Using Microsimulation to Estimate Effects of Boarding Conditions on Bus Dwell Time and Schedule Adherence for Passengers with Mobility Limitations
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume 146, Issue 6
Abstract
Both bus dwell time and bus headway adherence are critical to the serviceability of the bus transit system. It is acknowledged that passengers with physical disabilities may greatly impact bus dwell time and bus headway adherence due to the increased time needed to safely board the bus. However, the mitigating effects of securement systems and ramp features on bus dwell time and bus schedule adherence have not yet been examined in the literature. This study investigates the impacts of the combination of bus boarding conditions and passengers who used wheeled mobility devices on bus dwell time and headway adherence. The results indicate that bus dwell time drops by 30% for the most supportive boarding conditions. Results also demonstrated that the deviations of bus headways from the scheduled headways regarding the most favorable conditions were much smaller than the traditional design of the buses under the light traffic condition. There is a 47% reduction in headway adherence coefficient under the light traffic condition with favorable ramp slopes, interior bus configuration, and securement conditions.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request, such as the VISSIM model. Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are proprietary or confidential in nature and may only be provided with restrictions, such as lab experiment data collected in the IDeA center of the University of Buffalo.
Acknowledgments
Dr. Jordana Maisel, Dr. Brittany Perez, and Ms. Ji Min Choi of The University at Buffalo Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access (IDeA) Center provided information about the transit vehicle boarding and disembarking performance of those with mobility impairments needed for our research. The data provided was developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR Grant No. 90RE5011-01-00). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this research do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume 146 • Issue 6 • June 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 7, 2019
Accepted: Dec 11, 2019
Published online: Apr 13, 2020
Published in print: Jun 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Sep 13, 2020
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