Analyzing urban bus service reliability at the stop, route, and network levels

Improving the reliability of bus service has the potential to increase the attractiveness of public transit to current and prospective riders. An understanding of service reliability is necessary to develop strategies that help transit agencies provide better services. However, few studies have been conducted analyzing bus reliability in the metropolis of China. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of service reliability based on bus operational characteristics in Beijing. Three performance parameters, punctuality index based on routes (PIR), deviation index based on stops (DIS), and evenness index based on stops (EIS), are proposed for the evaluation of bus service reliability. Reliability involves routes, stops, punctuality, deviation, and evenness. The relationship among the three parameters is discussed using a numerical example. Subsequently, through a sampling survey of bus lines in Beijing, service reliability at the stop, route, and network levels are estimated. The effects of route length, headway, the distance from the stop to the origin terminal, and the use of exclusive bus lanes are also analyzed. The results indicate low service reliability for buses in Beijing and a high correlation between service reliability and route length, headway, distance from the stop to the origin terminal, and the provision of exclusive bus lanes.     

Understanding the impacts of a combination of service improvement strategies on bus running time and passenger’s perception

Transit agencies implement many strategies in order to provide an attractive transportation service. This article aims to evaluate the impacts of implementing a combination of strategies, designed to improve the bus transit service, on running time and passenger satisfaction. These strategies include using smart card fare collection, introducing limited-stop bus service, implementing reserved bus lanes, using articulated buses, and implementing transit signal priority (TSP). This study uses stop-level data collected from the Société de transport de Montréal (STM)’s automatic vehicle location (AVL) and automatic passenger count (APC) systems, in Montréal, Canada. The combination of these strategies has lead to a 10.5% decline in running time along the limited stop service compared to the regular service. The regular route running time has increased by 1% on average compared to the initial time period. The study also shows that riders are generally satisfied with the service improvements. They tend to overestimate the savings associated with the implementation of this combination of strategies by 3.5-6.0 min and by 2.5-4.1 min for both the regular route and the limited stop service, respectively. This study helps transit planners and policy makers to better understand the effects of implementing a combination of strategies to improve running time and passenger’s perception of these changes in service.     

The “field of safe travel” revisited: interpreting driving behaviour performance through a holistic approach

The present paper proposes a conceptual framework for the driver’s visual–spatial perceptual processes. Based on a theoretical analysis of driving proposed by Gibson and Crooks [(1938). A theoretical field-analysis of automobile-driving. The American Journal of Psychology, 51, 453–471. doi:10.2307/1416145], the developed field of safe travel (FoST) framework suggests that at any moment the driver constructs a “field” by integrating two perceptual entities: (i) the possible available spatial fields for locomotion and (ii) the driver’s mental image of ego-vehicle outer-line and motion dynamics. This framework is used to reinterpret in a unified way a number of disparate research findings reported in the literature concerning specific driving sub-tasks (e.g. lane keeping and car following). It is argued that the FoST framework may be used to predict drivers’ behaviour in various traffic/situation environments based on their prioritisation between the above two perceptual entities. Implications of the proposed framework at a theoretical and practical level, in view of the future of driving with multiple levels of automation, are also discussed.     

城市快速路匝道最小间距模型

匝道间距是路线设计中的重要内容,对交通流有决定性的影响。根据城市快速匝道的特点,应用驾驶员行为理论,模拟了驾驶员城市快速匝道上的驾驶行为。认为匝道间距是影响城市快速路主线运行状况的关键因素。为了合理确定匝道最小间距,必须确定匝道组合模式和计算匝道加减速车道长度,并计算出车流从匝道汇入主线后,由于车流变道而形成交织车流长度。由此建立了不同匝道组合模式下的匝道最小间距模型。应用实例表明。当匝道间距不能满足最小间距时,车速降低,服务水平下降。     

安徽省ETC收费车道改造工程实践

随着安徽省高速公路网络化步伐加快和高速公路电子不停车收费工作的快速发展,用户对高速公路服务水平的要求逐渐提高。结合ETC工程改造的实践,阐述了系统功能、设备选型及车道布局等方面的关键技术。     

路侧公交专用车道模式下右转交织长度建模

在设置路侧公交专用道的交叉口处,可通过划定交织区的方式允许右转车辆借用一定长度的公交专用道通行.合理规划公交车与右转车的交织区长度有利于提高借道右转的通行效率,减少在交织区前的排队车辆数从而降低道路混乱程度,保障公交车的专用路权.本文分析了公交站点影响下的公交车车头时距分布,建立了右转车穿越交织区长度计算模型,并结合实际调查数据进行了算例分析和模型验证.研究成果可为公交优先条件下的交叉口空间优化设计提供理论参考.     

一条专用车道双向运营BRT/轻轨的可行性

为有效满足BRT或轻轨系统的运行需求,提出在带有固定左转车道的繁忙通勤走廊中央设置一条BRT或轻轨专用车道用于双向运营的概念。由此产生了车辆相交问题,其相交空间设置于由左转车道产生的未利用或未被充分利用的道路中央隔离带。提供了公交车站和相交空间的概念设计可选方案和几何布局示意图,并考虑运行速度、发车间隔、相邻相交空间的距离及相交空间数量等条件,分析系统性能。为确保具有实用性,研究了系统在现有交通走廊上的可实施性。由于该系统具有利于TOD发展的潜力,也可作为未来发展两条专用车道系统的中间步骤。     

对铁岭市银州路和广裕街交叉口改建工程的评价

重点从平面交叉口工程设计、交通安全设施、壮观和谐等三个方面对铁岭市银州路和广裕街平面交叉口工程进行评价。     

城市公交站交通冲突分析及对策

公交站是城市公交系统的重要组成部分,客流通过在公交站点上下车的方式实现了公交系统的日常运营.但在公交站往往因其在有限空间内集聚大量人流与车流产生交通冲突,对城市交通的顺畅及通达产生消极影响.本文分析了城市公交站主要交通冲突影响因素及其冲突成因,并针对一般停靠和港湾式停靠方式产生的交通冲途性提出了解决问题的对策与方法.     

User perspectives in public transport timetable optimisation

The present paper deals with timetable optimisation from the perspective of minimising the waiting time experienced by passengers when transferring either to or from a bus. Due to its inherent complexity, this bi-level minimisation problem is extremely difficult to solve mathematically, since timetable optimisation is a non-linear non-convex mixed integer problem, with passenger flows defined by the route choice model, whereas the route choice model is a non-linear non-continuous mapping of the timetable. Therefore, a heuristic solution approach is developed in this paper, based on the idea of varying and optimising the offset of the bus lines. Varying the offset for a bus line impacts the waiting time passengers experience at any transfer stop on the bus line.In the bi-level timetable optimisation problem, the lower level is a transit assignment calculation yielding passengers’ route choice. This is used as weight when minimising waiting time by applying a Tabu Search algorithm to adapt the offset values for bus lines. The updated timetable then serves as input in the following transit assignment calculation. The process continues until convergence.The heuristic solution approach was applied on the large-scale public transport network in Denmark. The timetable optimisation approach yielded a yearly reduction in weighted waiting time equivalent to approximately 45 million Danish kroner (9 million USD).