Transit Company Research Articles

Sustainable Development Challenges in Shanxi's Coal Industry: A case study of Datong Coal Mine Group

The purpose of this study is to investigate the sustainable development challenges faced by coal resource-based areas, focusing specifically on Shanxi Province in China. The study aims to understand the long-term impacts of extensive coal mining on the ecological environment, safety incidents, and the local economic system. It seeks to draw lessons from case studies of coal enterprises to identify innovative measures for companies in transition and development, with the ultimate goal of promoting sustainable practices that address livelihood issues and contribute to the modernization process. The research employs a qualitative case study methodology, using Datong Coal Mine Group in Shanxi Province as a representative example. This approach enables an in-depth analysis of the specific challenges related to coal mining in the region. The findings highlight the significant ecological and safety challenges posed by widespread coal mining practices in Shanxi Province, including environmental degradation, ground subsidence, and recurring safety incidents. The study suggests a need for innovative measures to transition towards more sustainable and diversified economic activities. The research provides valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers, industry leaders, and communities in similar resource-dependent regions to adapt to the demands of modernization and sustainability.

Compliance with road safety media messages among drivers in selected mass transit companies in South East, Nigeria

Compliance with road safety media messages among drivers in selected mass transit companies in South East, Nigeria

Environmental impact and cost study of vehicles

In the traditional automobile industry, which was dominant from the mid-20th century to the early 21st century, the nitrogen oxides produced by auto mobile exhaust would pollute the air. After entering the 21st century, with lithium batteries as the representative, the energy density of energy storage units has rapidly increased, solving the endurance problem that has plagued the electric vehicle industry for nearly a century. The development path of electric vehicles has become wider and gradually become mainstream products in the market. This paper explores the environmental impact of transitioning from partial to complete tram usage in an urban area with a population of at least 500,000. Initially, this paper calculates the Ecological Evaluation Index to compare the environmental effects of the two types of vehicles. Subsequently, introducing four variables to set the entire model in motion, aiming to predict the environmental conditions of the urban area when entirely reliant on tram services. Furthermore, this paper considers the realistic financial issues that need to be faced and build a model for the financial impact that the transition to pure electric buses will soon bring. The excessive costs and potential external funds caused by the transition, which will affect the final ten-year transformation plan for the city. Finally, this transit company has successfully achieved an operational income of up to 13.3 billion over the past decade even in the absence of government subsidies. This underscores the robust foundation of its financial operations and economic sustainability, providing reliable financial support for future electric bus procurement and maintenance.

Community Public Mobility Using On-Demand, Low-Speed Electric Vehicles: A Case Study in Downtown St. Louis, Missouri

Legacy fixed-route transit systems designed to serve commuters struggle to provide efficient and effective service for short neighborhood trips and for population groups unable to access and egress transit stops using active modes (e.g., elderly, disabled). Neighborhood on-demand transit (ODT) services using low-speed electric vehicles (LSEVs) are an innovative technological solution that could help fill this gap in service (e.g., short, high-frequency trips) for diverse populations and trip types. This study evaluated user characteristics and travel behavior for a neighborhood ODT service (using LSEVs) in downtown St. Louis, MO, using responses from a community survey ( n = 244), ridership data, and vehicle trajectory information. A comparative analysis between neighborhood ODT, fixed-route transit, and transportation network companies (TNCs) was also conducted from the perspectives of total travel time, cost, and greenhouse gas emissions. Ultimately, the goal of the analysis was to motivate and inform holistic public mobility systems where different services are optimized to meet specific community needs. Findings indicate that the neighborhood ODT was effective at reaching diverse populations (elderly [20%], lower income [27%], and households with limited access to private vehicles [34%]). ODT reduced total travel time by 32% compared with fixed-route transit, produced 2.4 to 4.3 times less greenhouse gas emissions per passenger mile (compared with transit and TNCs), and was more affordable (free to users) than alternative options ($1 for transit, $10 to $12 for TNCs). Overall satisfaction rates were high, with 80% of respondents rating the service a 4 or 5 out of 5.

