An Empirical Analysis on the On-Time Performance and Crowding Levels of Bus Transportation: The Development of the Philippine Automated Roadway Access Public Operation (PARA PO)

This study explored the critical relationship between bus punctuality, crowding levels, and transportationefficiency within the field of public bus transportation. The research proposed a technological interventionin a bus tracker application. The study sorted out insights into terminal efficiency and service qualitythrough a systematic evaluation involving manual observation and surveying. Statistical tests, includingthe Chi-square and Kendall's Tau, underscored a significant association between time delays and crowdinglevels at bus terminals, emphasizing the need for interventions to enhance scheduling efficiency.Additionally, the research conducted pilot testing of the Philippines Automated Roadway Access—PublicOperation (PARA PO) Application, demonstrating its readiness and effectiveness in providing commuterswith accurate arrival time estimations. Alpha and Beta testing phases utilizing Paired T-Test and MeanAnalysis revealed promising metrics and positive user experiences, indicating the application's potential toimprove transportation efficiency and commuter satisfaction. The study concluded with recommendationsfor integrating research insights into transportation policy development, enhancing the bus trackerapplication, and fostering collaboration between stakeholders to address reliability and punctuality issuesin public bus transportation.