IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/pubtra/v15y2023i1d10.1007_s12469-022-00307-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Designing limited-stop bus services for minimizing operator and user costs under crowding conditions

Author

Listed:
  • Mohammad Sadrani

    (University of Isfahan
    Technical University of Munich)

  • Ahmad Reza Jafarian-Moghaddam

    (University of Isfahan)

  • Mohsen Aboutalebi Esfahani

    (University of Isfahan)

  • Amir Masoud Rahimi

    (University of Zanjan)

Abstract

Dwell time is the amount of time required for performing boarding and alighting activities at stops. Under peak-load conditions, the dwell time can significantly increase due to a higher friction between on-board passengers when alighting and boarding. The influence of on-board crowding on increasing dwell time is indisputable. Herein, we develop a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model to optimize limited-stop patterns for bus services to minimize user and operator costs. The number of non-stop consecutive buses authorized to skip a station and in-vehicle crowding conditions are explicitly considered in our modeling framework. The benefits of limited-stop bus services are mainly overestimated in previous studies that ignore such operating conditions. Moreover, a genetic algorithm is developed to solve the problem in real-world cases. The findings show that the implementation of a limited-stop bus service can reduce in-vehicle travel times for passengers and operating costs for bus agencies in all-demand cases. Nonetheless, it can increase waiting times for users whose origin or destination stations are skipped due to the implementation of limited-stop services. Thus, the desirability of a limited-stop service can decrease with the growth of the demand level.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohammad Sadrani & Ahmad Reza Jafarian-Moghaddam & Mohsen Aboutalebi Esfahani & Amir Masoud Rahimi, 2023. "Designing limited-stop bus services for minimizing operator and user costs under crowding conditions," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 97-128, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:pubtra:v:15:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s12469-022-00307-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s12469-022-00307-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12469-022-00307-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12469-022-00307-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jonathan M. Bunker, 2018. "High volume bus stop upstream average waiting time for working capacity and quality of service," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 311-333, August.
    2. Liping Ge & Stefan Voß & Lin Xie, 2022. "Robustness and disturbances in public transport," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 191-261, March.
    3. Tétreault, Paul R. & El-Geneidy, Ahmed M., 2010. "Estimating bus run times for new limited-stop service using archived AVL and APC data," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 44(6), pages 390-402, July.
    4. Cats, Oded & West, Jens & Eliasson, Jonas, 2016. "A dynamic stochastic model for evaluating congestion and crowding effects in transit systems," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 43-57.
    5. Sánchez-Martínez, G.E. & Koutsopoulos, H.N. & Wilson, N.H.M., 2016. "Real-time holding control for high-frequency transit with dynamics," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 1-19.
    6. Shinya Kikuchi & Vukan R. Vuchic, 1982. "Transit Vehicle Stopping Regimes and Spacings," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 16(3), pages 311-331, August.
    7. Mahmood Mahmoodi Nesheli & Siva Srikukenthiran & Amer Shalaby, 2022. "An optimization model for planning limited-stop transit operations," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 63-83, March.
    8. Wardman, Mark, 2004. "Public transport values of time," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 363-377, October.
    9. Wang, David Z.W. & Nayan, Ashish & Szeto, W.Y., 2018. "Optimal bus service design with limited stop services in a travel corridor," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 70-86.
    10. Andres, Matthias & Nair, Rahul, 2017. "A predictive-control framework to address bus bunching," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 123-148.
    11. Leiva, Carola & Muñoz, Juan Carlos & Giesen, Ricardo & Larrain, Homero, 2010. "Design of limited-stop services for an urban bus corridor with capacity constraints," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 44(10), pages 1186-1201, December.
    12. Gkiotsalitis, K. & Cats, O., 2021. "At-stop control measures in public transport: Literature review and research agenda," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    13. Wu, Weitiao & Liu, Ronghui & Jin, Wenzhou & Ma, Changxi, 2019. "Simulation-based robust optimization of limited-stop bus service with vehicle overtaking and dynamics: A response surface methodology," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 61-81.