A conceptual model of artificial intelligence effects on circular economy actions

AbstractThe circular economy (CE) presents a contemporary approach to integrating economic activity and environmental well‐being sustainably, opposing the linear open‐ended system. However, implementing this paradigm poses challenges, needing a fundamental shift in companies' strategies and business models. Emerging technology can support companies in transition toward CE and in particular artificial intelligence (AI) can play a crucial role in facilitating this transition by supporting companies not only in specific CE activities but also in strategically redefining their entire business models. Recognizing the increasing importance of both AI and CE in management literature, our paper seeks to integrate these two distinct streams of literature. Starting from existing studies, it tries to provide a framework able to understand the role of AI technology into enhancing CE. Through a systematic literature review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis protocol, using keywords research on three databases, we identified 63 articles that concurrently address both CE and AI topics. Subsequent co‐occurrence and content analyses revealed how AI is utilized to bolster CE efforts leveraging the ReSOLVE framework (from the acronymous of Regenerate, Share, Optimise, Loop, Virtualise, and Exchange)—an operational tool for CE. The last step consists into the development of a conceptual framework outlining four stages of AI's engagement with the CE: namely System optimization, System redesign, Business Model redesign, and Ecosystem innovation. From our study emerges that while AI is already recognized for enhancing specific activities within CE, its potential as a strategic planning tool for business model redesign and ecosystem innovation remains largely unexplored.

Metro Train Stopping Scheme Decision Based on Multisource Data in Express-Local Train Mode

Metro Train Stopping Scheme Decision Based on Multisource Data in Express-Local Train Mode

城市轨道交通应急处理课程思政教学改革研究

The fundamental task of vocational education is to cultivate moral character and nurture talents. In order to effectively address the issues of insufficient exploration of ideological and political elements in the Emergency Handling of Urban Rail Transit course, rigid integration of ideological and political elements into the curriculum, and imperfect evaluation system of ideological and political elements in the curriculum, we conducted research on the professional competence of station operation posts in urban rail transit companies and extracted six core job competencies. Based on these core competencies, we have thoroughly explored the teaching resources of Kecheng-Sizheng and designed a Kecheng-Sizheng teaching system. According to the characteristics of the emergency handling of urban rail transit courses, we have constructed a “One Body, Three Circles, Seven Steps” model for curriculum ideological and political teaching, which organically integrates explicit professional knowledge with implicit ideological and political elements. We have also established a diversified Kecheng-Sizheng evaluation system, which vertically evaluates and motivates students selfimprovement and horizontally evaluates classroom teaching effectiveness, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system that aligns with core job competencies and professional skills, covering all staff members and the entire process.

A branch-and-price algorithm for integrating urban rail crew scheduling and rostering problems

Crew planning, involving how to best schedule crew members during a given period, is a significant problem for urban rail transit companies. This paper proposes a new integer linear programming (ILP) model that can simultaneously optimize urban rail crew scheduling and rostering problems. The proposed ILP model is a set partitioning-based model with only one type of important duty selection variable that connects the two-level problem and circumvents the drawbacks of conventional approaches that usually formulate the crew scheduling and rostering problems separately and couple these two problems through linking constraints. This study demonstrates that the structure of the underlying network used to model the problem enables the development of an effective, heuristic branch-and-price procedure. The study compares the proposed approach with two other decomposition methods, namely Lagrangian relaxation and alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM), on problems of different sizes and shows that the method provides lower bounds that are on average 16.4% better than Lagrangian relaxation and 5.03% better than ADMM, respectively. Furthermore, the study shows that, with an average optimality gap of 3.28%, the proposed approach obtains high-quality integer solutions to the integrated problem.

