Transit Route Research Articles

Methodology for Selection of Sustainable Public Transit Routes: Case Study of Amman City, Jordan

A limited number of previous studies have focused on the selection of transportation routes considering sustainable development goals (SDGs). In this research, a methodology for selecting sustainable public transit (PT) routes is presented, consisting of generating a feasible initial route set, optimization, and assessment. Total welfare, road safety, and reduction in total emissions are indicators of the economic, social, and environmental dimensions, respectively. Based on the transportation model, the network structure, attributes, and emission rates are exported. The travel demand of PT is modified by modal share. Additionally, the safety performance function (SPF) is developed as a safety measure. Regarding optimization, the optimum routes are obtained by maximizing PT share and minimizing PT travel time. Then, the new routes are implemented, and the network is evaluated and compared with the existing scenario in light of sustainability indicators. The case study is Amman BRT. The results show that the new network is more sustainable than the existing BRT network and achieves better performance than the selected scenario of Amman city. The new network can reduce travel time by more than 13%, decrease total emissions by more than 17%, and alleviate the crash frequency by more than 14%.

Accessibility of methadone treatment via public transit for syringe services program participants in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Methadone is an opioid receptor agonist medication used in the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). Geographic distance to opioid treatment programs (OTPs) is a major barrier to treatment, given requirements for direct observation of dosing and periodic drug screens, and 'methadone treatment deserts' are defined as a public transit threshold of 30 minutes. The purpose of this study was to examine public transit access to methadone treatment for participants of a syringe services program (SSP) in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Public transit times were calculated using the R library r5r, which facilitates multi-modal transportation network routing. General Transit Feed Specification data was combined with street network data from OpenStreetMap for Miami-Dade County. Transit times were estimated from the population-weighted centroid of each zip code (n=79) with participants of Miami's only SSP (n=1597) to the nearest OTP (n=4) using 10 departure windows aligned with OTP service hours. The mean one-way transit time from zip codes with SSP participants in Miami-Dade County to the nearest OTP was 80 minutes. 75 of the 79 (95%) zip codes with SSP participants in Miami-Dade County have a mean transit time to the closest OTP greater than 30 minutes. Transit times differ substantially between zip codes with different numbers of SSP participants, but not between departure windows. Nearly all zip codes with SSP participants in Miami-Dade County can be classified as 'methadone treatment deserts'. Geographic isolation of methadone treatment from public transit routes represents a significant barrier to equitable OUD treatment.

Accessibility derivative: Measuring the accessibility contribution of public transit routes

Accessibility is one of the most essential objectives of public transit systems as the transit service’s useability and service quality. The accessibility of transit systems as a whole is well understood; however, it is still unclear how each route contributes to the system-wide accessibility. Meanwhile, with a higher risk of disruptions and more uncertainties from climate change and other disruptions, there is an urgent need to systematically study the impacts of service change with the contribution of each route to general accessibility. To address this gap, we introduce the accessibility derivative, a model-agnostic measure of the contribution of each route in a transit system. We define the derivative of a route as the systemwide change in accessibility after removing the route from the system. We demonstrate how to calculate the derivative numerically from widely available public transit schedule and automated passenger count data. The measure reflects the inherent structure of a transit system and reveals the impacts of potential route-level service changes. The results provide firsthand evidence on public transit assessment and planning, including performance assessment, schedule redesign, and planning transfers.

Simulation and Evaluating of Traffic Flow for Hillah City Using VISSIM and GIS Programs

Abstract The transportation network is crucial for modern society, with roads being essential for passenger and goods transportation. Al-Hillah, a highly congested center in Babylon province, experiences congestion due to its strategic location as a major transit route and the presence of vitality centers like education, commerce, and government. The main goals of this study are to evaluate the service level of the current traffic situation on the road network using the VISSIM software and to know the extent of the network’s connectivity using the GIS program. The whole length of the Hillah Road network as well as the number of nodes and linkages are among the data collected. These links represent major and minor arterials and vehicle movement surveys, both external and internal, from the center city for peak periods, vehicle classification, and geometric characteristics for each link and node in the network. Then a collection of parameters was computed for assessing the road network, which is considered one of the quantitative indicators used to measure network connectivity, such as β the index, α the index, γ the index and η the index. The results showed that the study sites operate with a high level of service LOS (F), and on the basis of this, some improvements were suggested to improve the level of service and reduce congestion.

