Bus Companies Research Articles

Research on charging scheduling optimization of pure electric buses considering peak-valley time-of-use electricity prices and battery loss costs

In recent years, with the accelerated progress of pure electric buses in my country, the charging scheduling and operation plan of pure electric buses urgently needs to be rationalized and scientific. This study takes the charging scheduling operation in the daily operation of pure electric buses as the starting point, and effectively describes the battery loss cost function by analyzing the optimal fluctuation range of the state of charge of the power battery of pure electric buses. Combined with the analysis of the characteristics of peak and valley time-of-use electricity prices during the charging period, the problem is refined into a pure electric bus charging scheduling decision with controllable operation completion, and the parallel machine scheduling theory is used to characterize and solve the mathematical optimization model, with the aim of minimizing the operating cost of bus companies. At the same time, an immune optimization algorithm based on random key encoding and a greedy algorithm based on the idea of avoiding peaks and filling valleys are developed to solve large-scale problems. In addition, the effectiveness of the algorithm and the applicability of the method are verified through the real bus network in Shanghai.

Legal Memorandum on the Legal Protection of Consumers on the Use of Exoneration Clauses by Transportation Services of Rosalia Indah Bus Company in the Case of Theft of Goods Reviewed Based on Consumer Protection Law

This research examines the legal protection for consumers in cases involving the use of exoneration clauses by transportation services, specifically focusing on PO Rosalia Indah's bus service. Exoneration clauses, which limit a company's liability in the event of theft or loss of goods, raise significant concerns regarding consumer rights. This study evaluates whether such clauses comply with Indonesia’s Consumer Protection Law and identifies the legal remedies available to consumers affected by such provisions. The research employs a normative juridical method, analyzing legal texts, including Law No. 8/1999 on Consumer Protection and relevant court rulings, to determine the legality and enforceability of exoneration clauses in transportation agreements. Data were collected through literature reviews of legal documents, journals, and cases related to consumer protection in transportation services. The results indicate that the exoneration clauses used by PO Rosalia Indah violate the principles outlined in the Consumer Protection Law, particularly Article 18, which prohibits businesses from including provisions that reduce consumer rights. It was also found that consumers have the right to pursue compensation through litigation or non-litigation mechanisms, such as the Consumer Dispute Settlement Agency (BPSK). The study concludes with recommendations for enhancing legal frameworks and ensuring that consumer rights are adequately protected in transportation service agreements.

Video-based automatic people counting for public transport: On-bus versus off-bus deployment

Interest in Automatic People Counting (APC) for crowd detection and management is rapidly growing. While a range of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and systems exist, video analytics is emerging as a particularly attractive option — especially for applications where more traditional methods of people counting are not available, unreliable or expensive. In this paper we focus on automatic people counting in the public transport context – specifically, rail replacement bus services – in which bus companies are typically contracted to provide bus services to replace train services during periods of planned and unplanned line disruption. This presents a particularly compelling use-case for video-based people counting, while also presenting unique challenges. Field trials are thus vital to the proper assessment of video-based APC solutions, however remain relatively scarce in the literature. While datasets to support research and benchmarking exist, these do not capture the intrinsic complexities of real-world deployment and the implications of selected configurations — in particular, on-vehicle versus off-vehicle use cases. In this paper, we evaluate our own video-based APC solution, representative of state-of-the-art approaches in the literature, in two separate extensive (i.e, multi-day) metropolitan field trials covering both on and off-bus use-cases. Through real-world deployment of the system in both settings, we highlight key differences with respect to APC accuracy, as well as other practical considerations, and the validity of underlying assumptions in both on and off-bus scenarios.

Planning for Introducing Electric Buses Based on Ecological and Financial Impacts

