The convergence of diagonalization algorithms for asymmetric network equilibrium problems

We provide a sufficient condition for the convergence of diagonalization algorithms for equilibrium traffic assignment problems with asymmetric Jacobian matrix B(v) of the link user cost mapping s(v) of the flow v. When

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, where D(v^*) > 0 is the diagonal of B(v^*) and v^* is the equilibrium flow, we demonstrate a local convergence theorem for nonlinear cost functions. The implication of this result for practical applications of the model are outlined.     

PC-based sketch planning methods for transport and urban applications

Historically, computer models have grown in complexity, and consequently have become more difficult to use. At the same time there is a growing need for quick-response methods and techniques for broad-brush policy formulation and decision making. The personal computer and its attendant software offer new means for quantitative sketch planning. This paper illustrates two PC-based applications for quick-response exercises. These involve interactive mapping and data analysis methods for the appraisal and interpretation of transport data, and the development and use of eclectic models for systems analysis and scenario generation. The LAMM and DIAMONDS packages are described, and their use in data analysis is illustrated. The Trends Integrator Procedure (TIP) is used to formulate a simple but versatile model for investigation of developments in an urban retailing system. These packages all run on PC's and offer powerful and adaptive tools for improved transport planning.Nomenclature a _i a technical coefficient indicating the influence of the unique factor component (U _i ) for factor F _i - c _ij a technical coefficient relating the influence of factor F _i on factor F _j - F _i the relative change in the level of factor F _i - U _i the relative change in the unique factor component for F _i      

A queueing system for airport buses

The use of remote terminals to relieve airport congestion leads rather naturally to queueing systems with batch arrivals occuring at fixed time intervals to a multiple server service facility. In this paper arrival point steady-state solutions to the D^[X]/M/c queueing system are presented. Solution of the steady-state equation WP = W and Neuts' method of solving the GI^[X]/M/c system are used to obtain steady-state system size densities. Results obtained using the two methods are compared with each other as well as with simulation results.     

An evaluation of web site services in liner shipping in Taiwan

This paper empirically evaluates web site services in the liner shipping industry based on the service requirements of the user firms, i.e., shippers. The results suggest that shippers perceive tracing to be the most important service attribute of a web site, followed by customs response, vessel schedules, and electronic document service. Based on the concept of market segmentation, we employed cluster analysis to classify users (shippers) of web site services provided by liner shipping companies into four segments, namely support and performance services oriented firms, equipment information oriented firms, performance information oriented firms, and transaction services oriented firms. Theoretical and practical implications of the research findings are discussed.     

Homogeneous optimal fleet

The structure of chains in the optimal chain decomposition of a periodic schedule S is investigated. A finite oriented graph termed the Linis Graph (LG) is defined which serves as the key for this investigation. The edges of the LG are trip-types of S and the vertices of the LG represent terminals. It is proved that there is an Euler cycle for a connected LG satisfying natural precedence relations between arrival and departure times. Expansion of this cycle in a real time gives a “master-chain” of trips which, being repeated periodically, gives an infinite periodic chain. Time-shifted periodic replication of this chain allows obtaining a group of twin-type periodic chains forming an optimal fleet over S. It is proved that if the LG has m connected components then there is an optimal fleet consisting of m groups of similar periodic chains. It is shown that if the graph of terminals is connected and the LG is disconnected then it is possible to obtain a twin-type fleet over S by adding to S “dummy” trip-types. A general approach to constructing a twin-type fleet of minimal size for this case is described. The relation of the theory developed to the so-called center problem is discussed.     

Towards measures of affective and eudaimonic subjective well-being in the travel domain

Studies of the connections between transportation and subjective well-being (SWB) require a clear understanding of the conceptual composition of travel-related SWB as well as psychometric instruments to measure these complex topics. Well-established psychological scales for measuring general SWB—including both hedonic (affective and cognitive) and eudaimonic aspects—are difficult to adapt or have yet to be tested in the travel domain. Existing measures of travel liking and travel satisfaction are somewhat inadequate for these purposes, especially for representing eudaimonia. Using a questionnaire survey of 680 commuters in the Portland, Oregon, region, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses examined responses to a total of 42 items. Results suggested four-factor measurement models of both travel affect (Enjoyment, Attentiveness, Distress, and Fear) and travel eudaimonia (Health, Competence, Autonomy, and Security). Despite some limitations and opportunities for enhancements, these models show promise as ways of measuring affective and eudaimonic SWB in the travel domain for future studies and travel surveys.

