A Study on the Influence of Urban Form on the Level of Public Transportation Service in Local Cities of Japan

The purpose of this study is to clarify the characteristics of urban forms in local cities and to elucidate the impact of indicators related to the spatial distribution of the population, such as population density and urban form, on the level of public transportation services. The analysis revealed the following three points:Firstly, urban form, unlike population density, becomes distorted due to geographical constraints and the area coalesced. Secondly, both population density and the skewness of urban form serve as indicators to measure service efficiency, thereby defining the level of public transportation services.Thirdly, the number of route overlaps also defines the level of public transportation services, and by incorporating route overlaps into the design of bus networks, authorities can enhance the level of public transportation services.