Bus Shelters Research Articles

Investigation of Bus Shelters and Their Thermal Environment in Hot–Humid Areas—A Case Study in Guangzhou

Investigation of Bus Shelters and Their Thermal Environment in Hot–Humid Areas—A Case Study in Guangzhou

An environmental scan of food and drink advertising on public transport around Adelaide schools.

Children and adolescents are particularly receptive to cues from food and drink advertising. Several policies recommend restricting unhealthy or discretionary ('junk') food advertising on government infrastructure such as public transport. Prior research in New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia (WA) reveals a high proportion of discretionary food advertising outdoors and on public transport. The aim of this study was to identify the landscape of food and drink advertising on public transport assets around Adelaide schools. An environmental scan of food and drink advertising on public transport assets within 500 m of 65 Adelaide schools was conducted. The Council of Australian Governments Health Council's interim guide was used to categorise advertisements as 'suitable' or 'unsuitable' for promotion. Almost four in every five food and drink advertisements on public-transport assets observed around Adelaide schools included discretionary food or drink, and therefore were categorised as unsuitable for promotion. Advertisements on bus exteriors were more likely to promote discretionary foods, compared with bus shelters. This proportion of 'unhealthy' food advertising was comparable to previous research conducted in WA and NSW. SO WHAT?: In light of historic state/territory actions such as the ACT preventing discretionary food advertising on public transport, these findings should prompt a review and discussion of the suitability of food and drink promotion on government-owned South Australian transport and their associated assets.

Analisis Karakteristik Angkutan Penumpang

Passenger comfort in using public transportation is the main factor in satisfaction with the transportation services used. This lack of satisfaction will affect the use of transportation services which will reduce the income from transportation services. The aim of this research is to determine the characteristics, level of passenger/customer satisfaction based on (reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy, responsiveness) and factors that influence the level of passenger satisfaction. This research uses a quantitative method, which was carried out in September-November 2022 at a tourist bus shelter in Tana Toraja Regency using SPSS analysis. The results of the research show that the analysis of 5 dimensions, namely tangibles (physical evidence) 0.131, reliability (reliability) 0.084, responsiveness (responsiveness) 0.082, confidence (belief) 0.117, empathy (attention) 0.0120. The most influential factor is the tangibles dimension (physical evidence), which is 0.131.

A Quantitative Analysis of Effects on Enhancing Bus Shelter Infrastructure: Focusing on Contingent Valuation Method by an User’s Satisfaction Survey

A Quantitative Analysis of Effects on Enhancing Bus Shelter Infrastructure: Focusing on Contingent Valuation Method by an User’s Satisfaction Survey

Children are exposed to much more alcohol advertising when a liquor store is sited near a school

The physical location of liquor stores near schools can strongly influence the chances of youth accessing and consuming alcohol(1). As children transit to and from school, it is feasible that the presence of liquor stores near schools could also increase their exposure to alcohol advertising. Cumulative exposure to advertising influences alcohol attitudes, intentions and alcohol use(2), so reducing children’s exposure to alcohol advertising is important to delay the initiation of drinking and reduce future harms. As this has not yet been investigated in Australia, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the presence of a liquor store near a school was associated with an increased prevalence of outdoor alcohol advertising in Perth, Western Australia. We identified all outdoor alcohol advertising within a 500m radius (audit zone) of 64 randomly selected primary and secondary schools from low and high socio-economic areas across metropolitan Perth. We recorded the size, type, setting, and location of each advertisement during field data collection. Each zone was categorised by the presence or absence of at least one liquor store within the school audit zone, and results compared across these stratifications. Over half (56%) of the 64 school audit zones had at least one alcohol advertisement. On average, there were 5.9 alcohol advertisements per zone. School audit zones that contained a liquor store (59%) had over thirty times the average number of alcohol advertisements compared with audit zones that did not contain a liquor store (9.7 vs 0.3). The majority of all the alcohol advertisements identified (63%) were located outside a liquor outlet as opposed to other food businesses (2%), along the roadside (31%), on a bus shelter (3%) or on/outside another business (0.5%). Our findings that Perth schools with a liquor store nearby had more outdoor alcohol advertising within a 500m radius, compared with schools without a nearby liquor store, were independent of school type (primary or secondary) or the socio-economic status of the area. This poses significant concerns about the exposure of underage populations to outdoor alcohol advertising, and the resultant influence on alcohol use. These results underscore the necessity for policy interventions to mitigate children’s exposure to alcohol marketing, especially during the daily school commute, by regulating the location of liquor stores and alcohol promotion near schools. It will be important to incorporate the voices of children when developing future policies to assert their right to be consulted, heard and appropriately influence their environments.