     

Vehicle dispatching with competition

This paper considers a vehicle dispatching problem with competition. For Poisson arrival processes, three dispatching policies are considered, (i) a C-policy, consisting in sending a vehicle as soon as it is filled to capacity C, (ii) a T-policy, assuming an infinite capacity and consisting in sending a vehicle every T periods and (iii) a (T, C)-policy consisting in sending a vehicle every T periods or whenever it is filled to capacity C, whichever comes first. Two firm models with cooperating and non-cooperating solution modes are resolved and results summarized in a table. Applications and examples are resolved for demonstration purposes.     

Dynamic location: an iconic model to synchronize temporal and spatial transportation data

This paper describes a model to synchronize the management and query of temporal and spatially referenced transportation data in geographic information systems (GIS). The model employs a method referred to as dynamic location, which facilitates spatial intersect queries from geographic shapes without the use of topological relationships. This is the inverse of how dynamic segmentation works in GIS. In contrast to dynamic segmentation, dynamic location stores geometry as an object within a single database field. This is an efficient, precise iconic model superseding the need for data decomposition into a complex set of tables. As an object model, the dynamic location process lends itself to high performance in an Internet, data-intensive, enterprise environment. Linear events are stored as {x, y} features, and not referenced to any route system. Route systems are built from {x, y, m} values (m for measure) and serve as number lines for mathematical operations. Any {x, y} object can then be referenced to either the Cartesian grid or any selected number line. This method offers the benefits of linear referencing, while making full use of a stable geodetic datum. Combinations of any {x, y} events may be placed over any {x, y, m} number line (route) and an intersect determined by looking through stacked {x, y, m} vertices of the coincident shapes. Since both geometry and shape reside in the same record, the use of “begin” and “end” dates facilitates full spatial and temporal version control. From a business process perspective, this creates a spatially enabled database, pulling GIS business functions back into the information technology mainstream.     

Book reviews

Road haulage licensing and EC Transport Policy. By K. J. Button. (Aldershot: Gower Publishing Co., 1984.) [Pp.127.] £14.50.

Bicycles and Public Transportation: New Links to Suburban Transit Markets. By Michael A. Replogle. (Bicycle Federation, Washington DC, 1983.) [Pp. 171.] US$15.95.

Urban Transport in ASEAN. By V. Setty Pendakur. (Institute of Southeast Asian Studies — Research Notes and Discussions Papers Series No. 43, 1984.) [Pp. 65] $4.50 ISBN 9971–902–67–2.

The World Railway System. By Bernard de Fontgalland (Cambridge Univerisity Press, 1984.) [Pp. 209.] £16.00.     

A G/G(n)/C/C state‐dependent simulation model for metro station corridor width design

Metro station corridor and passengers are described as a G/G(n)/C/C state‐dependent queuing system with a general random arrival interval G and a general random and state‐dependent service time G(n) to offset the shortcomings in existing design methods. The corresponding G/G(n)/C/C state‐dependent discrete event simulation model is developed, and its high‐fidelity is tested. Then the optimization algorithm based on the simulation model is designed to determine corridor width. The proposed simulation optimization method and the existing analytical optimization methods, based on M/G(n)/C/C and D/D/1/C queuing models, are applied to design corridor width in a numerical example of 48 combinations of passenger flow rates and level of service (LOS). The designed corridor widths are tested in a micro‐simulation model, and the performance measure is compared. The result shows that the corridor widths obtained by the new method are 0.357 m (7.4%) larger than that of the other two methods on average; the area per passenger of the new method increases 10.53% and 11.63%, respectively, compared with that of the other two methods; the widths designed by the new method satisfy the requirement of LOS under various passenger flows, whereas 93% of the corridor widths obtained by the other two methods fail to meet the requirement of LOS, and the corridor widths designed by the new method have high elasticity coefficients of LOS‐width. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The potential health,financial and environmental impacts of dieselgate in Ireland

ABSTRACT

The transportation sector is the greatest contributor to air pollution. With the booming demand for transportation, reducing the pollution has become one of the main concerns of researchers. EPA emission standards are designed to protect air quality and human health. Diesel Euro 5 NO_x has become a matter of disquiet since it has been found that NO_x emissions are significantly exceeding the standard limit. This paper presents a study to estimate the disparity in real-world NO_x emission levels resulted from all diesel Euro 5 passenger cars (PC) and light commercial vehicles (LCV) that are present in Ireland. NO_x emission levels calculated based on laboratory test results, on-road measurements and the COPERT 4 model were compared. Additionally, NO_x emission levels from the defective Volkswagen models have been calculated to quantify the effect of the Volkswagen scandal on Ireland. Impacts of excess NO_x emissions on health and cost have also been presented.     

