Optimization of Bus Bridging Strategy for Two Bus Types during Planned Metro Disruptions
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume 150, Issue 11
Abstract
When planned metro disruptions occur, the connectivity of the metro network is severely reduced, impacting the travel of a large number of commuters. The duration of planned metro disruptions varies from a few days to several weeks. To ensure the quality of public transportation services during this period, we propose a bus bridging strategy to address the travel issues of disrupted passengers. This paper introduces a mathematical model for the timetable and bus scheduling of bus bridging when a section of a metro line is planned for disruption, considering two types of buses. In this model, regular buses transfer disrupted passengers whose original destinations are on the disrupted metro section, whereas shuttle buses transfer disrupted passengers whose destinations are on the normal metro line. The model takes into account the impact of metro disruptions on the original passengers of regular buses and aims to minimize passenger transfer waiting time and congestion disutility. The model is solved using a commercial solver and is validated with the case study of Beijing Bus No. 16 and a hypothetical metro line. The results demonstrate that metro disruptions have a significant negative impact on the transfer waiting time and congestion disutility of regular buses. However, the timetable generated by the model effectively mitigates this impact. Additionally, the shuttle bus scheduling solutions generated by the model are not unique, and a specific schedule can be determined based on the shuttle bus costs and service quality. Both the crowding threshold of buses and the maximum number of pickups can reduce the congestion disutility of shuttle buses, but the impact of the crowding threshold is more significant.
Practical Applications
This study introduces a model to manage the evacuation of metro commuters during planned service disruptions, such as maintenance closures, announced in advance with a set disruption plan and duration. The model employs a coordinated strategy involving both regular buses and dedicated shuttle buses to evacuate affected passengers efficiently while minimizing disruptions to regular bus passengers. Case study results demonstrate that, although metro disruptions significantly impact regular bus passengers, the optimized timetable developed by the model can alleviate these effects. Passenger waiting time and congestion disutility are developed as key performance indicators. Future applications of this model extend beyond metro disruptions to encompass a wide range of urban transit challenges. For instance, the model can be adapted to manage passenger flow during major city events, natural disasters, or unexpected infrastructure failures. By providing a flexible and scalable framework, this model can support urban planners and transit authorities in enhancing resilience and efficiency in their public transportation systems, ultimately reducing the impact of transit disruptions on daily life.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This work was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 72171020, 72288101, and 72101013), the Beijing Natural Science Foundation (Grant No. 8234061), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 2023JBRC004).
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© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 22, 2023
Accepted: Jun 4, 2024
Published online: Aug 26, 2024
Published in print: Nov 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jan 26, 2025
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Buses
- Case studies
- Commute
- Engineering fundamentals
- Highway transportation
- Infrastructure
- Mathematical models
- Methodology (by type)
- Models (by type)
- Passengers
- Public transportation
- Rail transportation
- Research methods (by type)
- Subways
- Traffic congestion
- Traffic engineering
- Traffic management
- Transportation engineering
- Vehicles
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