Improvement of Public Transport Routes with ArcGIS Network Analyst. Case Study: Urban Center of Milagro, Ecuador

Abstract

Public transport plays an important role in big cities. Taking into account that the population is constantly increasing, it is important to analyze this issue and make decisions based on the optimization of routes and the improvement of the public transport service. At present, from the perspective of travelers there are many alternatives (modes of transport) to move within a city. The choice of mode can be based on many criteria, such as: costs, comfort, distance, travel times, security, among others. Around this issue, many cities opt for development plans that include efficient public transport strategies, with low environmental impacts and that are attractive to users. In this context, this article aims to address an analysis methodology to improve public transport routes and propose alternatives that improve their performance. The study is developed for urban transport routes in the urban area of the city of Milagro in Ecuador. As a computer tool, the ArcGIS Network Analyst is used to enhance the decision-making process in the selection of transport routes.