OnTimePerformance

OnTimePerformance is a metric used in transportation analytics to evaluate how reliably a service operates relative to its published schedule. It is commonly applied in air transport, rail, and bus networks, and is used by regulators, operators, and consumers to gauge service reliability.

In aviation, OnTimePerformance typically measures whether a flight arrives at or departs from its scheduled time within a defined window, most commonly 15 minutes or less. The standard widely adopted in the United States defines a flight as on-time if it arrives within 15 minutes of its scheduled arrival time, or departs within 15 minutes of its scheduled departure time. Cancellations and diversions are counted separately and typically treated as not on-time. Data sources include government statistics and industry databases, such as the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, which publish OTP figures. The metric is sometimes computed for individual carriers, airports, or whole networks, and may be reported as a percentage or as a time series.

Calculation and interpretation: OTP = (on-time events) / (total scheduled events) × 100, where events include arrivals or departures that meet the time window; exclusions may apply for weather-related disruptions or intentional schedule changes. The concept is similarly adapted for rail and bus, with variations in thresholds and reporting practices.

Limitations: OTP depends on how time is recorded, timezone handling, and the definition of the on-time window. It does not capture door-to-door reliability or passenger experience and may be influenced by scheduling practices or operational constraints. History and usage: The concept emerged to improve transparency of performance and is now a standard indicator in many transport systems for benchmarking and policy evaluation.