Controlling the Period-Bubbling Route to Chaos

We describe the period-bubbling attractors, their generation mechanism and chaos control strategy in nonlinear, unidimensional and two-parameter-dependent discrete maps. A theorem for the occurrence of sequential period-bubbling attractors leading to chaos, is presented. It delineates the role of a geometric parameter in the formation of anti-monotonic periodic sequences of each iterate of such discrete maps. The appearances of different period bubbles in two distinct Gaussian and cubic maps are demonstrated in accordance to the theorem. The delimited chaos through period-bubbling route is suppressed by employing linear density feedback with a proportional constant. The study discloses that the period-bubbling transitional route in unidimensional map cannot be suppressed by adopting constant feedback, which is in contrast to the control of period-doubling route to chaos. In Gaussian and cubic maps, the period-bubbling routes to chaos are gradually collapsed for linear density feedbacks, with the enhancements of the feedback strength parameter k. Interestingly, at [Formula: see text], the feedback-influenced Gaussian map experiences tangent bifurcation and chaos can re-enter into its dynamics through that scenario for [Formula: see text]. The tangent bifurcation in the feedback-affected Gaussian map is explained mathematically. However, no such transitional exchange has been perceived in cubic map, for augmented values of the feedback strength parameter.

Nonlinear Relationship of Multi-Source Land Use Features with Temporal Travel Distances at Subway Station Level: Empirical Study from Xi’an City

The operation of the subway system necessitates a comprehensive understanding of passenger flow characteristics at station locations, as well as a keen awareness of the average travel distances at these stations. Moreover, the travel distances at the station level bear a direct relationship with the built environment composed of land use characteristics within the station’s catchment area. To this end, we selected the land use features within an 800 m radius of the station (land use area, distribution of points of interest, and the surrounding living environment) as the influencing factors, with the travel distances at peak hours on the subway network in Xi’an as the research subject. An improved SSA-XGBOOST-SHAP interpretable machine learning framework was established. The research findings demonstrate that the proposed enhanced model outperforms traditional machine learning or linear regression methods in terms of R-squared, MAE, and RMSE. Furthermore, the distance from the city center, road network density, the number of public transit routes, and the land use mix have a pronounced influence on travel distances, reflecting the significant impact that mature built environments can have on passenger attraction. Additionally, the analysis reveals a notable nonlinear relationship and threshold effect between the built environment variables comprising land use and the travel distances during peak hours. The research results provide data-driven support for operational strategy management and line capacity optimization, as well as theoretical underpinnings for enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of the entire subway system.

Reactive Synthesis for Porous (Mo2/3Y1/3)2AlC Ceramics through Mo, Y, Al and Graphite Powders.

Through an activation reaction sintering method, porous (Mo2/3Y1/3)2AlC ceramics were prepared by Mo, Y, Al, and graphite powders as raw materials. The phase composition, microstructure, element distribution, and pore structure characteristics were comprehensively studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Archimedes method, and bubble point method. A detailed investigation was conducted on the influence of sintering temperature on the phase composition. Possible routes of phase transition and pore formation mechanisms during the sintering process were provided. The experimental results reveal that at 650-850 °C, transition metals react with aluminum, forming aluminum-containing intermetallics and a small amount of carbides. At 850-1250 °C, transition metals collaborate with graphite, producing transition metal carbides. Then, at 1250-1450 °C, these aluminum intermetallics interact with transition metal carbides and remaining unreacted Y, Al, and C, yielding the final product (Mo2/3Y1/3) 2AlC. Simultaneously, the pore structure alters correspondingly with the solid-phase reaction at different reaction temperatures.

THE CHINA-KYRGYZSTAN-UZBEKISTAN RAILWAY: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES

This paper aims to analyse the causes and consequences of the China-Kyrgyzstan- Uzbekistan railway. The project is one of the most important and ambitious in the modern history of Central Asia. The construction of the railway will transform trade and transit routes in Eurasia. The paper argues that the start of the project was driven by internal, regional, and global factors. The expected benefits from the railway are significant for each participating country. Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan plan to develop their infrastructure, diversify exports, and penetrate new markets, while China diversifies its transit routes and deepens economic integration with Central Asia. However, the paper highlights that there are important risks related to the railway, and addressing these will increase the benefits of the project.

