and the method of collecting information in the library field. In order to analyze the data and evaluate the performance, the performance information of 15 lines as production units or DMUs in the period of the first nine months of the year 1400, including 5 input variables and one output variable through the mechanized fleet management system (AVL) located in the bus unit company Isfahan were extracted and their efficiency was evaluated using DEA SOLVER and DEAFrontier software.

Out of the total of 15 studied lines, lines number 10, 17, 70, 81 and 82 did not have the necessary efficiency due to the ratio of input and output and existing conditions, of which three lines 17, 70 and 81 they are privately run. The important issue in this research is the higher efficiency of lines with more passenger movement and less overlap, which shows the importance of the passenger volume variable in evaluating the efficiency of bus lines.