Estimated level comfort determination of public transport movement in mountainous areas

Introduction. Assessing the transit quality of service is more complex than assessing the performance of a street and road network due to the consideration of a large number of actors such as carriers, passengers and vehicles. And also the need to take into account a large number of factors in the form of accessibility, reliability of operation, and others. Ways to create a reliable and efficient system of transit should take into account both accessibility and traffic characteristics, especially in the conditions of complex relief of mountainous territories. Until now, there is no unified methodology in the Russian Federation, which allows to objectively assess the performance of transit. Passengers will consider the surface transit system as an option for making a trip if it is properly organized and accessible to their starting and ending points. The paper presents research on the formation of an alternative approach, which allows to assess the quantity and quality of transportation services using a single indicator. Materials and methods. The evaluation system has two blocks, according to which the studied criteria are classified. The significance of each block is chosen on the basis of a sociological survey and previous research. Six indicators are allocated in each block, and there are 12 indicators in total. Numerical values of traffic convenience levels for passengers are presented. Results. In order to verify the applicability of the proposed model, studies on the movement of transit together with its infrastructure were conducted. In parallel, studies were conducted considering users’ opinions for further comparison. Discussion. The proposed model is based on indicators reflecting accessibility conditions and the trip itself. The use of both quantitative and qualitative criteria, as well as users’ opinions, allows to expect an assessment of real conditions. Conclusion. The article presents the results of research on the level of service of transit, taking into account the opinions of users. Research has shown that when determining the quality of services, it is necessary to take into account not only the criteria of movement, but also the criteria of accessibility. Resume. The conducted research made it possible to formulate the level of service of transit passing through mountainous areas, which makes it possible to improve the quality of transport services for the population and ensures the achievement of the goals of sustainable development of mountainous areas. Suggestions for practical applications and directions for future research. Research allows a reasonable approach to determining the level of service of transit in mountainous areas, and is recommended for consideration in planning and design.