Влияние проекта «Великий шелковый путь» на внешнюю политику Турции

. In the modern world, control of transit and communication routes means significant geopolitical influence, in this regard, these routes include various transport and communication networks such as sea lanes, air corridors, land trade routes and internet cables. Control of these routes is of great importance both economically and strategically, therefore, each state prioritizes the control of these routes in its foreign policy. In this regard, Turkey is not an exception. The Ottoman state, the predecessor of the modern Republic of Turkey, considered it important to control the transit channels throughout history. Analyzing the geopolitical effects of the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul also allows us to understand the importance of controlling communication routes in the modern era. Currently, the new Great Silk Road project occupies an important place in Turkish foreign policy, as it will allow the country to strengthen its place in the system of international relations. In the article, research is conducted on the issues mentioned above and the results are discussed.

Running Late: Student Commutes and High School Tardiness in Baltimore City

In this study, we use estimated public transit routes for high school students in Baltimore City to predict the number of days they are late during the school year. We find that after adjusting for individual and school characteristics, school preferences, and neighborhood fixed effects, total travel time and transit use are not predictive of tardiness, but requiring a bus transfer is. These estimates do not vary by student or school characteristics, indicating that this is a general phenomenon that has more to do with system-level reliability than individual motivation or school climate. These findings highlight the hidden costs imposed on some students who wish to leave their neighborhood and travel across town for better educational opportunities.

Determining capacity flexibility of the urban transit network under different transit operation conditions

This paper proposes the capacity flexibility models of transit networks to describe the ability of urban transit networks to accommodate the changes in passenger demands. In order to keep the variations of the average passenger travel time in a reasonable way, the concept of coefficient of variation (CoV) is introduced to measure and limit the deviation from a baseline time of the average passenger travel time. The CoV could transform the capacity flexibility values to non-dimensional form in order to compare the capacity flexibility characteristics of different scale transit networks on an equal basis. The genetic algorithm with deep search (GA-DS) for this problem is proposed to find the approximating optimal solution of the capacity flexibility models more effectively. The algorithm has been tested with benchmark problems reported in the existing literature. The optimal solution of the flexibility models shows that the flexibility values are further improved by reducing the number of stops for transit routes under different transit operation conditions. At last, the influence factors of the capacity flexibility of transit systems are discussed to address reliable transit services.

Critical transitions on a route to chaos of natural convection on a heated horizontal circular surface

The transition route and bifurcations of the buoyant flows developing on a heated horizontal circular surface are elaborated using direct numerical simulations and direct stability analysis. A series of bifurcations, as a function of Rayleigh numbers ( $Ra$ ) ranging from $10^6$ to $6.0\times 10^7$ , are found on the route to chaos of the flows at $Pr=7$ . When $Ra<1.0\times 10^3$ , the buoyant flows above the heated horizontal surface are dominated by conduction, because of which the distinct thermal boundary layer and plume are not present. At $Ra=1.1\times 10^6$ , a Hopf bifurcation occurs, resulting in the flow transition from a steady state to a periodic puffing state. As $Ra$ increases further, the flow enters a periodic rotating state at $Ra=1.9\times 10^6$ , which is a unique state that was rarely discussed in the literature. These critical transitions, leaving from a steady state and subsequently entering a series of periodic states (puffing, rotating, flapping and period-doubling) and finally leading to chaos, are diagnosed using two-dimensional Fourier transforms. Moreover, direct stability analysis is conducted by introducing random numerical perturbations into the boundary condition of the surface heating. We find that when the state of a flow is in the vicinity of critical values (e.g. $Ra=2.0\times 10^6$ ), the flow is conditionally unstable to perturbations, and it can bifurcate from the rotating state to the flapping state in advance. However, for relatively stable flow states, such as at $Ra=1.5\times 10^6$ , the flow remains in its periodic puffing state even though it is being perturbed.