Book reviews

Practice, Politics and Policies—"The Politics of Transport”. By Enid Wistrich. (Harlow, Essex: Longman Group Limited, 1983.) [Pp. 185, with index.] £4·25.

Econometric Analysis and Railway Costing. By W. G. Waters, II and A. D. Woodland. (North Oxford Academic, 1984.) [Pp.132.] £12·95.     

Behavior of the cell transmission model and effectiveness of ramp metering

The paper characterizes the behavior of the cell transmission model of a freeway, divided into N sections or cells, each with one on-ramp and one off-ramp. The state of the dynamical system is the N-dimensional vector n of vehicle densities in the N sections. A feasible stationary demand pattern induces a unique equilibrium flow in each section. However, there is an infinite set—in fact a continuum—of equilibrium states, including a unique uncongested equilibrium n^u in which free flow speed prevails in all sections, and a unique most congested equilibrium n^con. In every other equilibrium n^e one or more sections are congested, and n^u  n^e  n^con. Every equilibrium is stable and every trajectory converges to some equilibrium state.Two implications for ramp metering are explored. First, if the demand exceeds capacity and the ramps are not metered, every trajectory converges to the most congested equilibrium. Moreover, there is a ramp metering strategy that increases discharge flows and reduces total travel time compared with the no-metering strategy. Second, even when the demand is feasible but the freeway is initially congested, there is a ramp metering strategy that moves the system to the uncongested equilibrium and reduces total travel time. The two conclusions show that congestion invariably indicates wastefulness of freeway resources that ramp metering can eliminate.     

A stochastic computational model for yellow time determination and its application

This paper proposes a stochastic model to determine the yellow time according to the occurring probability of Type‐I dilemma zone (P_DZ). Unlike the conventional methods generally based on the deterministic traffic flow theory, the proposed model fully accounts for the randomness of input variables such as approaching speed, deceleration rate, perception‐and‐reaction time, and distance to stop‐line at the yellow onset. A theoretical model is firstly established, and a computational program incorporating Monte Carlo Simulation is then developed to facilitate its general solution. These two alternative solution approaches to derive P_DZ and Y are proposed, depending upon whether D/V and (τ + V/2d) follow certain analytical distributions or not. In addition, field data at a typical high‐speed highway intersection are collected to validate the model. Based on the validated model, comprehensive sensitivity analysis is conducted to look into the entire picture of the relationship between P_DZ and the distributions as well as correlations of the input variables. To demonstrate the application of the proposed model, the required yellow times for various conditions are calculated based on the acceptable levels of P_DZ, and representative application tables for typical cases are finally provided. With the aid of the proposed methodology, traffic engineers are capable of designing yellow time in a more sophisticated manner. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing network vulnerability of heavy rail systems with the impact of partial node failures

Much of the literature in recent years has examined the vulnerability of transportation networks. To identify appropriate and operational measures of nodal centrality using connectivity in the case of heavy rail systems, this paper presents a set of comprehensive measures in the form of a Degree of Nodal Connection (DNC) index. The DNC index facilitates a reevaluation of nodal criticality among distinct types of transfer stations in heavy rail networks that present a number of multiple lines between stations. Specifically, a new classification of transfer stations—mandatory transfer, non-mandatory transfer, and end transfer—and a new measure for linkages—link degree and total link degree—introduces the characteristics of heavy rail networks when we accurately expose the vulnerability of a node. The concept of partial node failure is also introduced and compare the results of complete node failure scenarios. Four local and global indicators of network vulnerability are derived from the DNC index to assess the vulnerability of major heavy rail networks in the United States. Results indicate that the proposed DNC indexes can inform decision makers or network planners as they explore and compare the resilience of multi-hubs and multi-line networks in a comprehensive but accurate manner regardless of their network sizes.

