Schedule Coordination in a Multiple Hub Transit Network
Publication: Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 131, Issue 2
Abstract
The timed transfer concept, which seeks to schedule vehicles from various routes to arrive at some transfer stations simultaneously (or nearly so), can significantly improve service quality in transit networks. It has been implemented in some cities but with insufficient efforts to optimize coordination among connecting routes. Our problem is to optimize the headways and slack times jointly for timed transfers to minimize the total costs of operating a multiple-hub transit network. In this paper, a heuristic algorithm is used to optimize the headways and slack times for all coordinated routes. Here, headways are integer multiples of a base cycle to ensure that vehicles on different routes can operate in phase and arrive nearly simultaneously at transfer stations. The results show that as demand decreases, optimized headways increase and the net benefits of coordinated operation also increase. For routes with significantly different demand or route length, coordination with integer-ratio headways is preferable to a single common headway. The sensitivity of the transit service characteristics to various demand and cost parameters is discussed. The results also show that the optimized slack times for routes vary with such variables as headways, vehicle arrival-time variance, transfer volumes, and passenger time values. For routes with high standard deviations of arrivals, it is not worth attempting schedule coordination.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Abkowitz, M., Josef, R., Tozzi, J., and Driscoll, M. K. (1987). “Operational feasibility of timed transfer in transit systems.” J. Transp. Eng., 113(2), 168–177.
Adamski, A. (1995). “Transfer optimization in public transport.” Computer-Aided Transit Scheduling, Springer Lecture Notes in Economics and Mathematical Systems, 430, 23–38.
Amar, G. (1996). “The optimisation of layover times for buses at termini.” UITP Revue, 35–36.
Andréasson, I. (1977). “Volvo approach to computer-aided transportation planning.” Transportation Research Record, 657, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 9–14.
Bakker, J. J., Calkin, J., and Sylvester, S. (1988). “A multi-centered timed transfer system for Capital Metro, Austin, TX. U.S.A.” Transportation Research Record, 1202, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 22–28.
Becker, J., and Bakker, J. J. (1993). “The design of timed transfer networks.” Operational and Service Planning Symposium, Washington, D.C., December 8–10.
Bookbinder, J. H., and Desilets, A. (1992). “Transfer optimization in a transit network.” Transp. Sci., 26(2), 106–118.
Ceder, A., Golany, B., and Tal, O. (2001). “Creating bus timetables with maximal synchronization.” Transp. Res., Part A: Policy Pract., 35(10), 913–928.
Chakroborty, P., Deb, K., and Subrahmanyam, P. S. (1995). “Optimal scheduling of urban transit systems using genetic algorithms.” J. Transp. Eng., 121(6), 544–553.
Chien, I. J. (1995). “Optimization of coordinated intermodal transit networks.” PhD dissertation, Civil Engineering Dept., Univ. of Maryland, College Park, Md.
Chien, S. I. J., and Schonfeld, P. (1998). “Joint optimization of a rail transit line and its feeder bus system.” J. Adv. Transp., 32(3), 253–284.
Chira-Chavala, T., Gillen, D., Klieman, L., and Marshall, A. (1999). “Bus operations in Santa Clara County, potential uses of AVL, and framework for evaluating control strategies.” California PATH Research Rept. UCB-ITS-PRR-99-25, Institute of Transportation Studies, Univ. of California, Berkeley.
Daganzo, C. F. (1990). “On the coordination of inbound and outbound schedules at transportation terminal.” 11th Int. Sym. Theory of Traffic Flow and Transportation, M. Koshi, ed., Yokohama, Japan, 379–390.
Desilets, A., and Rousseau, J. M. (1990). “SYNCRO: A computer-assisted tool for synchronization of transfers in public transit networks.” Computer-Aided Transit Scheduling, M. Desrochers and J. M. Rousseau, eds., Springer, Berlin, 153–166.
Hall, R. W. (1985). “Vehicle scheduling at a transportation terminal with random delay en route.” Transp. Sci., 19(3), 308–320.
Jansson, J. O. (1980). “A simple bus line model for optimization of service frequency and bus size.” J. Transp. Econ. Policy, 14(1), 53–80.
Jolliffe, J. K., and Hutchinson, T. P. (1975). “A behavioral explanation of the association between bus and passenger arrivals at a bus stop.” Transp. Sci., 9, 248–282.
Keudel, W. (1988). “Computer-aided line network design (DIANA) and minimization of transfer times in network (FABIAN).” Lecture notes in economics and mathematical systems 308: Computer-aided transit scheduling, Springer-Verlag, New York, 315–326.
Klemt, W. D., and Stemme, W. (1988). “Schedule synchronization in public transit networks.” Lecture notes in economics and mathematical systems 308: Computer-aided transit scheduling, Springer-Verlag, New York, 327–335.
Knoppers, P., and Muller, T. (1995). “Optimized transfer opportunities in public transport.” Transp. Sci., 29(1), 101–105.
Lee, K. T. (1993). “Optimization of timed transfer in transit terminals.” PhD dissertation, Civil Engineering Dept., Univ. of Maryland, College Park, Md.
Lee, K. T., and Schonfeld, P. (1991). “Optimal slack time for timed transfers at a transit terminal.” J. Adv. Transp., 25(3), 281–308.
Lu, B. (1990). “A study of bus route coordination.” MS thesis, Civil Engineering Dept., Univ. of Maryland, College Park, Md.
Osuna, E. E., and Newell, G. F. (1972). “Control strategies for an idealized public transportation system.” Transp. Sci., 6(1), 52–72.
Pattnaik, S. B., Mohan, S., and Tom, V. M. (1998). “Urban bus transit route network design using genetic algorithm.” J. Transp. Eng., 124(4), 368–375.
Rapp, M. H., and Gehner, C. D. (1976). “Transfer optimization in an interactive graphic system for transit planning.” Transportation Research Record, 619, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 27–33.
Systan, Inc. (1983). “Timed transfer: An evaluation of its structure, performance and cost.” Rep. No. UMTA-MA-06-0049083-6, Urban Mass Transportation Administration, Washington, D.C.
Ting, C. J. (1997). “Transfer coordination in transit networks.” PhD dissertation, Civil Engineering Dept., Univ. of Maryland, College Park, Md.
Voß, S. (1992). “Network design formulation in schedule synchronization.” Computer-Aided Transit Scheduling, M. Desrochers and J. M. Rousseau eds., Springer, Berlin, 137–152.
Vuchic, V. R., Clarke, J., and Molinero, A. (1983). “Timed transfer system planning, design, and operation.” Urban Mass Transportation Administration, Dept. of Transportation, Washington, D.C., DOT-I-83-28.
Welding, P. I. (1957). “The instability of a close interval service.” Oper. Res. Q., 8, 133–148.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 131 • Issue 2 • June 2005
Pages: 112 - 124
Copyright
© 2005 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 27, 2003
Accepted: Oct 21, 2004
Published online: Jun 1, 2005
Published in print: Jun 2005
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.