Intercity Public Transport Research Articles

The Incorporation of Passenger Connectivity and Intermodal Considerations in Intercity Transport Planning

Congested road and air networks, coupled with the idea that transport systems should be balanced, have spawned the field of intercity intermodal passenger transport which is based on travel across connected networks that is as seamless as possible. There is a very large number of attributes that affect the objective and subjective quality of travel. Intercity public transport planning therefore requires an excellent understanding of connections between different services and how the quality of these connections affects passengers, operators and the society at large. This article reviews the vast literature over the last 20 years from Europe, North America and Asia that is related to intercity travel, the connectivity of transport and cooperation between different modes of transport and presents a simple yet powerful way to perceive connected transport systems. The article then reviews planning practice at a variety of states worldwide, and suggests a set of focus areas of research or gaps that once filled, the authors expect, will allow further development of connected intercity passenger travel.

VEHICLE ROUTING FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT WITH ADAPTED SIMULATED ANNEALING

This paper presents an Adapted Simulated Annealing (ASA) algorithm to solve an instance of the vehicle routing problem (VRP): the intercity public transport problem (IPTP). This combinatorial optimization problem was effectively solved by means of a robust method. Its performance was achieved thanks to the incorporation of an auxiliary memory and a novel choice of the neighbours. The model is based on initial random solutions capable of generating appropriate bus routes and frequencies in a large solution space. We have established a search strategy that provides excellent responses at the process level. The intercity line linking Bahía Blanca and Punta Alta was chosen with the intention of evaluating ASA performance. The real trafficbehavior has been represented by means of the simulation software called SUMO. The computational results clearly indicate that the proposed approach constitutes an improvement in the ability to search for high quality solutions that facilitates the convergence.

Passengers’ Perception of Service Quality of Intercity Public Transport: A Banjarmasin Case Study

Difference in perception frequently occurs between the service quality provided by the provider of public transport services and the passengers' expectation. The objective of this research was to identify the level of passengers' satisfaction of the service quality provided by intercity public transport in Banjarmasin. Furthermore, from the identification results, strategy priority on the service quality improvement was determined. An assessment of satisfaction and performance was divided into five determinants (reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy, and responsiveness) which were described in 16 attributes of service quality. The attribute data were the results of the central tendency testing by using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The assessment technique approach was subsequently used Importance-Performance analysis. From the analysis result, it is found that the service quality as the major priority for improvement are: (1) reliability includes arrival punctuality of intercity public transport in destination cities, (2) assurance includes security and safety of luggage and passengers guarantee, and the employees' friendliness in giving service, as well as (3) tangibles, especially for passengers' comfort on the vehicles. In addition, the performance that should be improved (low priority) is the attributes of the availability of complete supporting facilities and guarantee to problem solving.

Pricing Strategy of Public and Individual Competition Transportation System

In the inter-city traffic modes, individual traffic (one person per car) and public transport are the most prevailing means of transportation which have access to the same traffic route. The two traffic modes intervene with each other and result in transport bottlenecks frequently. Based on the above practical situation in the urban traffic, this paper develops the model of transport bottlenecks. This essay establishes the generalized travel cost models of these two traffic modes respectively. The essay analyses the balance point between public transport and individual traffic. It deduces and compares the change of traffic flow and travel cost of individual traffic and that of public transport under static and dynamic pricing policies. This paper deepens people’s understanding of the issues on division of competitive system. Based on the analysis, the paper proposes that from the perspective of sustainable development the government should guide passengers to choose the appropriate traffic mode and adopt the policy of dynamic toll to promote the sustainable development in the area.

Inter-City Public Transportation Pricing Based on Game Theory Analysis

Rail transit system and buses are the two main modes of public passenger transportation between adjacent cities in China. The development of public transport system and especially that of the rail transit may promote the sustainable development of the region. According to principle of utility maximization, this paper predicts passengers’ traffic mode choices based on evaluation model of passenger’s general traffic expenses. This paper analyzes the game relation of pricing between Rail Company and Bus Company on the condition of free competition from the perspective of maximizations of profit. It presents the model of public transportation pricing strategy and the model of subsidy policy in two situations respectively, which are when government subsides public transportation and when government does not. This paper provides basis for related administrative departments to make policies on sustainable transport pricing.

Influencing Intercity Mode Choice Behavior in Libya

Libya is one of the rich developing countries out of oil revenues. The discovery of oil contributed to a dramatic change and a burden on all public utilities and facilities, especially the transportation system. Increased traffic congestion, road accidents on intercity highways, and environment pollution have been the negative impacts. The time is ripe for a policy to simultaneously improve intercity public transport and control car ownership. The current study is to identify trip-influential parameters and their countermeasures to shift travel modes. The shift may be caused by a reduction in airplane and intercity bus travel time and cost. The suitability of intercity mode choice models and travel reasons are to investigate. The collection of data is conducted through revealed and stated preference surveys handed out to intercity travelers between four major cities in Libya. Their demographic details are highly important. Based on such details, mode choice behavior and discrete choice models will be developed. The results are hoped to assist decision-makers on all levels to allocate resources wisely to public transportation improvement.