Enhancing passenger comfort and operator efficiency through multi-objective bus timetable optimization

<abstract> <p>The current public transportation systems predominantly rely on rigid schedules and service patterns, leading to suboptimal resource allocation that impacts both passengers and transit operators. This inefficiency results in the wastage of resources and dissatisfaction among users. The unsatisfactory passenger experience significantly contributes to the declining ridership, thereby diminishing revenue for transit operators. To specifically address these challenges encountered by Lhasa's public transportation system, we propose a multi-objective model for bus departure timetables. The model aims to synchronize the costs of passenger waiting time and bus operation costs concurrently, accounting for diverse constraints such as actual travel times, operational bus numbers, bus capacity limits, and arrival time distributions. In this research, we establish a multi-objective optimization model with the primary goal of maximizing passenger satisfaction while concurrently optimizing the revenue of the transit company. Implemented in Lhasa, China, we use the Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-Ⅱ to derive Pareto fronts relevant for analysis. The research findings demonstrate a reduction in the frequency of departures by one bus within a one-hour timeframe. Additionally, a substantial 37% decrease is observed in both the count of buses not arriving at stations and the number of passengers waiting at these stations compared to previous timetables. These results suggest promising potential for significant benefits to both the transit company and passengers within the public transportation system.</p> </abstract>

Strategic failures of car companies in electric vehicle transition: A strategy tripod perspective

Strategic failures of car companies in electric vehicle transition: A strategy tripod perspective

Assessment of the Current Bus Route Network in the Federal Capital City Abuja, Nigeria

The inadequacy of buses for the public transportation system in the Federal Capital City (FCC) of Abuja has resulted to the dominant use of private automobiles, which has created a lot of problems, such as, long waiting times, lateness to work, kidnapping and loss of man-hours. The effort of Government in providing high capacity public buses through Abuja Urban Mass Transit Company (AUMTCO), has not been satisfactory. Therefore, in this study, an evaluation of the existing bus route networks and the availability of public transport bus services in the FCC, including an assessment of the factors that determine the present choice of travel mode in the City is presented. The methodology adopted includes: manual traffic volume count, measurement of traffic data and scope of the current bus route network using GPSmap76Cx (GARMIN) receiver, and questionnaire administration. The results show that public bus is 0.12% of vehicular traffic volume in the metropolitan city, while private car has 86.81%, which carries significant consequences that impact different facets of its citizens' lives. The existing bus routes network does not cover Wuse II and Maitama districts. Mode choice influences by social demographic characteristics, such as; occupation, marital status, time spent going to work, bus inconvenience, time to leave home for work, and decision to patronize public mode if available are among the trip factors assessed. The mean peak travel speed on the bus routes ranges from 15km/hr to 23 km/hr, while average time spent from house to and at bus stop are 10 minutes and 20 minutes respectively for public bus. The results suggest that the existing bus route networks should be optimized to cover all the districts of the Federal Capital City for effective accessibility and services to commuters. This will improve the security indices of commuters in the Federal capital city.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on use and perception of shared e-scooters

Micro-mobility, such as electric scooters (e-scooters) and bicycles, has gained attraction in recent years by offering reduced emissions, decreased congestion, and improved public health. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, travel behavior and mode choices have changed. As such, shared micro-mobility are likely more vulnerable to these changes, as a relatively new mode, with less habitual riders and their shared nature perceived as a higher risk. The objective of this paper is to understand how preferences and perceptions of micro-mobility changed before, during, and potentially after the pandemic, and relative to quarantine behavior. Shared e-scooter trip data (N = 2604) before and during the pandemic, and survey data (N = 134) during the pandemic, were collected in one small- to mid-sized US city. Number of e-scooter trips decreased while duration of trips increased during the pandemic. People who only left their houses for essential activities and/or work reported using public transit and transportation network companies (e.g., Uber) significantly less during the pandemic, but there was no association between their use of micro-mobility and timeframes of the pandemic. People who left their houses similar to before the pandemic did not significantly change their mode choices during the pandemic. Most respondents were neutral in opinion about sanitary levels of shared micro-mobility, suggesting an opportunity to attract riders through new hygiene initiatives. Micro-mobility operators and jurisdictions can use these insights on perception and use of shared transport modes as travel behavior adjusts post pandemic.

