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Excess Waiting Time (EWT) measures how regular a specific bus service is. It is an average
score, and I emphasize this. Its is an average score that is measured across all the trips for a single bus service,
It is assessed that at several bus
stops along the way, and every bus service has its own specific EWT depending on how regular and
how reliable that bus service is. For example, a bus service that is operating at a perfect, regular
10-minute intervals will have an average waiting time of 5 minutes, and an EWT of zero.
An EWT of 0.1 minute for this service means that the commuter is likely to wait six seconds
more, on average compared to the EWT on Zero.
However, as the EWT is an average score, I should make it clear that
the actual commuter experience waiting at a specific bus stop could be different. But
over time, if we keep on reducing the EWT, there would be a perceptible improvement in
bus reliability for our commuters. And that indeed has been the experience for London which had
implemented a reliability framework of the same kind for more than a dozen years already.
Typically, they would regard a 0.5 minute
or 30-second reduction in EWT as a significant improvement.
So this Bus Service Reliability Framework while it is intended to get buses to arrive at bus stops
at more regular intervals, we do not believe it to encourage unsafe driving behaviour.
Bus captains will be instructed by the service controllers to slow down, or to even hold at bus stops for a minute or two
provided the bus obstruct traffic and other buses. Bus captains found to be driving recklessly or flouting
road traffic rules will be subject to discipline by the operators or even charged by the
Traffic Police. Bus operators have Standard Operating Procedures on safe driving standards,
and safe driving skills are continually reinforced. Bus operators also provide incentives for
bus captains who drive safely and have a good record.