Creating a Multi-Purpose Floor Cleaning Robot

Abstract: Traditional floor cleaners which rely on electricity; find widespread use in areas such as airports, railway platforms, hospitals, bus shelters, shopping malls, and various commercial spaces. These devices rely on electricity for operation, posing limitations on their usage. In regions like India, where power crises are prevalent, especially during summer, the effectiveness of floor cleaners is significantly hindered, particularly in bus stands. Therefore, there arises a need to develop an affordable and user-friendly battery-operated floor cleaner. This paper tries to create a multifunctional floor cleaning machine as an alternative to conventional electric models. The work includes modeling and analyzing the floor cleaner using relevant software.

Examining the socio-spatial patterns of bus shelters with deep learning analysis of street-view images: A case study of 20 cities in the U.S.

Previous studies on public transit in cities found the positive role of bus shelters in promoting bus ridership. However, a large-scale and comparative investigation of bus shelter status has yet to be conducted, leaving a significant knowledge gap. To fill this gap, this research examined the socio-spatial patterns of bus shelters in 20 small- and medium-sized cities in the United States by employing a deep learning-based computer vision analysis with large-scale street-view images. The results revealed a regional difference in the bus shelter scores (range: 30.2–52.1 %). Overall, there are more bus shelters in neighborhoods with higher population densities or higher proportions of minority populations. However, there are nine cities where neighborhoods with higher proportions of minority populations are not significantly correlated with more bus shelters, suggesting issues of mobility injustice. This study is one of the first to combine an AI method with emerging urban data to examine the socio-spatial patterns of bus shelters in cities.

Exploring the volume and type of unhealthy advertising in close proximity to schools: An audit of bus shelter advertising in one mid-sized Canadian city

Background: Unhealthy advertising influences the attitudes and behaviour of children. Child exposure to products such as alcohol and fast food have been linked to adverse health problems, such as heavy drinking and obesity. Bus shelter advertisements are a potential exposure site for unhealthy advertising for children as they take municipal transit to and from school. This study explores the volume and type of unhealthy advertising at bus shelters within close proximity to schools in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Methods: In Halifax, Nova Scotia, 55 bus shelters with advertising were within a 500-metre distance of an elementary, junior, or high school. Three audits occurred in October 2020 (Fall), January 2021 (Winter), and April 2021 (Spring). Advertisements were coded as unhealthy if containing alcohol or gambling promotions. Food promotions were classified as maximum (healthy), moderate, or minimum (unhealthy) nutrition. Results: In total, 319 bus shelter advertisements were collected across three audits. Of these, 14.4% of advertisements were unhealthy (n = 46), and less than 1% (n = 3) were classified as healthy. For the unhealthy advertising, 37.0% (n = 17) of advertisements promoted gambling, 32.6% (n = 15) advertised food, 21.7% (n = 10) advertised non-alcohol beverages, and 8.7% (n = 4) advertised alcohol. The majority of advertisements (n = 270; 84.6%) were classified as other. Implications: Children are potentially exposed to unhealthy advertising as they travel to and from school in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Further research is needed to understand how and when children are exposed to these types of advertising. Municipalities can consider implementing further bylaws and administrative orders that create supportive environments for children and youth.

Study of Trans Siginjai shelter coverage on corridor I and II in Jambi City of Indonesia

In order to meet mobility needs and prevent congestion, the government introduced and began operating Trans Siginjai Jambi in 2017. The low load factor value, however, indicates that its utilization is currently not optimal in supporting the mobility of people in Jambi City. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a closed transportation system, which bus shelters is become one of the main infrastructures to support its operation. The lack of bus shelters will influence the bus accessibility and the number of passengers. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine how bus stop services of Trans Siginjai have served community movements in Jambi City’s Corridor I and Corridor II. Comparative descriptive analysis and geographical analysis are utilized in this study to perform coverage analysis. The findings of this investigation demonstrate that up to 8 stops in Corridor I and up to 10 stops in Corridor II fail to adhere to the distance requirements. Trans Siginjai only cover 16.99% of the area and only 21.18% of residential areas along the both corridors. In order to improve the accessibility, more bus stops are required, especially in the dense settlement area.