The transition from fossil fuel-powered buses to electric buses has emerged as a central concern in recent years. Governments worldwide are urging this shift in major urban centers as a strategic response to ecological challenges, particularly issues related to pollution and carbon emissions. The primary impediment to the electrification transition lies in real-world financial constraints. Consequently, comprehending both the ecological benefits and financial intricacies of transitioning bus fleets is paramount.In the initial section of this paper, we formulate a mathematical model to assess the reduction in carbon emissions and pollution resulting from a complete transition of the bus fleet. This model is then applied to the city of Sendai, Japan. By comparing the carbon dioxide and emission gases released by conventional buses with those emitted by electric buses, we can discern the impact of employing electric buses on the urban ecological environment.Moving on to the second section, we present a mathematical model delineating the financial aspects of the transition. We use Sendai as a real-world exemplar for our model. The economic model is categorized into expenditures and revenues. Expenditures encompass the acquisition of electric buses, maintenance costs, and carbon taxes. On the income side, we consider bus fares, revenue from bus advertising, the budget of the bus company, and government subsidies. By subtracting expenditures from revenues, we can ascertain the financial ramifications of transitioning to electric buses.Following the evaluation from both ecological and financial perspectives of the bus fleet's electric transition, a third model is constructed mathematically to address the optimal planning solution for a city aiming to fully electrify its bus fleet within a decade. The objective is to achieve cost-efficiency: to be the most economical while meeting ecological goals. Finally, the cities of Sendai, Kunshan, and Nashville serve as subjects for our model, each providing a tailored solution to the transition planning.

Integrated Optimization of Route and Frequency for Rail Transit Feeder Buses under the Influence of Shared Motorcycles

In this paper, we develop a multi-objective integrated optimization method for feeder buses of rail transit based on realistic considerations. We propose a bus stop selection method that considers the influence of shared motorcycles, which can score the importance of alternative bus stops and select those with the highest scores as objectives. The objective of the model in this paper is to minimize both the travel costs of passengers and the operating costs of the bus company. This is achieved by optimizing feeder bus routes, the frequency of departures, and interchange discounts to enhance the connectivity between feeder buses and rail transit. In addition, to ensure the feasibility of generated routes in the real road network, a genetic algorithm encoded with priority is used to solve this model. We use the Xingyao Road subway station in Kunming as an example, and the results show that the optimization method is effective.

Factors facilitating and hindering the implementation of digital sleep coaching for bus drivers

Improving fatigue management is critical to the occupational safety of professional drivers. We aimed to identify the factors that facilitated or hindered the implementation of digital sleep coaching in bus companies and to explore bus drivers’ experiences with it. Two bus companies implemented coaching for bus drivers. Using a mixed methods design, we collected data through two workshops (n = 30 and n = 27) attended by key personnel from the organisations and through questionnaires to the drivers (n = 30). Implementation was facilitated by, for example, the flexible participation and multichannel information of coaching, and hindered by restrictions on social support due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and lack of interest and inspiring examples. On average, the drivers rated the appropriateness and the feasibility of coaching as good. However, further development could lead to wider dissemination. It would also be important to involve the key people in the organisations and stakeholders more in supporting the implementation.

Identifying city bus passenger ridership patterns: a mixed-method analysis

PurposeThis study uses big data analysis aimed at discovering city bus passenger ridership patterns. Hence, marketing managers can get sufficient insights to formulate effective business plans and make timely decisions about company operations.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a mixed-method analysis to analyze the results. First uses the RFM (recency, frequency, and monetary) model combined with a big data technique (K-means) to analyze bus passenger boarding behavior. In order to improve the validity and quality of the research, this study also conducted interviews with senior managers of the bus company from which the data was obtained.FindingsThe study identifies six distinct groups of passengers with different boarding behaviors, ranging from “general passengers” to “most valuable passengers”. General passengers constituted the largest group. As such, they should be the main target for municipal governments when promoting bus ridership as part of energy conservation and carbon-reduction activities. This group of passengers should be encouraged to take public transport vehicles more, instead of relying on personal vehicles. The fourth group identified included elderly passengers with hospitals as their destinations. Bus companies can cooperate with municipal government to provide morning “medical bus” services for the elderly. Interviews with bus company managers confirmed that the analytical results of this study correspond with the observations, experiences, and actual business operating plans of bus companies.Originality/valueOnly few studies have analyzed passengers' boarding behavior applying a mixed-method analysis.

