A game theory model of urban public traffic networks

Abstract

We have studied urban public traffic networks from the viewpoint of complex networks and game theory. Firstly, we have empirically investigated an urban public traffic network in Beijing in 2003, and obtained its statistical properties. Then a simplified game theory model is proposed for simulating the evolution of the traffic network. The basic idea is that three network manipulators, passengers, an urban public traffic company, and a government traffic management agency, play games in a network evolution process. Each manipulator tries to build the traffic lines to magnify its “benefit”. Simulation results show a good qualitative agreement with the empirical results.