Accessibility Level of Public Transportation with GIS Application: A case study in Lamphun

Abstract

This study aims to examine the service level of public transportation and propose alternative networks for the municipality of Lamphun to reduce traffic congestion, transport costs, and energy consumption. There were 31 responses to questionnaires regarding service satisfaction from August to October 2019. The research utilized the Transport for London (TfL) approach proposed by England to analyze the accessibility of public transportation. Geographic information system was applied to analyze the distance of public transportation access and network using the Buffer and Inverse distance weight tools, respectively. The results indicate that Lamphun's public transportation is paratransit, consisting of minibus on eight routes and public van on one route. Inaccurate schedules and lack of parking lots, as well as uncovered service areas, contribute to a poor level of accessibility and a small number of passengers. The suggestion for Lamphun's public transportation network is an expansion of routes to the government center, provincial transportation office, and inner-city surroundings. Planning and policy that are clear-cut and effective can help to enhance public transportation and increase the number of passengers for travelling on time. This can alleviate future traffic congestion in Lamphun.