CBVC-B: A System for Synchronizing Public-transport Transfers Using Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication

Abstract

This work proposes a communication-based vehicle control system for buses (CBVC-B) to synchronize passenger transfers in public-transport (PT) networks. The CBCV-B, using vehicle-to-vehicle communication, enables PT drivers to share their vehicle location, speed, direction, and passenger information with their peers within the same communication group. The main purpose of the CBVC-B is to increase the actual occurrence of planned direct-passenger transfers by the use of certain dynamic control tactics in real-time operation. A detail description of the CBVC-B is illustrated in this work including its main components and main features. The sequential decision-making process of the real-time deployment of operational control tactics in the CBVC-B is formulated as a finite-horizon Markov decision process model. The potential benefits of the proposed CBVC-B are also discussed from the perspectives of both the PT users and the PT operator. It is formulated as a bi-objective optimization problem. The Pareto optimal solutions can be displayed for the PT operators so as to serve as a basis for their decision-making process when selecting operational control tactics.