Validating and improving public transport origin–destination estimation algorithm using smart card fare data

Smart card data are increasingly used for transit network planning, passengers’ behaviour analysis and network demand forecasting. Public transport origin–destination (O–D) estimation is a significant product of processing smart card data. In recent years, various O–D estimation methods using the trip-chaining approach have attracted much attention from both researchers and practitioners. However, the validity of these estimation methods has not been extensively investigated. This is mainly because these datasets usually lack data about passengers’ alighting, as passengers are often required to tap their smart cards only when boarding a public transport service. Thus, this paper has two main objectives. First, the paper reports on the implementation and validation of the existing O–D estimation method using the unique smart card dataset of the South-East Queensland public transport network which includes data on both boarding stops and alighting stops. Second, the paper improves the O–D estimation algorithm and empirically examines these improvements, relying on this unique dataset. The evaluation of the last destination assumption of the trip-chaining method shows a significant negative impact on the matching results of the differences between actual boarding/alighting times and the public transport schedules. The proposed changes to the algorithm improve the average distance between the actual and estimated alighting stops, as this distance is reduced from 806 m using the original algorithm to 530 m after applying the suggested improvements.     

Happy or liberal? Making sense of behavior in transport policy design

Appropriate microeconomic foundations of mobility are decisive for successful policy design in transportation and, in particular, for the challenge of climate change mitigation. Recent research suggests that behavior in transportation cannot be adequately represented by the standard approach of revealed preferences. Moreover, mobility choices are influenced by factors widely regarded as normatively irrelevant. Here we draw on insights from behavioral economics, psychology and welfare theory to examine how transport users make mobility decisions and when it is desirable to modify them through policy interventions. First, we explore systematically which preferences, heuristics and decision processes are relevant for mobility-specific behavior, such as mode choice. We highlight the influence of infrastructure on the formation of travel preferences. Second, we argue that the behavioral account of decision-making requires policy-makers to take a position on whether transport policies should be justified by appealing to preference satisfaction or to raising subjective well-being. This distinction matters because of the (i) influence of infrastructure on preference formation, (ii) health benefits from non-motorized mobility, (iii) negative impact of commuting on happiness and (iv) status-seeking behavior of individuals. The orthodox approach of only internalizing externalities is insufficient because it does not allow for the evaluation of these effects. Instead, our analysis suggests that transport demand modeling should consider behavioral effects explicitly.     

Technical and environmental effects of biodiesel use in local public transport

Biodiesel use in local public transport could be especially significant in improving air quality in cities. The purpose of the experiments described in this paper was to evaluate the various (10, 20 and 50%) blends of biodiesel with diesel in the context of the engine and pollution aspects. As regards the experimental use of these findings on municipal buses, these experiments were the first reference in Hungary. The ages (15–20 years) and types of buses (Ikarus-280, Ikarus-260) used in the experiments are still common vehicles in Hungarian public transport. During our measurements, there was a significant difference between the change in fuel consumption of articulated and solo buses in traffic when compared to test bench measurements. The proportion of the engine performance reduction is nearly the same as that for biodiesel share in the blends. Most pollutants were decreasing (both at idle and full rpm), but this reduction is not directly proportional to the increase of the blending percentage. However, as for CO₂, emission increase was observed in the case of idle rpm in comparison to normal diesel operation, even though this phenomenon was not due to biodiesel use, but the catalytic converter and the fact that biodiesel was used for the first time in the engine concerned.     

呼和浩特市优先发展城市公共交通探讨

通过对呼和浩特市城市公共交通现状的分析,指出呼和浩特市公共交通存在的问题,进一步说明保证呼和浩特市公共交通优先发展在缓减交通压力、提高城市公共客运效益、环境保护方面的重要意义,同时提出呼和浩特市优先发展公共交通应采取的措施.     

The effects of planned and unplanned transfers on public transport users' perception of transfer routes

Many authorities are investing in new infrastructure to improve the quality of public transport (PT) services in the hope to increase mode switch from cars. The goal is to provide users with an integrated multimodal PT network by facilitating transfers. There exists a lack in the clarity of the attributes which defines a planned transfer and the effects of planned transfers on users' willingness to use routes with transfers. The present study provides approximate effects of ‘planned’ and ‘unplanned’ transfers on PT users' decisions to use transfer routes. The study focuses on two attributes of ‘planned’ transfers, integrated physical connection of transfers and information integration. A user preference survey was undertaken in Auckland, New Zealand. Analysis of the results shows that physical integration is more important than information integration for current PT users. Results also suggest that information integration has a greater influence on users of transfer services which are more closely aligned to being ‘unplanned’.     

基于系统集成理论的城市道路景观设计

在我国城市道路景观实践过程中,由于建造时序的不同,城市道路的“景观破碎、缺乏集成”和“豪华奢侈、脱离实际”,不利于城市系统的和谐发展。鉴于此,本文在深入分析城市道路景观建设目标的基础上,独辟蹊径从系统范畴的角度探讨了一种“集成”的道路景观设计理念,为城市道路景观的建设提供了一个新的思路。     

昆明市“月月无车日活动”及公众调查分析

调查了解公众对无车日活动常态化这一公共政策的反应,能够为城市交通政策的制定提供一定的技术参考。介绍了昆明市城市交通概况及首个无车日活动成效,同时,对“月月无车日活动”做了概述,在总结前几次活动经验的基础上,给出了活动的进一步调整方案。通过对无车日活动公众调查问卷的数据分析,得出大多数公众对“月月无车日活动”的态度是理解和支持的;在无车日当天,私人小汽车拥有者选择公共交通作为替代小汽车出行方式的比例最高。另外,大力发展公共交通也被受访者认为是解决城市交通拥堵应当首选的措施。     

新加坡公共交通发展经验及启示

通过实际考察和走访咨询,系统地总结了新加坡的公共交通发展经验。首先介绍了新加坡对小汽车和公共交通发展采取的＂推、拉策略＂,以及新加坡公共交通的发展历程。在此基础上,对新加坡公共交通发展的成功经验进行了归纳和总结,包括管理机制、公共交通设施建设、公共交通运营系统、政策法规等方面的内容。结合我国城市交通发展的现状和特点,对城市公共交通的发展提出了措施和建议。     

城市轨道交通客运服务标准编制研究

城市轨道交通客运服务标准应主要针对乘客的需求而制定,是当前需要优先制定的服务业标准之一。通过对城市轨道交通客运服务及特性进行分析,结合国际相关服务标准以及我国现行的服务标准及标准化模式,提出了“以人为本”、系统性和与国际接轨的标准编制原则。乘客乘车是一个按时间顺序的活动过程,沿乘客乘车时间次序展开服务次序,是标准编制的重要技术方法。确定城市轨道交通客运服务内容是城市轨道交通客运服务标准编制的一项主要任务。在借鉴国外先进服务标准理念的基础上,通过轨道交通客运服务质量和从乘客实际需求出发来规范服务内容。最后,对乘客相应权益的规定做了说明。     

超级电容渡船——城市内河交通新构想

提出了一种将超级电容与渡船相结合的构想,通过对超级电容的特性和渡船航行特点的介绍,诠释了超级电容渡船的内涵,并在这个基础上对其可行性及实用性进行了分析,具有一定的参考价值。