Stressors for bus commuters and ways of improving bus journeys

Based on the people-environment conceptual framework, this paper measures the level of transport stress experienced by bus commuters and examines its relationship with a wide range of environmental and personal stressors, as well as different stress responses. A total of 28 environmental stressors, 9 personal stressors, 4 time-related stressors and 6 stated stress responses are examined. The data were collected through a large-scale online questionnaire survey among bus commuters of a major franchised bus company in Hong Kong (n = 5,908). A factor analysis and a structural equation model (SEM) are conducted to unveil the interlinkages among bus-related environmental stressors, personal stressors, travel characteristics, perceived transport stress and stated stress responses. Results indicate that bus commuters reported an average stress level of 47.10 out of 100 (SD = 29.50). The average transport stress level is lower than money, work and family stress but higher than relationship stress. Spatially, there are great variations within the city, with notably higher stress levels for some new towns in Northwest New Territories and the central business district during evening commutes. Based on the SEM results, the number of bus transfers (β = 0.05) and travel time (β = 0.06) are strongly associated with transport stress. Poor bus stop environment (β = 0.14), crowding at bus stops and compartments (β = 0.13), hostile attitudes of passengers and drivers (β = 0.08), and unreliable waiting and travel time (β = 0.08) are important environmental stressors. Many of these factors have not been closely examined in previous studies. In relation to health, transport stress is positively associated with negative physical (β = 0.43) and emotional (β = 0.48) responses. Feeling exhausted, irritated and anxiety were the most commonly reported responses to transport stress. To enhance bus commutes, priorities should be given to improving the bus stop environment, reducing crowding throughout the bus journeys, and alleviating road congestion. Overall, the empirical findings from this large-scale study on transport stress can help governments to formulate targeted measures to enhance the quality of public transit services and to support sustainable urban transport.

Surviving at a Falling Transportation Industry with the Help of Emotional Relationship with your Customers

Introduction Public intercity transportation is an example of a rapidly evolving industry. In developing countries, we observe the increasing popularity of airlines, whereas bus lines start to lose their significance. Methods The successive bankruptcy of bus companies, which have made a large amount of investment and provided significant employment, is a case worth examining. This article offers a case study from the Turkish public intercity transportation industry in which a bus company distinguishes itself by becoming a love brand with the relationship it establishes with its customers. The case shows that the emotional relationship established during the ups and downs of sectors have become insurance that protects companies during the downturn. Results To support our argument, we estimated the occupancy rates of bus companies based on characteristics such as ticket price, travel time, existence of catering service, social media interaction, and year of establishment. We found that the significant variables explaining occupancy rates are the companies' founding year and positive social media interaction frequency. Conclusion In an estimation where even the price is not a significant variable at the 0.01 level, the significance of the above-mentioned variables shows that relationship-based dynamics can be important demand determinants in a conventional transportation sector.

Integrated Optimization Study of Electric Bus Fleet Transformation

With the increasing social demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation, the transformation of public transportation systems has become an important issue. In this paper, three mathematical models are developed to synthesize the ecological consequences, financial models and transition scenarios in the transition from diesel to electric bus fleet. In Problem 1, this paper adopts the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method to examine the full life cycle energy consumption of the product. The model comprehensively considers the main raw material production stage, vehicle assembly and distribution stage, vehicle driving stage and vehicle scrapping and dismantling stage, as well as the production stage of all types of energy added to the vehicle driving stage, i.e., the production stage of fuels and electricity, and finally applies Gabi, the life cycle evaluation software developed by PE Germany, to carry out the evaluation of the life cycle energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, the energy-saving potential of pure electric buses reaches 12.69%, and the GHG emission reduction potential reaches 6.05%. The results are applied to the bus fleet in Beijing, and it is calculated that the replacement of the bus fleet with pure electric buses can save 21.87% of energy and bring about a total GHG emission reduction of 60,700 tons. In Problem 2, this paper adopts the research method of life cycle cost (LCC). The model quantifies all the technical, material, human and organizational measures involved in the whole bus system process into cost indicators, and then builds a financial model for the transition of the fleet to a pure electric bus fleet based on the model, which provides a reliable basis for the bus company's decision-making. From a long-term perspective, the public transport company to choose a pure electric bus fleet will be more economically efficient, but need to bear the costly transition to the acquisition of costs. Overall, this paper comprehensively explores the smart bus fleet transformation problem through three complementary models. It provides strong support for decision makers from the perspectives of life cycle cost, financial planning and environmental friendliness. The combined use of these models makes the article more comprehensive and provides useful lessons for future bus fleet transformation.