The influence of Turkish cuisine in Romania

Romania is a major country in south-eastern Europe, located in the northern region of the Balkans. Due to Romania's proximity to Western European countries and the transit routes that reach these countries, various peoples have settled in Romanian lands since ancient times. Between 1400 and 1878, the Ottoman Empire ruled Romania. The Turks brought their unique cuisine along with the other customs and traditions to the places they conquered. In Romania, and particularly in the Dobruja region, we see the interplay of Turkish names in kitchenware and food and drink.

CHINESE DEVELOPMENTS IN INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: AN ANALYSIS FROM SECURITY PRISM

Chinas growing strategic investment in the Indian subcontinent was a concern to India. Infrastructural investment of China in Indias neighbours indicated Chinas aggressive policy and agenda with India. Beijings investment was not only strategically significant but also reshaped political arrangements in the Indian Subcontinent. Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) aimed to create a Sino-centric global trading network and the realm of influence. For, India the Chinese strategic and infrastructural developments in the Indian subcontinent were an interest and concern – particularly the huge infrastructural project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which projected Pakistan as a transit hub and route for central Asia. Beijings growing economic and political influence in Indias neighbourhood could not be fully understood without a solid base of information. Indian apprehension is based on the assumption that economic and political avenues as the BRI creates for China in the IOR can also be utilised to supplement its military capability by facilitating the extension of PLANs operational reach across the region. India should also carefully analyse Chinese development activities in the neighbourhood and IOR from the security perspective and discern the futuristic plans of China.

Chimera states in fractional-order coupled Rayleigh oscillators

Chimera states, characterized by the coexistence of synchronized and desynchronized oscillators, have been extensively described via integer differential equations over the past few decades. However, it is still unclear whether and under which conditions chimera states will appear in terms of the coupled systems involving fractional derivatives. In this work, we investigate the chimera states of Rayleigh oscillators in the fractional-order systems with attractive and repulsive couplings. Firstly, we introduce the repulsive control factor and show the various transition routes from the desynchronized state to the incoherent oscillation death by altering this factor and the fractional-order derivatives. Then, it is demonstrated that as the coupling strength varies, a vast repertoire of interesting collective behaviors will emerge, such as synchronization, solitary state, traveling wave, traveling chimera, oscillatory cluster, imperfect traveling chimera state, imperfect amplitude chimera state, and chimera death. Finally, we discuss the effect of attractive and repulsive couplings and find that decreasing the repulsive control factor can reduce the repulsive interaction, allowing the attractive coupling to dominate and promote the emergence of the coherent state.

Ingenious approach for retrieving valuable metals from gypsum via dehydration–rehydration two-step phase transition

Retrieving valuable metals (VMs) from industrial waste is an attractive approach to reduce the continuous consumption of metallic resources and prevent the environmental contamination by heavy metals. However, metal extraction efficiencies are extremely low due to their entrapment in crystal lattices. Herein, a universal strategy for extracting VMs from gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O), a common industrial waste, was reported using a two-step phase transition of dehydration–rehydration; metal extraction was achieved by designing an appropriate phase transition route and controlling the phase transformation kinetics. As the phase transition route to CaSO4·0.5H2O (path-0.5) proceeded faster than that to CaSO4 (path-0), higher extraction efficiencies were realized for Cr (99.9%) and Cd (98.8%) from gypsum. Mechanistic investigations indicated that during the selected path-0.5 dehydration, water molecule loss from gypsum initiated a direct solid-state transformation, triggering the first rearrangement of local atoms and excluding partially incorporated metals from the CaSO4·0.5H2O lattice. The subsequent rehydration from CaSO4·0.5H2O to CaSO4·2H2O, with a phase transition rate faster than that of path-0, triggered the secondary atom rearrangement. The synergism between the two atomic rearrangements finally led to the complete release of trapped metals. Additionally, this strategy was used for retrieving other metals (e.g., Pb, Zn, Hg, As, and Sr) from gypsum, thereby potentially offering a new approach for designing an appropriate phase transition route for extracting VMs from other hydrous minerals.

