Bus Trip Optimization at Directional Level in GIS

Abstract

Public transport plays a significant role in large Chinese cities. Due to the large population, Chinese cities have to rely on efficient bus system to release the transportation pressure. At present, the complicated bus transit system is characterized by heavily overlapping bus routes, distributed bus stops as well as the low efficiency of the bus system operation. The main objective of this research is to obtain comprehensive optimal bus trip plans. Based on the bus route network model at the directional level, this research develops an improved methodology to generate optimal transit routes. Based on the impedance of travel time, this method incorporates transfer delay into the algorithm and gradually updates the bus route network attributes to realize the loop optimization. Bus trip optimization is a significant component in urban public transport planning. Particularly, the problem of bus transfer needs to be emphasized in order to provide sound trip guidance. This research uses the detailed directional data to explicitly present the bus network features. In this way, the optimization procedure may generate more accurate results to meet the requirements in complicated transport situations. Firstly, the research explores and investigates the advantages of the multi-tier transit data model. For the effective guidance, the detailed directional level of bus route network features is incorporated into the bus transit database. With the availability of the directional stops, it is possible to model the walking links between the stops. These walking paths are prominent in transfer situation, yet failed to be considered in existing bus trip optimizing methods. This representation serves two purposes: one is to form the elements of the directional network so as to facilitate optimal route computation; the other is to give detail spatial transfer instructions in trip guidance. Next, the improved algorithm introduced in this research aims at getting the multiple optimal routes. The bus trip optimization based on travel time impedance designed to be carried out with a looped procedure. Because general shortest path algorithm can only produce one solution each time, for the purpose to acquire alternative routes, essential changes are made on the network attribute. Finally, experiments are made based on the prototype developed with ArcGIS Engine. Considering passengers’ travel psychology, the multiple optimal routes generated by the prototype have the least travel time and minimal transfer times. The results indicate this prototype may provide the attractive and efficient alternative routes for travellers. It therefore has recommended improving the quality of data source; integrating methods of determining trip impedance; combining the spatial data level for network feature presentation, and the application in transit assignment.

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