A soft computing method of performance evaluation with MCDM based on interval-valued fuzzy numbers

This study presented a new performance evaluation method for tackling fuzzy multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) problems based on combining VIKOR and interval-valued fuzzy sets. The performance evaluation problem often exists in complex administrative processes in which multiple evaluation criteria, subjective/objective assessments and fuzzy conditions have to be taken into consideration simultaneously in management. Here, the subjective, imprecise, inexact and uncertain evaluation processes are modeled as fuzzy numbers by means of linguistic terms, as fuzzy theory can provide an appropriate tool to deal with such uncertainties. However, the presentation of linguistic expressions in the form of ordinary fuzzy sets is not clear enough [15,21]. Interval-valued fuzzy sets can provide more flexibility [4,14] to represent the imprecise/vague information that results, and it can also provide a more accurate modeling. This paper presents the interval-valued fuzzy VIKOR, which aims to solve MCDM problems in which the weights and performances of criteria are unequal by using the concepts of interval-valued fuzzy sets. A case study for evaluating the performances of three major intercity bus companies from an intercity public transport system is conducted to illustrate the effectiveness of the method.

A Calculation System for Indexes of Traveling Time with Inter City Public Transportation

A Calculation System for Indexes of Traveling Time with Inter City Public Transportation

Regulating Public Transit Networks: How do Urban-Intercity Diversification and Speed-up Measures Affect Firms' Cost Performance?

Empirical studies on the cost structure of Public Transit Networks are mainly based on specialized firms providing urban or intercity services. In this study we estimate a translogarithmic variable cost function to assess the behaviour of returns to scale and the impact of network characteristics. The analysis is based on a sample of 45 Italian municipal companies observed from 1996 to 1998 and including both specialized and mixed transit operators. Results confirm previous evidence on the existence of natural monopoly in the industry and support a regulation introducing competitive tenders to access to the market. In addition, we provide insights about the advantages associated with urban-intercity diversification and with the improvement of network commercial speed. Cost benefits can then be achieved by promoting mergers between neighbouring firms, so as to create new companies operating on integrated local networks and supplying in combination urban and intercity public transport. Implications of such a strategy for the design of tender mechanisms are also underlined, together with the need for a regulatory policy which takes more care of speed-up measures.

The demand for intercity public transport: the case of business passengers

Using a stated preference survey on business passengers travelling by rail or air between the two largest cities in Sweden, business passengers' preferences for different modes of transport and their corresponding attributes are investigated. Compared to what previous studies have found, the values put on attributes are very high, this including the environmental impact of the modes. This is largely explained by the fact that business passengers do not bear the cost of the trip, but still have the possibility of deciding the mode of transport. The usefulness of a more flexible specification of the demand for transport is explored using a random parameter logit model. It is found that there is a gain in using a random parameter model compared to a standard logit model, in the sense that it provides richer information about passengers' preferences. However, no consistent pattern is found in the differences in willingness to pay for attributes between the econometric specifications.

Access to Intercity Public Transportation Services from Small Communities: Geospatial Analysis

The U.S. Department of Transportation currently is evaluating national transportation policy on the role the federal government should play to improve access to intercity public transportation services from smaller communities and rural areas. An important first step in this evaluation is to determine the size and location of underserved markets. This question is particularly well suited to the kind of spatial analysis that is possible through geographic information systems (GIS) technology. Presented are the results of a geospatial analysis to identify those places that do not have reasonable access to intercity public transportation services and the potential impact of that lack of access on the people living in those places. By using national level, geospatial databases of intercity public transportation access points and locations of places defined in the 1990 census, the analysis employed GIS to create buffers of specified distances around each access point to find those places located beyond the buffers. A total of 443 places with populations between 2,500 and 50,000 were found to lie beyond a reasonable access distance to any intercity public transportation service. Those places are located predominantly in the rural Midwest, Appalachia, and the Mississippi Delta and along the Texas-Oklahoma border.

Intercity Rail Fixed-Interval, Timed-Transfer, Multihub System: Applicability of the Integraler Taktfahrplan Strategy to North America

The Integraler Taktfahrplan (ITF) strategy for coordinating intercity rail and other modes at multiple timed-transfer hubs is described. The ongoing Swiss experience in establishing a countrywide ITF system is presented, and the ITF strategy is applied to North America, using a region within the United States. The Swiss Rail + Bus 2000 Plan will bring all intercity public transportation modes into a comprehensive fixed-interval, timed-transfer, multihub system, including high-speed intercity trains, regular intercity and regional trains, buses, ferries, and funiculars. Timed connections with urban transit systems will be provided. The repeating schedule, associated with the ITF strategy, allows for two powerful analysis and communication tools: ( a) a schedule map and ( b) symmetrical train graphs. The schedule map helps planning, marketing, scheduling, engineering, and operations work together as they iteratively design the system. The map, which graphically combines routes and schedules, is easy to understand and sell to policy makers and the public. Symmetrical train graphs help with the detailed engineering and cost-benefit analyses. The ITF strategy first develops the schedule on the basis of the potential market and then selects the most appropriate mode and infrastructure improvements to make any required travel-time savings needed for the timed transfers. Because a view of the system as a whole is provided, the benefits of a large capital investment or an ongoing operating subsidy can be properly weighed. For intercity passenger rail, this strategy provides a way to capitalize on the existing rail resources in a cost-effective manner: to build and fund only what is needed, but also to build and fund what is truly needed.