Cost-saving properties of schedule coordination in a simple trunk-and-feeder transit system

Authors

Karthikgeyan Sivakumaran
Yuwei Li
Michael J. Cassidy
Samer Madanat

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2012

Subject Area

operations - coordination, operations - scheduling, economics - operating costs, ridership - growth

Keywords

Transit schedule coordination, Feeder transit

Abstract

The paper explores how the coordination of vehicle schedules in a public transit system affects generalized costs. We consider an idealized system that delivers its users to a common destination by requiring each to transfer from a feeder- to a trunk-line vehicle. Continuum models are used first to analyze cases in which the trunk-line vehicle schedule is given exogenously. We find that when feeder vehicles are dispatched in coordination with this exogenous trunk-line schedule, the reduction in user cost often outweighs the added cost to the feeder operation. In cases when the frequencies of trunk and feeder services can be established jointly, the models show that coordination can be Pareto improving, meaning that operator and user costs both diminish. Conditions that give rise to these cost savings are specified. Practical implications are discussed.

Rights

Permission to publish the abstract has been given by Elsevier, copyright remains with them.

Comments

Transportation Research Part A Home Page:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09658564

Recommended Citation

Sivakumaran, K., Li, Y., Cassidy, M.J., & Madanat S. (2012). Cost-saving properties of schedule coordination in a simple trunk-and-feeder transit system. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice. Vol. 46, (1), pp. 131-139.