An optimization-based speed-control method for high frequency buses serving curbside stops

Authors

Bomin Bian
Ning Zhu
Michael Pinedo
Shoufeng Ma
Qinxiao Yu

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2020

Subject Area

mode - bus, technology - intelligent transport systems, operations - frequency, planning - methods

Keywords

Bus bunching, Real-time control, Cruising speed control, Curbside bus stop, Bus queueing

Abstract

In this paper, an optimization-based speed-control method is proposed to alleviate the adverse effects of bus bunching. This method specifically focuses on one-way line transit corridors with curbside stops and high frequency buses. In such public transit corridors, holding buses at stops may not be suitable for implementation. Instead of holding, we choose to control bus cruising speeds between stops. The relationship between holding and speed-control is discussed. A conventional holding model M0" style="border: 0px none currentcolor; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; float: none; font-size: 16.2px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; max-height: none; max-width: none; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: normal; padding: 0px; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; word-spacing: normal;">M0 as well as a model M1" style="border: 0px none currentcolor; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; float: none; font-size: 16.2px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; max-height: none; max-width: none; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: normal; padding: 0px; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; word-spacing: normal;">M1, that determines travel times between stops, are considered. In order to make control decisions easy to understand as well as to follow, an improved speed-control model M2" style="border: 0px none currentcolor; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; float: none; font-size: 16.2px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; max-height: none; max-width: none; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: normal; padding: 0px; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; word-spacing: normal;">M2 is also proposed. All the models allow for control decisions based on the real-time state of the entire system. The three models are programmed in a rolling horizon scheme within a simulation system. Simulation experiments are conducted to examine these models in different scenarios associated with different levels of traffic randomness. The corresponding results show that, when the traffic is highly variable, the speed-control method can reduce average passenger waiting time by more than 23%" style="border: 0px none currentcolor; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; float: none; font-size: 16.2px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; max-height: none; max-width: none; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: normal; padding: 0px; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; word-spacing: normal;">23% while the holding method results in an average passenger waiting time that is almost 2 min longer than when using the speed-control method. So the speed-control model is shown to be more suitable for implementation in practice. Four strategies that can generate more driver-friendly control decisions are further proposed and tested. The practical applications of the proposed speed-control models are discussed.

Rights

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

Comments

Transportation Research Part C Home Page:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0968090X

Recommended Citation

Bian, B., Zhu, N., Pinedo, M., Ma, S., & Yu, Q. (2020). An optimization-based speed-control method for high frequency buses serving curbside stops. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, Vol. 121, 102860.