Solar Potential Analysis of Bus Shelters in Urban Environments: A Study Case in Ávila (Spain)

The presence of shadows is one of the main disadvantages of photovoltaic solar panel installations in urban environments. This article analyses their effect on solar installations performed on urban elements where the use of solar energy can be considered novel: bus shelters. For this purpose, the PVGIS tool is used in combination with a new methodology for the extraction of the shadow horizon profile from LiDAR point clouds. The results show a 29.90% and 37% reduction of calculated solar radiation using horizon profiles derived from LiDAR point clouds of 0.5 pts/m2 and 1 pt/m2, respectively, versus no horizon profile. By taking shading into account, thanks to this study it is possible to make a more realistic prediction of the use of the electrical energy generated by the sun to cover urban energy consumption in bus shelters. Results show that the energy surplus produced overall allows these elements to be converted into charging points for light electric vehicles, allowing up to 35 units per day/bus shelter to be charged. The use of bus shelters as a place to generate clean energy through solar energy and charge light vehicles makes it possible to move towards sustainable and environmentally friendly cities.

Environmental and Social Benefits of Extensive Green Roofs Applied on Bus Shelters in Edinburgh

The presence of green roofs in urban areas provides various ecosystem services that help mitigate climate change. They play an essential role in sustainable drainage systems, contribute to air quality and carbon sequestration, mitigate urban heat island, support biodiversity, and create green spaces supporting public well-being. Bus stops provide good opportunities for installing green roofs. Various cities worldwide have started installing green roofs on bus shelters, but often without thoroughly comparing expenses and the resulting benefits. This study quantifies the social and environmental benefits of installing green roofs on bus shelters in the City of Edinburgh. An assessment of the benefits and their monetary values was conducted using the B£ST analysis tool combined with manual calculations, which is easily transferable to other cities worldwide. It was compared to the current situation with no green roofs installed at bus stops. Installation of green roofs on all bus shelters in the City of Edinburgh may result in £12.9 million–£87.2 million in total benefit present value. The total cost was projected to be £15,994,000. By green roof installation, the City of Edinburgh can be closer to being carbon-neutral by 2030, a sustainable city as part of the City Plan 2030 and City Vision 2050.

Natural cooling solution for thermally conditioning bus stops as urban climate shelters in hot areas: Experimental proof of concept

In response to the challenges posed by climate change and the growing heat patterns in cities, this study addresses the design and implementation of climate shelters integrated into public transport stops through the installation of surface radiant cooling modules. The aim is to improve the thermal comfort of short-stay users in cities in hot, dry climates. To this end, a fully sensorized thermal camera was used in a controlled setting to simulate real outdoor climate conditions and evaluate the efficacy of the radiant system. The prototype was modelled and characterized by means of in situ measurements, paying special attention to the temperature and radiant heat flux. The radiant modules maintained a temperature between 18 °C and 20 °C, even under oppressive conditions, with over 50% of the cooling flux due to radiation. The radiative performance of the prototype did not increase proportionally with increased water flow, stabilizing at high flows. The analysis of the thermal comfort index showed a decrease in feelings of discomfort of between 40% and 50% when the modules reached the set point temperature. The study shows that implementing these climate shelters in public transport stops such a bus shelters is feasible in hot, dry climates. This may be an effective strategy for mitigating the effects of climate change in urban areas and can be applied in any city that suffers from recurring heatwaves, thereby improving living conditions for city goers.

Performance Evaluation of Emerging Perovskite Photovoltaic Energy-Harvesting System for BIPV Applications

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are emerging photovoltaics (PVs) with promising optoelectronic characteristics. PSCs can be semitransparent (ST), which is beneficial in many innovative applications, including building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs). While PSCs exhibit excellent performance potential, enhancements in their stability and scalable manufacturing are required before they can be widely deployed. This work evaluates the real-world effectiveness of using PSCs in BIPVs to accelerate the development progress toward practical implementation. Given the present constraints on PSC module size and efficiency, bus stop shelters are selected for investigation in this work, as they provide a suitably scaled application representing a realistic near-term test case for early-stage research and engineering. An energy-harvesting system for a bus stop shelter in Astana, Kazakhstan, demonstrates the potential performance evaluation platform that can be used for perovskite solar cell modules (PSCMs) in BIPVs. The system includes maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and charge controllers, which can supply PSCM energy to the electronic load. Based on our design, the bus stop shelter has non-transparent and ST PSCMs on the roof and sides, respectively. May (best-case) and December (worst-case) scenarios are considered. According to the results, the PSCMs-equipped bus stop shelter can generate sufficient daily energy for load even in a worst-case scenario.