Diversify or die: Strategy options for oil majors in the sustainable energy transition

Mitigating climate change requires an urgent transition of the oil and gas industry. We develop two typologies of the corporate strategy and diversification options for international oil companies (IOCs) in the sustainable energy transition. Data from semi-structured interviews with oil industry professionals are thematically analysed and considered in the context of the wider literature. The resulting framework of corporate strategy options is more comprehensive than has been previously published. We find gaps in the companies' strategic readiness for the energy transition, especially in preparing for the ramp-down of the fossil fuel-based core business. Diversification options are evaluated in terms of the fit between different strategies and companies' capabilities. Many diversification options fit at least some of the existing capabilities of oil majors, but while there is potential for the companies to contribute positively to the energy transition, the current scale of change remains inadequate for meeting global climate goals. The strategic dilemma that the energy transition creates for IOCs is an essentially existential one. Future research should investigate whether IOCs can and should play an active part in the sustainable energy transition and how to drive the necessary action.

Risk capability building post Covid-19 through improving competency in risk management

This study aims to understand how a pioneer Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) company in Indonesia strengthens its business resilience when facing uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative research approach with the case study method is used where the primary data source is respondents, who are determined based on the purposive sampling method. Data collection and analysis were conducted using triangulation techniques by distributing questionnaires, structured interviews, and focus group discussions, which have helped discover that the pioneer BRT company is not fully prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. The company then decided to strengthen risk management capabilities by increasing risk management competencies that support decision-making in responding to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Risk leaders believe that strengthening risk capabilities can boost the company's resilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and help it succeed in the new-normal era later. However, it is recommended that companies implement a business continuity management system based on the ISO 22301:2019 Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) standard as a systematic and comprehensive approach. The implication of implementing this standard is strengthening the company's readiness to deal effectively with risks of resilience and business continuity in the future.

Develop and Validate a Survey to Assess Adult’s Perspectives on Autonomous Ridesharing and Ridehailing Services

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have generated excitement for the future of transportation. Public transit agencies and companies (i.e., Uber) have begun developing shared autonomous transportation services. Most AV surveys focus on public opinion of perceived benefits and concerns of AVs but are not directly tied to field implementation of AVs. Experience and exposure to new technology affect adults’ perceptions and level of technology acceptance. As such, the Autonomous RideShare Services Survey (ARSSS) was developed to assess adults’ perceptions of AVs before and after being exposed to AVs. Face validity and content validity were established via focus groups and subject-matter experts (CVI = 0.95). Adults in the U.S. (N = 553) completed the ARSSS, and a subsample (N = 100) completed the survey again after two weeks. An exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the ARSSS consists of three factors that can be used to reliably quantify users’ perceptions of AVs: (a) Intention to Use, Trust, and Safety (r = 0.85, p < 0.001, ICC = 0.99); (b) Potential Benefits (r = 0.70, p < 0.001, ICC = 0.97); and (c) Accessibility (r = 0.78, p < 0.001, ICC = 0.96) of AVs. These are key factors in predicting intention to use and acceptance of AVs. Results from the ARSSS may inform the acceptance among users of these AV technologies.

<p>The Effect of ESG Criteria on Company Valuation: A Quantitative Approach Applied to the O&G Sector</p>

The integration of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria implies that they must be explicitly introduced into valuation models and investment decisions. Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) does not take into account this integration, so it is necessary to know the real impact that ESG criteria have on the valuation of actions to carry out effective investment decisions. The approach used is the Value – Drivers Adjustment (VDA) through the Discounted Cash Flow (DFC) method for Shell PLC as one of the most influential O&G companies in the energy transition. The results of the analysis reveal that the impact of ESG criteria on valuation translates into a reduction of 29.11% of its target price. The need for investment and the rising cost of capital explain these result. This results in a more comprehensive valuation method, where ESG criteria are no longer supplementary information and become indirect financial elements.

