Identifying the Spatiotemporal Metro-to-Bus Transfer Deserts in Shanghai, China

Abstract

In the majority of metropolitan areas in China, the ground-level bus is the dominating feeder mode for metro systems. For enhancing the intermodal integration, it is necessary to evaluate the transfer accessibility between metro and bus considering the spatiotemporal dimensions with finer resolution. This study developed a methodology to identify the metro-to-bus transfer desert by considering the spatiotemporal dynamics on both service supply and passenger demand based on smart card data and automatic vehicle location data. In order to provide a more accurate and detailed depiction of results and stronger policy implications, this research aggregates to a higher spatial resolution (i.e., metro stops), instead of utilizing census tracts or administrative zones used in available research. The proposed methodology was implemented in the case study of the metropolitan area of Shanghai. Our empirical analysis highlights transfer service deficiency existing across the metropolitan area of Shanghai throughout the day, and varies both on spatially and temporally. Peak hours are characterized by better transfer accessibility levels on average but worse performances on metro stops with high transfer volume compared with off-peak hours. Because the developed methodology makes use of widely available input data, policymakers and transit agencies could replicate such gap analysis of local transit services in other contexts around the world.