Implementation of interactive transit information kiosks at New York City transit facilities: Analysis of user utilization and lessons learned

Transit Traveler Information Systems (TTIS) comprise a wide range of technologies that transit agencies use to provide reliable and timely transit-related information to customers. The touch-screen interactive information kiosk is an example of these emerging TTIS technologies. This paper examines the implementation of interactive touch-screen information kiosks, known as “On the Go!” Touch-Screen Travel Stations, at Metropolitan Transportation Authority-New York City Transit (MTA-NYCT) facilities in 2011. It analyzes data from passenger intercept surveys, from the kiosks’ built-in application usage logs and from field observations to understand actual passenger utilization of the kiosks and to assess the implications for transit agencies. The field observations also made it possible to obtain a profile of kiosk users, which sheds light on the concept of the “digital divide.” The findings, presented as lessons learned, can help agencies elsewhere develop guidelines and effective strategies for implementing similar interactive transit information systems.     

Scheduled paratransit transport systems

In this paper we focus on ways to provide individualized services to people with mobility challenges using existing modes of public transport. We study the design of an interesting case, in which a bus operating in a public transport route may diverge from its nominal path to pick-up passengers with limited mobility and drop them off at their destination. We have modeled the design problem by a mixed integer-linear program, and we developed an exact Branch and Price approach to solve it to optimality. The proposed approach includes a labeling algorithm in which we introduced appropriate dominance rules, which do not compromise optimality. We have compared the efficiency of our approach with that of related algorithms from the literature. Furthermore, we have used the proposed approach to study key aspects of the system design problem, such as the effect of various constraints on the service level, and the tuning of the system’s parameters to address different transport environments.     

Is the provision of park-and-ride facilities at light rail stations an effective approach to reducing vehicle kilometers traveled in a US context?

Park-and-Ride (PNR) facilities are a commonly used means of making a transit system more widely available. However, given that a PNR passenger must drive for part of the trip, this approach to transit provision has an ambiguous influence on vehicle kilometers traveled (VKT). The impact of PNR on VKT is highly dependent of how PNR users would choose to travel if the PNR facilities were not available. Given that this issue has received little attention in a US context, we use the light rail system in Charlotte, North Carolina as a case study to examine the potential impact of PNR removal on VKT. Using a travel survey of PNR passengers, we estimate the VKT currently generated while driving to and from the rail stations and then estimate how VKT would change under various PNR removal scenarios that assume different behavioral responses. We find that, under the most realistic scenarios, PNR removal would lead the average PNR passenger to increase her driving by 8–15 VKT per round trip.     

公交信息的乘客光环效应

光环效应是一种特殊的非理性心理现象，可利用其改善公交乘客的满意度.本文认为显著维度光环效应指标除了满足对总体满意度作用系数最大外，还应新增 3个基本特征，据此提出了一种新的基于多个特征的显著维度光环效应指标辨识方法，克服了单个特征有时错误识别的缺陷.基于 2017年武汉市公交乘客满意度数据，利用双因素和决策树法辨识潜在的显著维度光环效应指标，缩小辨识范围.利用各分项满意度指标的影响人群比例，评分均值与总体满意度关系，对总体满意度的作用系数，评分方差等精确辨识了显著维度光环效应指标. 研究发现，公交信息服务对 55.42%的乘客具有反向光环效应.改善公交信息服务可显著提高不满意乘客的满意度.     

城市轨道交通运行服务效果策划与应用

在分析城市轨道交通发展现有问题和面临挑战的基础上，指出城市轨道交通需要充分考虑轨道交通出行者个性需求和更多相关利益者的服务需求，才能实现轨道交通与城市融合发展，提升城市轨道交通服务水平。通过分析现有城市轨道交通发展过程中存在的问题和不足，论述开展城市轨道交通运行服务效果策划工作的必要性，阐述城市轨道交通运行服务效果策划工作的内容和方法，并在乌鲁木齐城市轨道交通1号线中成功应用，可为其他城市轨道交通发展所借鉴和参考。     

Flexible feeder transit route design to enhance service accessibility in urban area

To improve the accessibility of transit system in urban areas, this paper presents a flexible feeder transit routing model that can serve irregular‐shaped networks. By integrating the cost efficiency of fixed‐route transit system and the flexibility of demand responsive transit system, the proposed model is capable of letting operating feeder busses temporarily deviate from their current route so as to serve the reported demand locations. With an objective of minimizing total bus travel time, a new operational mode is then proposed to allow busses to serve passengers on both street sides. In addition, when multiple feeder busses are operating in the target service area, the proposed model can provide an optimal plan to locate the nearest one to response to the demands. A three‐stage solution algorithm is also developed to yield meta‐optimal solutions to the problem in a reasonable amount of time by transforming the problem into a traveling salesman problem. Numerical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed model as well as the heuristic solution approach. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimating the bus user time benefits of implementing a median busway: Methodology and case study