Thermocapillary convection in a cuboid pool with a sidewall of different temperature sections

Thermocapillary convection in a liquid cuboid pool with a sidewall of different temperature sections is investigated using 3D numerical simulation. One half section of the sidewall is heated but the other cooled. Numerical simulation is performed for Marangoni number (Ma) from 100 to 4.0 × 106 with Prandtl number (Pr) of 28.6 and aspect ratios (Ah and Aw) of 0.43. A temperature field with a weak thermocapillary convection flow is dominated by conduction for small Ma. As Ma increases, the flow becomes stronger and reveals a complex transition route to a chaotic state with a series of bifurcations. It has been demonstrated that the symmetry of the temperature field breaks between Ma = 102 and 103. A Hopf bifurcation occurs between Ma = 8.0 × 105 and 9.0 × 105 in which the flow becomes periodic. As Ma increases further, a sequence of period-doubling bifurcations occurs between Ma = 2.78 × 106 and 2.95 × 106. Once Ma exceeds 3.0 × 106, the flow becomes chaotic. Typical thermocapillary convection flows in the pool are characterized with topological analyses, spectral analyses, attractors, Lyapunov exponents, and fractal dimensions. Furthermore, the heat and mass transfer in the cuboid pool have been investigated.

Streets classification models by urban features for road traffic noise estimation

Road traffic is the primary source of environmental noise pollution in cities. This problem is also spreading due to inadequate urban expansion planning. Hence, integrating road traffic noise analysis into urban planning is necessary for reducing city noise in an effective, adaptable, and sustainable way. This study aims to develop a methodology that applies to any city for the stratification of urban roads by their functionality through only their urban features. It is intended to be a tool to cluster similar streets and, consequently, traffic noise to enable urban and transportation planners to support the reduction of people's noise exposure. Three multivariate ordered logistic regression statistical models (Model 1, 2, and 3) are presented that significantly stratify urban roads into five, four, and three categories, respectively. The developed models exhibit a McFadden pseudo-R2 between 0.5 and 0.6 (equivalent to R2 >0.8). The choice between Model 1 or 2 depends on the scale of the city. Model 1 is recommended for developed cities with an extensive road network, while Model 2 is most suitable in intermediate and growing cities. On the other hand, Model 3 could be applied at any city scale but focused on local management of transit routes and for designing acoustic sensor installations, urban soundwalks, and identification of quiet areas. Urban features related to road width and length, presence of transport infrastructure, and public transport routes are associated with increased traffic noise in all three models. These models prove useful for future action plans aimed at reducing noise through strategic urban planning.

Competing or complimentary: Modeling transit ridership at route-level considering inter-route interdependencies

Transit routes in a network are often interdependent. Two or more transit routes complement or compete based on their spatial and temporal overlaps. Two routes complement each other if riders get to transfer from one route to another at a station. Two routes compete if they serve a common geographic stretch, giving the riders an option of choosing either one of them for their travel. When a new route is introduced by the transit agency, ridership on the existing routes changes too. Thus, it is important to assess inter-route relationships and their effect on transit ridership at route-level for better predictions. This research develops a route-level transit ridership model that is capable of capturing the effect of inter-route relationships in a transit network in addition to commonly used explanatory variables. Route-level ridership data were collected from the transit agency of the city of Gainesville, Florida (USA). For the city of Gainesville, model results showed that routes that share up to nine transit stops in a stretch have complementary relationship. However, when the number of common stops increases to 10 or more, routes start to compete. With every 10% increase in the supply of the routes that share ten or more transit stops with the subject route, logarithm of the monthly ridership on the subject route decreases by 0.96%.

Oral histories of domestic heating transitions in England and Sweden: lessons on how heating transitions play out across place and time

Over the last seventy years, most European countries have undergone one or more transitions in home heating provision. Moving first away from burning solid fuels and towards communal or individual central heating systems and now towards low carbon electric heating systems. Heating transitions are awash with personal, social and cultural complexity but tend to be simplified into grand narratives that tell simple stories of technological triumph. Through analysis of 21 oral histories gathered across England and Sweden, we look beyond the techno-economic dimensions of heating transitions to understand how they play out in diverse ways in everyday life over time, producing different experiences and outcomes (socially, culturally, financially) across places and social groups. We reveal similarities and divergences between the outcomes associated with different heating transition routes pursued in each country, underlining the long-lasting consequences of heating change. The research reported in this article received full ethics approval from the University Research Ethics Committees at Sheffield Hallam University and Lund University. Informed, written consent was obtained from all research participants.