     

A cooperative waiting strategy based on elliptical areas for the Dynamic Pickup and Delivery Problem with Time Windows

The purpose of this paper to present a cooperative scheduling algorithm for solving the Dynamic Pickup and Delivery Problem with Time Windows (DPDPTW). The idea behind cooperative waiting strategies is to calculate simultaneously the waiting times for all nodes in the solution. Classical non‐cooperative scheduling algorithms perform the scheduling for each route independently of the scheduling of the other routes. We present the Cooperative Scheduling Problem (CSP) based on the elliptical areas generated by vehicles waiting at their nodes. The CSP is solved by means of a genetic algorithm and is evaluated by using a set of benchmarks based on real‐life data found in the literature. Initially, two waiting strategies are presented: Wait‐Early‐Time scheduling and Balanced‐Departure scheduling. Extensive empirical simulations have been carried out by analyzing the degree of dynamism and the average waiting time, a new concept defined to take into account the gap between the time windows of pickup and delivery nodes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reverse time-restricted shortest paths: Application to air traffic management

In this paper, we consider a particular class of network flow problems that seeks a shortest path, if it exists, between a source node s and a destination node d in a connected digraph, such that we arrive at node d at a specified time τ while leaving node s no earlier than a lower-bounding time LB, and where the availability of each network link is time-dependent in the sense that it can be traversed only during specified intervals of time. We refer to this problem as the reverse time-restricted shortest path problem (RTSP), and it arises, for example, in the context of generating flight plans within air traffic management approaches under severe convective weather conditions. We show that this problem is NP-hard in general, but is polynomially solvable under a special regularity condition. A pseudo-polynomial time dynamic programming algorithm is developed to solve Problem RTSP, along with an effective heap implementation strategy. Computational results using real flight generation test cases as well as random simulated problems are presented.     

MANTO — a research project of telecommunication applications for the future information society

The impact of new technologies has been mostly under-estimated in the past and, as a result, the transitions from one era to another have occurred more or less by chance. The MANTO research project is intended to avoid mischances. So it indicates potential developments in the telecommunications sector and, in particular, investigates their effects upon transport and settlement and also upon society, the economy and the environment. Nevertheless, MANTO does not merely take a look at the future, like the Greek oracle from whom it takes its name; by means of concrete recommendations, MANTO is intended to provide persons in responsible positions with a tool with which they can consciously organise that future. Risky developments are to be precluded in advance while desirable consequences are to be promoted. Explanation of the used term: MANTO was the daughter of the famous prophet Teiresios of Theben and a seer herself too. As a (German) abbreviation MANTO also stands for: human being (Mensch), offer (Angebot) and needs (Nachfrage) for transportation and telecommunication (Transport und Telekommunikation), considering economy and ecology (Oekonomie und Oekologie).     

The dynamics of traffic assignment and traffic control: A theoretical study

The paper considers traffic assignment, with traffic controls, in an increasingly dynamic way. First, a natural way of introducing the responsive policy, P_o, into steady state traffic assignment is presented. Then it is shown that natural stability results follow within a dynamical version of this static equilibrium model (still with a constant demand). We are able to obtain similar stability results when queues are explicitly allowed for, provided demand is constant. Finally we allow demand to vary with time; we consider the dynamic assignment problem with signal-settings now fixed. Here we assume that vehicles are very short and that deterministic queueing theory applies, and show that the time-dependent queueing delay at the bottleneck at the end of a link is a monotone function of the time-dependent input profile to the bottleneck. We have been unable to obtain results when dynamic demand and responsive signal control are combined.     

Transport reviews prize

Bombay, the commercial capital of India, is suffering from traffic thrombosis. Bombay used to be an attractive city some three decades ago and was commonly referred to as ‘Bombay the Beautiful’. The picture is now, however, the opposite extreme.

The way Bombay has grown, an underground railway is no doubt justified. Unfortunately, the economy may not be able to afford it for many years to come. Low cost measures have therefore to be adopted like (a) development of land use with a view to controlling the traffic demand itself; (b) discouraging further growth in and around the existing congested central business district; (c) establishment of a counter‐magnet; (d) conversion of the mono‐centric pattern to a poly‐nucleated structure; (e) better pedestrian facilities; (f) intermediate public transport; (g) traffic management measures to maximize available road capacities; (h) bus priority measures; (i) creating an east‐west axis for activities to relieve the present north‐south axis.

This would form the core of transport strategy. Capital intensive rail projects will face severe shortage of funds. An additional road/rail link has also been suggested to the mainland. The congestion in Bombay can be relieved if the master plan is prepared for an integrated system. Traffic and town planning must go hand in hand with priority to traffic planning.