Effectiveness of equipping bus stop shelters with cooling and filtering systems in a city with tropical climate

PurposeWaiting for a bus may represent a period of intense exposure to traffic particles in hot and noisy conditions in the street. To lessen the particle load and tackle heat in bus stops a shelter was equipped with an electrostatic precipitator and a three-step adiabatic cooling system capable of dynamically adjust its operation according to actual conditions. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Airbitat Oasis Smart Bus Stop, as the shelter was called, to provide clean and cool air.Design/methodology/approachThe particle exposure experienced in this innovative shelter was contrasted with that in a conventional shelter located right next to it. Mass concentrations of fine particles and black carbon, and particle number concentration (as a proxy of ultrafine particles) were simultaneously measured in both shelters. Air temperature, relative humidity and noise level were also measured.FindingsThe new shelter did not perform as expected. It only slightly reduced the abundance of fine particles (−6.5%), but not of ultrafine particles and black carbon. Similarly, it reduced air temperature (−1 °C), but increased relative humidity (3%). Its operation did not generate additional noise.Practical implicationsThe shelter's poor performance was presumably due to design flaws induced by a lack of knowledge on traffic particles and fluid dynamics in urban environments. This is an example where harnessing technology without understanding the problem to solve does not work.Originality/valueIt is uncommon to come across case studies like this one in which the performance and effectiveness of urban infrastructure can be assessed under real-life service settings.

Aging in place, stranded in space: An analysis of health care access via public transportation in Elliot Lake

The population of Elliot Lake in Northern Ontario, Canada is old and getting older, and small and getting smaller. It is Canada’s most severely shrinking city and is home to the nation’s third oldest population. In 2017, the city published a five-year Age-Friendly Action Plan to improve Elliot Lake in eight domains, including health care and transportation. This study assesses older adult access to health care facilities via Elliot Lake’s existing public transportation service. We outlined the geography of health care facilities in Elliot Lake and determined that the community’s two main health care facilities were not within walking distance of most neighbourhoods with large older adult populations. Through a buffer analysis, we demonstrated that 76% of older adults live within 150 m of a bus stop, while 96% live within 400 m of a bus stop. Using the novel Older Persons Walking and Transit Audit, we found that the city’s inconsistent use of age-friendly features along walking routes and at bus stops, such as bus shelters, sidewalks, and adequate lighting, discourages older adult public transportation use and creates barriers to accessing health care. Finally, we developed municipal-level recommendations to improve health care access via public transportation in Elliot Lake.

Redesign of Trans-Semarang Bus Stop at Prof. Soedarto Segment Using an Accessibility Approach

Bus rapid transit, which was established in the city of Semarang in 2009, is expected to be a solution for the transportation needs of the people of the city of Semarang. With good service and economical prices, bus rapid transit is quite a favorite form of transportation for the citizens of Semarang. However, the current design of the Trans-Semarang bus stop is still far from easy for its users to access. The need for public services in the form of easy accessibility of users, both disabled and elderly. There needs to be a review from the Semarang City government, regarding the fulfillment of bus shelter facilities and designs that are still less than standard. This study uses a descriptive method using qualitative techniques. The research subjects were bus stops and users of the Trans-Semarang bus stop. Data collection techniques used are observation and documentation. The results of the research obtained on the design of the Trans-Semarang bus stop indicate that there are several shortcomings in the design of the Trans-Semarang bus stop along the Prof. Soedarto. To achieve the standard of comfort in terms of accessibility, it is necessary to redesign the bus stop design following the standards of building design regulations. Some of these shortcomings have been improved by redesigning the Trans Semarang bus stop with an accessibility approach. In addition, it is necessary to add several facilities that are not yet available so that the function of the Trans-Semarang bus stop can be used optimally and sustainably by the residents of Semarang.