Kualitas Pelayanan Bus Rapid Transit Trans Semarang

Writing articles in this journal aims to describe the service quality of the Trans Semarang Bus Rapid Transit and its sub parameters which include descriptions tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, dan empaty. The writing method uses a qualitative descriptive approach. The data source is the primary source of Trans Semarang Bus Rapid Transit passengers and the secondary data source is documents at the Trans Semarang Bus Rapid Transit company. Collecting data by observation and interviews with a questionnaire as an instrument. The discussion on the level of service quality of the Trans Semarang Bus Rapid Transit uses an analysis of the average percentage value through the sum of the scores achieved divided by the expected score multiplied by 100 %. Determining whether the quality of Trans Semarang Bus Rapid Transit service is good or not by determining very good 0.00-24.99%, good 25-49.99%, not good 50-74.99% and bad 75-100%. The findings of the discussion of the results of the analysis are that the level of service quality for the Trans Semarang Bus Rapid Transit is very good and also for several sub-parameters tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empaty are all very good level. However, there are several dimensions of the five service quality parameters in the unfavorable category. The conclusion from the findings of the discussion of the analysis of the service quality of the Trans Semarang Bus Rapid Transit is very good in its management so that it can realize the satisfaction of the people of Semarang City and its surroundings.

Monitoring of Shallow-Grooved Tramway Crossings

The article presents selected results and the sequencing of research into the project "Long-Term Monitoring of Rail Structures in Tramway Crossings with a Focus on Shallow-Grooved Crossings Aimed at the Optimization of their Maintenance and Noise Reduction", which was running with support from the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic within the Zeta Project (project registration No. TJ04000257) in 2020-2022. The project was elaborated jointly with the Prazska strojirna a.s. Company in cooperation with the Prague Public Transit Company (hereinafter PPTC). The project's objective was to optimize the maintenance of tramway tracks with a focus on shallow-grooved crossings in rail structures taking into account the noise emission levels during the life cycle of these crossings.

Electric bus charging facility planning with uncertainties: Model formulation and algorithm design

This paper investigates the electric bus charging facility planning (EB-CFP) problem for a bus transit company operating a heterogeneous electric bus (EB) fleet to provide public transportation services, taking into account uncertainties in both EB travel time and battery degradation. The goal of the EB-CFP problem is to determine the number and type of EB chargers that should be deployed at bus terminals and depots to meet daily EB charging demand while minimizing total cost. The problem is formulated as a two-stage stochastic programming model, with the first stage determining the EB charger deployment scheme and the second stage estimating the EB daily operational cost with respect to a predetermined EB trip timetable for a given EB charger deployment scheme. To effectively address the second stage problem, a multi-agent EB transit simulation system that mimics the daily EB operation process is developed. We then design two heuristic methods, the reinforcement learning (RL)-based method and the surrogate-based optimization (SBO), that use the developed multi-agent EB transit simulation system to solve the two-stage stochastic programming model for large-scale instances. Lastly, we run a series of experiments on a fictitious EB transit network and a real-world EB transit network in Singapore to evaluate the performance of the models and algorithms. In order to improve the performance of the EB transit system, some managerial insights are also provided to urban bus transit companies.

Role of International Oil Companies in the Net-Zero Emission Energy Transition.

Scientific and engineering capabilities in hydrocarbon supply chains developed over decades in international oil and gas companies (IOCs) uniquely position these companies to drive rapid scale-up and transition to a net-zero emission economy. Flexible large-scale production of energy carriers such as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, and other synthetic fuels produced with low- or zero-emission renewable power, nuclear energy, or hydrogen derived from natural gas with carbon capture and storage will enable long-distance transport and permanent storage options for clean energy. Use of energy carriers can overcome the inherent constraints of a fully electrified energy system by providing the energy and power densities, as well as transport and storage capacity, required to achieve energy supply and security in a net-zero emission economy, and over time allow optimization to the lowest cost for a consumer anywhere on the globe.