Understanding the mobility of public transport systems based on weighted multiplex networks

Abstract

The structure and properties of urban public transport networks are important for understanding the mobility of public transport systems. However, most studies have ignored the impact of shared mobility and lacked the support of large-scale empirical data when exploring the mobility of urban public transport networks. Using multi-mode travel data, this study constructs a three-layer multiplex network and assigns weights to reflect the transport capacity of different modes (bus, metro, and shared bike) based on ridership and travel distances. The case study was conducted on the public transport system of Shenzhen, China. The results show that the degree distribution and edge weight distribution of the multiplex network exhibit distinct scale-free characteristics. The effect of the multiplex network model on single-layer networks suggests that cooperation between networks significantly improves the capacity and efficiency of urban public transport systems. Regression analysis reveals the effects of the urban population and land use on the demand for public transport services. The results show an intrinsic association between the public transport system and urban land use, which will facilitate the prediction of public transport demand and serve the sustainable development of cities.