Bus congestion, optimal infrastructure investment and the choice of a fare collection system in dedicated bus corridors

Microeconomic optimisation of scheduled public transport operations has traditionally focused on finding optimal values for the frequency of service, capacity of vehicles, number of lines and distance between stops. In addition, however, there exist other elements in the system that present a trade-off between the interests of users and operators that have not received attention in the literature, such as the optimal selection of a fare payment system and a designed running speed (i.e., the cruising speed that buses maintain in between two consecutive stops). Alternative fare payment methods (e.g., on-board and off-board, payment by cash, magnetic strip or smart card) have different boarding times and capital costs, with the more efficient systems such as a contactless smart card imposing higher amounts of capital investment. Based on empirical data from several Bus Rapid Transit systems around the world, we also find that there is a positive relationship between infrastructure cost per kilometre and commercial speed (including stops), achieved by the buses, which we further postulate as a linear relationship between infrastructure investment and running speed. Given this context, we develop a microeconomic model for the operation of a bus corridor that minimises total cost (users and operator) and has five decision variables: frequency, capacity of vehicles, station spacing, fare payment system and running speed, thus extending the traditional framework. Congestion, induced by bus frequency, plays an important role in the design of the system, as queues develop behind high demand bus stops when the frequency is high. We show that (i) an off-board fare payment system is the most cost effective in the majority of circumstances; (ii) bus congestion results in decreased frequency while fare and bus capacity increase, and (iii) the optimal running speed grows with the logarithm of demand.     

Timetable-based operation in urban transport: Run-time optimisation and improvements in the operating process

Urban public transit provides an efficient means of mobility and helps support social development and environmental preservation. To avoid loss of ridership, transit authorities have focussed on improving the punctuality of routes that operate using timetables. This paper presents a new approach to generating run-time values that is based on analytical development and micro simulations. The work utilizes previous research (described herein) and the experience acquired by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) in operating bus routes based on timetables. Using a sample of historical data, the method used for generating run-time values consists of the following steps: purging and screening atypical trips, based on the consideration of confidence intervals for median trips; segmenting the day into time bands based on the introduction of a new hierarchical classification algorithm; creating initial run-time values based on criteria derived from statistical analysis; adjusting and validating initial run-time values using micro simulations; and evaluating incident-recovery times at the end of trips in order to guarantee the punctual departure of the next trip in the vehicle schedule. To favour service improvement, we also introduced certain indicators that can identify the root causes of non-compliance. As a final step, in order to ensure the applicability and use of the model, we promoted the development of our model within the framework of the HASTUS™ software solution.     

串联式混合动力公交车的参数选择

根据城市公交车的工作特点,对串联式混合动力公交车动力系统主要部件发动机、电动机、电池组等,提出了选择和设计原则,实现优化匹配,提高动力性、燃油经济性以及降低排放性能.     

坚持公交优先,发展立体交通,构建市民和谐出行环境

公交优先发展战略是当前许多国家实施可持续交通发展的治本之选,公交优先体现了平民权利的优先.结合《建设部关于优先发展城市公共交通的意见》和南京市交通建设规划现状,对公交优先策略的必要性、实施公交优先的方法与有效措施等问题进行了深入分析,提出了坚持公交优先,发展立体交通,构建市民和谐出行环境的城市交通建设理念.     

关于公交线路线形及对位编码的思考

把城市公交线路站点进行线性回归,将其归纳为纵线、横线、左斜线、右斜线和环(含弧)线,并对社区公交提出新的见解.同时采用了分线形按方位区间分别对位编码的方法,对普通的公交线路番号的每个代码赋予特定的含义,使其具有明确的线路走向和方位识别功能.还对“线形布线及对位编码法”在实施中可能出现的问题及应对措施提出了自己的意见.该...     

人机工程学在公交车驾驶室设计中的应用研究

本文主要研究人机工程学在公交车驾驶室设计中的应用,从人机工程学的角度对驾驶室作业空间设计、座椅设计、人机界面设计等进行研究,以期达到使公交车司机驾驶更加舒适、安全、降低疲劳的效果,相关研究结果可以为城市公交车的人性化设计提供参考.     

基于自律分散技术的快速公交智能调度系统设计研究

自律分散技术是一种国际上的新型技术,现已被广泛应用到各个相关领域.快速公交是近年来公交系统发展的重要方向,本文从功能需求的角度出发,运用自律分散技术,对快速公交智能调度系统进行横向和纵向结构的设计研究,从而为快速公交系统的发展研究提供一个新的思路,具有一定的指导和借鉴意义.     

基于混合动力城市客车控制策略的研究

介绍了三种典型混合动力城市客车的类型,并描述和分析了其各自控制系统的控制策略.同时对混合动力城市客车的应用及发展前景作了阐述.     

纯电动公交客车的能量快速补充及相关分析——以恒通CKZ6127HBEV快速充电式电动客车为例

本文主要介绍了恒通CKZ6127HBEV快速充电式电动客车,电动客车常用的充电方式的特点,电动客车的电能消耗量和相应动力电池储能量需求的计算,对快速充电电池的要求,快速充电的特点以及恒通CKZ6127HBEV快速充电式电动客车示范运行的请况.     

广州市快速公交系统影响评价

为分析广州市快速公交(BRT)运营一年来的实施效果,评估其对出行者、城市和交通发展的影响,开展影响评价研究.提出了BRT影响评价层次分析框架,分别从客流量、服务水平、环境效益、社会效益以及经济效益五个层面分析了广州市BRT的实施效果.评价分析结果证明:BRT开通运营后,乘客出行时间明显缩短,公交运行速度和准点率显著提高...