Methods of Selection of Transport Interchange Hubs Location Based on Optimization Mathematical Model

Abstract

The article discusses development of a system of transport and interchange hubs (TIH). The need to create TIHs is due to an opportunity to increase efficiency of passenger flows in the urban public transport system, to reduce travel time for passengers, to ensure comfortable and safe conditions for transfer, and to improve quality of service to the population. The objective of the research is to develop methods that allow solving the problem of optimal selection of TIH locations in any city according to the economic criterion and the criterion of the average travel time using the methods of mathematical modelling. The technique comprises search for optimal travel routes in the city and identification of effective interchange hubs using the developed software product called «Efficient transfers». Efficient transfer hubs with maximum passenger traffic are candidates for TIH locations. The work describes calculations made according the proposed methods and optimal options for location of this in the city of Samara considering limited funds, reduction in travel time and in the number of passengers using these TIHs. The research also resulted in obtaining the dependence of reduction in the average time of an urban trip on the number of TIHs.