An Effective Fuel Cost‐Less Bus Driver Allocation Scheme by Using Genetic Algorithm

In this paper, we propose a cost‐effective driver allocation scheme based on the Genetic Algorithm (GA) aimed at improving fuel efficiency for bus companies. With our evaluations using real bus sensing data, our scheme has demonstrated a significant reduction in running resistance, achieving a 20%–26% decrease compared to current real‐world allocations. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Research on Bus Scheduling Optimization Considering Exhaust Emission Based on Genetic Algorithm: Taking a Route in Nanjing City as an Example

In order to enhance passenger willingness to choose buses for commuting and to reduce the operating costs and tailpipe emissions of bus companies, a bus scheduling model is established. The model aims to minimize the sum of the operating costs of the bus company, the costs associated with the loss of passengers’ interest, and the cost of tailpipe emissions. It considers constraints such as maintaining an average load factor of the buses above 60%, ensuring a departure interval of greater than 5 min during non-peak hours and less than 30 min during peak hours, and limiting the maximum number of buses allocated to a route. The passenger flow is divided into peak hours and nonpeak hours according to the survey of passenger flow during each period of a bus operation on a route in Nanjing City, China. A genetic algorithm is employed to solve the proposed bus scheduling model and determine the total costs during peak and non-peak hours. After designing the parameters of the genetic algorithm, optimal departure intervals and bus numbers for a day’s operation cycle on a given route are calculated using a weighting method.

Changes in daily mobility and new public transport supply in Dakar (2000 – 2015)

In Dakar, the capital of Senegal, the urban transport policy aims to restructure and modernize the supply of public transport. The implementation of this policy since the years 2000 has led to the creation of the public bus company Dakar Dem Dikk and the replacement and reorganization of a number of minibuses owned by informal operators, which locally go under the name of Tata. However, this new supply still coexists with older, more or less informal, transport modes, mainly “Cars Rapides” and “Ndiaga Ndiaye” minibuses, collective clandestine taxis, and “yellow and black” taxis. The question then arises as to the impact of the new public transport supply on the mobility practices of the city’s residents. Data from two household mobility surveys, undertaken respectively in 2000 and 2015, in the Region of Dakar is used to conduct a diachronic analysis of mobility behavior. The results highlight the extent to which changes in public transport supply have modified flows and mode use for different categories of urban residents, in a context where daily mobility is highly dependent on public transport.

Collaborative vehicle-crew scheduling for multiple routes with a mixed fleet of electric and fuel buses

Since some fuel buses have not yet reached their retirement age, many cities still have a mix of fuel buses and electric buses (EBs) operating. This study focuses on multiple bus routes with fuel-electric mixed fleet. To address operation problems arising from separately scheduling vehicles and crews (known as the two-stage method) of each route, we propose a collaborative approach to optimize the vehicle dispatching plan and crew scheduling plan. Initially, we establish a nonlinear programming model by minimizing the overall operating costs of bus companies, encompassing vehicle purchase costs, EB charging costs, fuel bus refueling costs, and driver labor costs. Next, we devise an improved simulated annealing algorithm to solve the model. The proposed method is validated through a case study involving three real-world routes. A comparison with the traditional two-stage method reveals promising outcomes. Results indicate that the proposed method can decrease the number of vehicle changes by 21.43 %, driver labor costs by 2.04 %, and daily operating costs for the bus company by 0.82 %.

The Impacts of Government Subsidies on Public Transportation Customer Complaints: A Case Study of Taichung City Bus Subsidy Policy

The government has implemented an operational subsidy program with the expectation that bus companies can provide better services to passengers. However, does the change in government subsidy policies affect the service levels of bus companies? This study analyzed passenger complaint data to objectively express the results of changes in bus subsidy policies. Taking Taichung City buses as an example, there was a change in transportation policies after a change in the municipal government. Under the old policy, Taichung City buses implemented a subsidy policy based on passengers (SPP), where the first eight kilometers of a route were subsidized. Later, the SPK subsidy policy, based on kilometers (SPK), extended the subsidy coverage by bus mileage to 10 km. This study collected bus passenger complaint data before and after the change in subsidy policies, within six months. A t-Test was conducted to verify if the average customer complaint types were consistent between the two policies. The results showed significant differences in six categories of customer complaints, which were then presented in GIS. Finally, we drew two main conclusions: (1) SPP policy, bus companies focus on operating in CBD; (2) SPK policy, bus companies focus on operating in suburban areas.

Headway regularity as an attribute for classifying bus drivers

Different indices have been proposed in the literature to characterize headway regularity. These metrics aggregate the headway variability for a service, but none can be directly associated with a specific driver. This paper seeks to understand drivers' influence on a service's regularity. To do so, we propose four regularity indices related to a driver's performance and use the Hierarchical Clustering Analysis method to generate a classification of drivers according to their contribution to the headway regularity during the operation of a service. We characterize each class based on the driver's attributes such as age, years of experience as a driver, and years in the bus company, and those attributes associated with the operation, such as number of services per day and period of the day. The results show consistency in the classification obtained, with nearly 90% of drivers remaining in the same regularity classes regardless of the index.

