Through franchising, UK authorities are aiming to improve bus services to benefit operators, drivers and passengers. But what if the network you’re franchising has existing performance issues? If these aren’t addressed and resolved ahead of franchising, you run the risk of filtering them into the new network.
To make confident, data-led decisions about how your future franchised network should operate, you need to know how your current network is performing. Gaining that understanding starts with a network data audit that helps you to identify what data you have, where the gaps are, and whether it’s accurate and ready to use.
The power of performance data comes with combining each data source to get a holistic view of what’s happening in the network. Many authorities and operators choose to use a specialist performance optimisation platform to connect schedule, location, and demand data, making it easier to get access to the insights they need for a truly data-led approach to franchising.
Whether you’re planning to franchise or preparing for procurement, having a complete, connected view of network performance gives you the evidence you need to make franchising a success. Let’s take a look at a network performance audit that will enable you to identify the most appropriate metrics to use to assess how your network is performing.
What does ‘good’ network performance look like?
Before jumping into the types of analysis network data unlocks, let’s explore what ‘good’ performance looks like. Optimum performance can vary based on the type of network you’re responsible for and the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) you want to achieve. Ultimately the KPIs you set should reflect your network’s environment, constraints, and passenger needs, while also giving you a measurable target to track.
Urban, suburban, and rural bus services each operate under different conditions and expectations, so it's essential to choose a metric that aligns with how the service is used and what passengers value most. Let’s look at some high-level examples to get you started.
Network Type: Urban
KPI: Reduce Excess Waiting Time (EWT) and/or improve punctuality
In an urban network, EWT and punctuality are two of the most meaningful metrics to track. Buses may run frequently, but so does congestion, and your passengers rely on services being predictable. You’ll typically aim for buses to depart no more than 1 minute early and no more than 5 minutes late. If you’re achieving 88–90% on-time departures, with early running under 1%, that’s a strong sign your network is performing well, and your team is actively managing the network, not just operating it passively.
Network Type: Suburban
KPI: Increase reliability
In a suburban network, reliability is a need-to-have rather than a nice-to-have for passenger satisfaction, especially where buses aren’t running every 10 minutes. When passengers have fewer options, a single missed trip can really disrupt their day. In this context, reliability means the percentage of scheduled trips that actually run, and hitting at least 98% of services delivered is a strong benchmark.
Network Type: Rural
KPI: Service Reliability
In rural networks, you may not have packed buses, but you still need to make sure they’re arriving on time. A good way to measure this is % on time. A strong result for a rural area would be approx 85% or around 1 minute early and 5 minutes late. That number might seem low compared to urban standards, but in a rural setting it can represent a strong, efficient service that passengers can rely on.
How to conduct a bus network performance audit
Completing a network performance audit helps you to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities within your existing network. This checklist covers everything from overall network performance analysis to infrastructure and operator practices, and the data required, to help you understand the specific areas to focus on and how performance data can be used.
The checklist sets out how open, AVL, schedule, and ticketing data surfaces actionable insights, from pinpointing routes with recurring delays to understanding where crowding is affecting the passenger experience. It also helps highlight where vehicle resources may be over or under-utilised.
By working through each section of the checklist, transport authorities can not only get a clear picture of what’s happening on the road but also set clear, evidence-based KPIs that reflect the needs of passengers and the operational realities on the road.
Turning insights into action
Once your network performance audit is complete, it’s time to put the insights you’ve gained to work. Start by making improvements to your current network, while using what you've learned to shape your future franchised network.
Whether you're fine-tuning existing services or planning for future ones, performance data should always guide your decisions. Taking this approach ensures the changes you implement are evidence-based, appropriate, and focused on giving passengers a better experience.
