EVALUATING THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICE IN AL-RASHEED MUNICIPALITY, BAGHDAD

Urban mobility sustains the concept of sustainable development by using efficient modes of transport such as public transit to reduce congestion and minimize pollution. Limited research is known about the level of effectiveness of the transport system in conflict-prone cities like Baghdad, where there are limited data. In this work, the assessment of the level of service (LOS) of the transit system in the Al-Rasheed municipality has been conducted using survey and travel-time data derived from global positioning system (GPS). The study includes 13 lines (one bus line and twelve minibuses) with regard to peak and non-peak hours of operation, making a total of 26 observations. The study results show that the general LOS reduces from b to c from peak to off-peak hours of operation, while line 1 (bus line) is the poorest-performing line because of infrequent service, overcrowding, and long travel time. Stepwise linear regression identifies the transit-auto travel time difference as the single variable that determines the LOS, explaining 84.9% of the variation (R² = 0.849, p < 0.001). Practical recommendations include restructuring routes, increasing service frequency, and implementing real-time monitoring systems to improve reliability and passenger satisfaction