Study on some bus transport networks in China with considering spatial characteristics

Abstract

Many real-world networks are embedded in spaces. Recent studies have found that spatial characteristics are closely related to network features. Bus transport networks (BTNs) are typical spatially embedded networks, but their spatial characteristics are commonly disregarded in previous researches. In this paper, we propose a new spatial representation model for BTNs with information on the geographical location of bus stations and routes, for which we named as the ES model. The new model aids in the study of real-world BTNs. By performing a statistical study with the new representation model on three typical BTNs in China, namely the Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou BTNs, we identify some network features that are consistent with those revealed by previous studies, as well as some new features such as high clustering of short-distance station pairs (SSPs) and small average number of bus routes in a path. The result shows that the existence of SSPs can significantly influence the characteristics of BTNs. Besides, with the help of the ES model, we designed a new transfer algorithm for BTNs.