Design and Fabrication of a Semi-Automatic Multifunction Floor Cleaning Machine

In hospitals, bus shelters, retail malls, and many other business locations, conventional floor cleaners are most frequently employed. These gadgets can't be utilised since they need electricity to function. In India, there is a power crisis, particularly in the summer, and due to this issue, most floor cleaners are not used efficiently, especially around bus stops. The creation of an accessible, user-friendly floor cleaner is therefore necessary. The goal of this project was to create a manual floor washer as an alternative to current floor washers. Using the relevant commercial software, modelling and analysis of a floor cleaner were carried out in this work. The utilisation of conventionally used materials was taken into consideration when designing the floor cleaning machine. The voltage level of the manual floor washing machine is within the safe range, according to the analysis of the element.

Linking Police and EMS Records: An Approach to Strengthen Bicyclist Injury Reporting

Bicyclist injuries are underreported in police crash databases. We explored the value of linking police-reported crash data with emergency medical services (EMS) data within the City of Milwaukee, WI. Using data from 2014 to 2016, we linked records by inspection (identical date, similar time of day, and similar roadway location) and found 154 matching records between the two databases (representing 41% of the 375 police crash records and 44% of the 348 EMS injury records). Matched records were more likely to involve fatal and severe injuries according to police-assessed injury ratings. The two datasets also provided different insights into bicyclist injury crashes. Injuries captured only by police reports were significantly more likely than injuries captured only by EMS to be along high-traffic streets and commercial districts and significantly less likely to be near parks. Nearly all police records described the driver and bicyclist movements (e.g., turning) and operating behaviors (e.g., failure to yield) that had contributed to the crash. In addition to capturing more bicyclist injury events, EMS records revealed additional information about their causes. Twenty-three percent of EMS narratives described falls. These falls involved intoxication, striking a curb, swerving to avoid automobiles or other bicyclists, doing tricks, and getting a tire caught in rail tracks. Another 11% described bicyclists striking objects, including a bus stop shelter, stop sign, fire hydrant, and fence. Although there are strengths and limitations to both datasets, linking police-reported crashes with EMS records produced a broader understanding of bicyclist injuries.

Human Centred Design Considerations for the Development of Sustainable Public Transportation in Malaysia

The growing trend of private car ownership in Malaysia is increasing traffic congestion. As part of a solution, the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) chose to develop technologies for an electric bus system in Kuala Lumpur and initiated a project to design and engineer an electric bus system with a focus on Human Centred Design (HCD) principles. In order to fulfil this a total of 28-hours of user observation was conducted in Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia. Alongside this field research an online questionnaire study of future users (n = 102, Age 21–35) was conducted to further substantiate findings. As a result, we address the need for HCD considerations to be included in sustainable public transport systems in Malaysia. User observation revealed six key issues associated with the daily routine of a commuter which were then used to inform the questionnaire survey. Alarmingly, the survey revealed that over 60 per cent of respondents had never used the bus system in Kuala Lumpur stating problems such as frequency, comfort, driver attitude and bus shelter access. This provided a necessary platform for improvement resulting in eight key recommendations ranked by importance with the aim to increase bus usage in Malaysia.

Digitalization of Social Infrastructure in the Smart City Development Strategy

Digitalization of the social infrastructure of cities is becoming increasingly important in the strategy of city development and improving the efficiency of municipal management. The purpose of this study is to assess the level of digitalization of social infrastructure as part of the implementation of the smart city development strategy on the example of Yekaterinburg. It is determined that digital technologies have become an integral attribute of the lifestyle of the population. The population actively uses the Internet and mobile communication capabilities. The Internet is especially actively used to search for information, as well as communication, personal and business contacts. The Internet is actively replacing television and radio as sources of information. The reasons that reduce the digitalization of the urban environment are highlighted. A considerable number of respondents indicated the low level of communication between the local population and municipal authorities during the mass survey. The reasons for the weak formation of a digital society are also noted: low level of digital competencies, insufficient provision of computer equipment, lack of automated research systems, lack of affordable high-speed Internet. The directions of improving the social practice of smart city development are determined. In the field of improving the Internet, it is necessary to increase the speed of data transmission, ensure stability of operation, and improve information sites. In the field of education, it is proposed to provide educational institutions with the necessary equipment and appropriate programs, to replace outdated computers in educational institutions. In the field of healthcare, the achievements have been highly appreciated, but a wish has been expressed to simplify online registration in hospitals. Internet services, online payments, e-mail, delivery, and other services were highly appreciated. In general, transport services were also positively evaluated, but wishes were expressed to improve the organization of public transport, observe the traffic schedule, and use digital technologies at bus stations. Residents propose to upgrade bus shelters throughout the city, install more “smart stops”, introduce taxi drones.