This paper presents a general framework to estimate the bus user time benefits of a median busway including the effects on travel time and access time. Unlike previous models, we take into account the effects of geometry and the interaction with the demand structure. Models for predicting the bus in-vehicle time benefits of a median dual carriageway busway against mixed traffic condition on 2 and 3 lanes roads are estimated using data from a case study in Santiago (Chile), using a bus travel time model empirically estimated and considering different base case situations, including mixed traffic operations and bus lanes. Results of the application show that the expected in-vehicle time savings of a median busway might be reduced by access time losses due to increased walking distances and road crossing delays. Also, that net time benefits can vary significantly according to the base situation and the structure of demand considered. These findings point out to the need of including a wider set of impacts when studying the benefits of median busways, beyond in-vehicle time savings only. The empirical work presented here is completely based on passive data coming from GPS and smartcards, what makes easier and cheaper to conduct this type of analysis as well as to do it with a comprehensive scope at an early stage of the development of a BRT project. This framework can be extended to other types of dedicated bus lanes provided that a corresponding bus travel time savings model is available.     

The effect of slow zones on ridership: An analysis of the Chicago Transit Authority “El” Blue Line

Transit agencies frequently upgrade rail tracks to bring the system to a state of good repair (SGR) and to improve the speed and reliability of urban rail transit service. For safety during construction, agencies establish slow zones in which trains must reduce speed. Slow zones create delays and schedule disruptions that result in customer dissatisfaction and discontinued use of transit, either temporarily or permanently. While transit agencies are understandably concerned about the possible negative effects of slow zones, empirical research has not specifically examined the relationship between slow zones and ridership. This paper partially fills that gap. Using data collected from the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Customer Experience Survey, CTA Slow Zone Maps, and, the Automatic Fare Collection System (AFC), it examines whether recurring service delays due to slow zones affect transit rider behavior and if the transit loyalty programs, such as smart card systems, increase or decrease rider defections. Findings suggest that slow zones increase headway deviation which reduces ridership. Smart card customers are more sensitive to slow zones as they are more likely to stop using transit as a result of delay. The findings of this paper have two major policy implications for transit agencies: (1) loyalty card users, often the most reliable source of revenue, are most at risk for defection during construction and (2) it is critical to minimize construction disruptions and delays in the long run by maintaining state of good repair. The results of this paper can likely be used as the basis for supporting immediate funding requests to bring the system to an acceptable state of good repair as well as stimulating ideas about funding reform for transit.     

Estimating the influence of common disruptions on urban rail transit networks

With the continuous expansion of urban rapid transit networks, disruptive incidents—such as station closures, train delays, and mechanical problems—have become more common, causing such problems as threats to passenger safety, delays in service, and so on. More importantly, these disruptions often have ripple effects that spread to other stations and lines. In order to provide better management and plan for emergencies, it has become important to identify such disruptions and evaluate their influence on travel times and delays. This paper proposes a novel approach to achieve these goals. It employs the tap-in and tap-out data on the distribution of passengers from smart cards collected by automated fare collection (AFC) facilities as well as past disruptions within networks. Three characteristic types of abnormal passenger flow are divided and analyzed, comprising (1) “missed” passengers who have left the system, (2) passengers who took detours, and (3) passengers who were delayed but continued their journeys. In addition, the suggested computing method, serving to estimate total delay times, was used to manage these disruptions. Finally, a real-world case study based on the Beijing metro network with the real tap-in and tap-out passenger data is presented.     

基于数据融合的公交客流规模测算方法

公交客流规模测算往往存在调查成本受限和准确度要求较高的矛盾.提出基于公交IC卡历史数据与人工补充调查数据的数据融合测算方法,以准确推算公交客流规模.首先根据公交线路的基本属性,采用聚类分析方法划分线路类型,从每一类中选择具有代表性的线路.基于IC卡数据分析公交客流时变特征,运用有序样本聚类Fisher算法将线路小时刷卡量进行聚类分析.划分刷卡量相似时段,进而采用优化方法确定调查抽样率,确定相应的调查车辆进行人工补充调查,最终经过数据融合计算获得公交客流规模.基于上海市某辖区IC卡数据进行案例分析,测算得到三类公交线路的日均客流量.