Assessing the benefits of integrated en-route transit information systems and time-varying transit pricing systems in a congested transit network

Abstract

This paper proposes a model for assessing the effects of the integrated implementation of en-route transit information systems (ETIS) and time-varying transit pricing systems (TTPS). The proposed model reveals the interaction between ETIS and TTPS, and the potential benefit of the joint implementation. There are two classes of passengers: those equipped and those unequipped with ETIS. It is assumed that unequipped passengers make their travel choices according to stochastic dynamic user optimal principles, with equipped passengers having a lower perception variation of travel cost due to the availability of better information. A bi-level program is formulated to model the integrated effects on passengers’ departure time choice behavior, route choice behavior, transit network performance, and transit operators’ revenue. The lower level is a multi-class stochastic dynamic transit assignment model. The combined system total cost and operators’ benefits under varied transit conditions are investigated with a numerical example.