    14. Chen, Jingxu & Liu, Zhiyuan & Zhu, Senlai & Wang, Wei, 2015. "Design of limited-stop bus service with capacity constraint and stochastic travel time," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 1-15.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Seda Yanık & Salim Yılmaz, 2023. "Optimal design of a bus route with short-turn services," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 169-197, March.
    2. Mahmood Mahmoodi Nesheli & Siva Srikukenthiran & Amer Shalaby, 2022. "An optimization model for planning limited-stop transit operations," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 63-83, March.
    3. Sadrani, Mohammad & Tirachini, Alejandro & Antoniou, Constantinos, 2022. "Vehicle dispatching plan for minimizing passenger waiting time in a corridor with buses of different sizes: Model formulation and solution approaches," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 299(1), pages 263-282.
    4. Hongguo Ren & Zhenbao Wang & Yanyan Chen, 2020. "Optimal Express Bus Routes Design with Limited-Stop Services for Long-Distance Commuters," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-14, February.
    5. Suman, Hemant & Larrain, Homero & Muñoz, Juan Carlos, 2021. "The impact of using a naïve approach in the limited-stop bus service design problem," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 45-61.
    6. Dai, Zhuang & Liu, Xiaoyue Cathy & Chen, Zhuo & Guo, Renyong & Ma, Xiaolei, 2019. "A predictive headway-based bus-holding strategy with dynamic control point selection: A cooperative game theory approach," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 29-51.
    7. Parbo, Jens & Nielsen, Otto A. & Prato, Carlo G., 2018. "Reducing passengers’ travel time by optimising stopping patterns in a large-scale network: A case-study in the Copenhagen Region," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 197-212.
    8. Chen, Jingxu & Liu, Zhiyuan & Zhu, Senlai & Wang, Wei, 2015. "Design of limited-stop bus service with capacity constraint and stochastic travel time," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 1-15.
    9. Gkiotsalitis, K. & Cats, O., 2021. "At-stop control measures in public transport: Literature review and research agenda," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    10. Tian, Qingyun & Wang, David Z.W. & Lin, Yun Hui, 2021. "Service operation design in a transit network with congested common lines," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 81-102.
    11. Chew, Joanne S.C. & Zhang, Lele & Gan, Heng S., 2019. "Optimizing limited-stop services with vehicle assignment," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 228-246.
    12. Vismara, Luca & Chew, Lock Yue & Saw, Vee-Liem, 2021. "Optimal assignment of buses to bus stops in a loop by reinforcement learning," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 583(C).
    13. Emily Grisé & Ahmed El-Geneidy, 2020. "Assessing operation and customer perception characteristics of high frequency local and limited-stop bus service in Vancouver, Canada," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 519-534, October.
    14. Wu, Weitiao & Liu, Ronghui & Jin, Wenzhou & Ma, Changxi, 2019. "Simulation-based robust optimization of limited-stop bus service with vehicle overtaking and dynamics: A response surface methodology," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 61-81.
    15. Liping Ge & Stefan Voß & Lin Xie, 2022. "Robustness and disturbances in public transport," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 191-261, March.
    16. Li, Shukai & Liu, Ronghui & Yang, Lixing & Gao, Ziyou, 2019. "Robust dynamic bus controls considering delay disturbances and passenger demand uncertainty," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 88-109.
    17. Wang, David Z.W. & Nayan, Ashish & Szeto, W.Y., 2018. "Optimal bus service design with limited stop services in a travel corridor," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 70-86.
    18. Hiroaki Nishiuchi & Yasuyuki Kobayashi & Tomoyuki Todoroki & Tomoya Kawasaki, 2018. "Impact analysis of reductions in tram services in rural areas in Japan using smart card data," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 291-309, August.
    19. Larrain, Homero & Muñoz, Juan Carlos & Giesen, Ricardo, 2015. "Generation and design heuristics for zonal express services," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 201-212.
    20. Iliopoulou, Christina & Makridis, Michail A., 2023. "Critical multi-link disruption identification for public transport networks: A multi-objective optimization framework," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 626(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public transport; Rush hours; In-vehicle crowding; Dwell time; Limited-stop service; Genetic algorithm;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:pubtra:v:15:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s12469-022-00307-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.