Exploring the factors influencing intergenerational survival of family-owned passenger bus companies (FOPBCs) in emerging markets: a case for Zimbabwe

This paper sought to explore the factors influencing the intergenerational survival of FOPBCs in Zimbabwe. An exploratory research design was used to collect data from a population of 153 participants, made up of founders, managers, and inspectors working for FOPBCs in Harare, Zimbabwe. A 5-point Likert Scale questionnaire was designed and self-administered to the participants. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) utilizing Principal Axis Factoring (PAF) extraction and Oblique with Kaizer Normalization Rotation, in IBM SPSS Statistics v 26, was used to examine the factors influencing survival of FOPBCs in Zimbabwe. An 8-factor solution, accounting for 84.76% of the total variance was established and all the factors were named accordingly. The factors which emanated from the EFA were succession planning, family entrepreneurial orientation, family total resources, leadership, management, strategic planning, corporate governance, and the external environment. The study concluded that, while all FOPBCs were affected by the external environment, firms capable of effectively implementing, monitoring, and controlling the other seven factors had higher chances of witnessing successful intergenerational business transitions. A clear strategy incorporating succession planning, family entrepreneurial orientation, family total resources, leadership, management at the same time upholding corporate governance practices will see FOPBCs surviving across generations.

Factors Influencing Company Bus Drivers’ Awareness and Attitudes towards Basic Life Support in Kigali

BackgroundBasic life support (BLS) refers to a package of care that first responders provide toanyone experiencing a life-threatening condition to increase the victim’s chanceof survival. Globally, 92% of people who had out-of-hospital cardiac arrest dieddue to limited provision of BLS, therefore, there is a need to assess the awarenessand attitude of the general public towards BLS, such as taxi drivers.MethodsA quantitative, analytical study that involved 327 drivers recruited from threedifferent bus stations in Kigali city was undertaken and binary logistic regressionwas used for statistical analysis.ResultsThe current study found that 19.5% of company bus drivers were aware of basiclife support, and 29% had a positive attitude. However, none of the participantshad a basic emergency kit in their buses. Having basic life support training,(AOR=7.853:95%CI: 1.326-10.413) and previous involvement in accidents(AOR=4.321:95% CI 1.163-4.628) were significantly associated with basic lifesupport awareness.ConclusionKigali city in collaboration with Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority need todevise ways bus drivers can be trained in basic life support. In addition, there isa need for every bus permitted to work in transportation sectors to get a basiclife support kit.Rwanda J Med Health Sci. 2024;7(1):36-45

The ecological and economic impacts of the comprehensive implementation of electric buses in New York City

Electric buses usually use batteries or electric motors as power sources, which do not generate exhaust emissions and help reduce air pollution and greenhouse effect, making them more environmentally friendly than traditional fuel buses. In this study, we established a model for New York City to estimate the ecological consequences and financial implications of the transition from fuel powered buses to electronic buses. In addition, we have established an optimization model aimed at helping the New York government and bus companies better allocate funds. The research results indicate that compared to traditional fuel powered buses, electric buses have many positive impacts in both ecological and financial aspects. Therefore, it is necessary to gradually shift from fuel powered buses to electronic buses.

Association between mental health, fear of COVID-19, and job insecurity among bus service workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between mental health, fear of COVID-19, and job insecurity among bus service workers during the second wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Japan. In September 2020, 1,889 employees of three private railway bus companies in the Tokai region were administered an anonymous self-questionnaire to be filled out at their workplace. The survey items were depression, anxiety, fear of COVID-19, job insecurity, demographics, and work characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Overall, 1,316 valid responses, excluding those from workers with a history of mental illness and others, were included in the analysis (valid response rate: 69.7%). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the prevalence of depression and anxiety were significantly higher in groups with medium and high levels of fear of COVID-19 or job insecurity than in the group with a low level of fear of COVID-19 or job insecurity. Fear of COVID-19 and job insecurity were found to be risk factors for depression and anxiety among bus service workers during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the latter being the stronger risk factor. Hence, comprehensive COVID-19 prevention measures as well as mental health-related measures to reduce job insecurity should be implemented in the bus service industry.