IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/trapol/v171y2025icp867-881.html

How far to allocate feeder transport to metro effectively? An empirical study in Xi'an, China

Author

Listed:
  • Yang, Liu
  • Zhang, Tieyue
  • Wang, Yuanqing
  • Lian, Yujun
  • Wang, Yang
  • Liu, Yuanyuan
  • Zhao, Heng
  • Yuan, Yutong
  • Zhou, Dinghui

Abstract

Metro construction has encouraged transport emission reductions in the recent decade. Analyzing access/egress distance to station is crucial for transport planning and implementation. In the recent contexts of fast metro construction and advancing information and networking technologies, various feeder transport emerged and access/egress distances to metro extended a lot, but few studies modeled metro mode share variation by access/egress distance. To determine the focus metro catchment area for effective feeder transport allocation, this study explores the threshold range of access/egress distance by walking, biking, bus and park-and-ride. The data comes from a sampling survey of household travel in Xi'an. The results show that, within a 3-km radius of the stations, metro mode shares decrease quickly from 16-23 % to 2–3 %. Beyond this distance, the decreasing rates become quite small. The bus-metro transfer distance can be extended to 6 km in the suburbs. For the effective and economical feeder transport allocation, a 3-km radius of the station is the focus area. The average elasticity of access/egress distance to metro mode share is −0.644 and −1.445, respectively in the central urban area and the suburb, indicating a larger variation compared with the result of −0.29 in North America. The number of parking lots within 50 m of the station is a critical factor for park-and-ride. We recommend providing diverse feeder bus operations and allocating the dedicated and human-oriented walking/cycling lanes within a 3-km radius of the station. In the suburbs, feeder buses can be extended to a longer range, about 6-km radius of the station according to the local demands. We suggest providing park-and-ride facilities within 50 m of the station and simultaneously encouraging shared parking lots. These planning suggestions can promote an efficient access to metro station pattern, optimize urban transport system's performance, and ultimately, obtain the low-carbon and sustainable transport development goal.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang, Liu & Zhang, Tieyue & Wang, Yuanqing & Lian, Yujun & Wang, Yang & Liu, Yuanyuan & Zhao, Heng & Yuan, Yutong & Zhou, Dinghui, 2025. "How far to allocate feeder transport to metro effectively? An empirical study in Xi'an, China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 867-881.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:171:y:2025:i:c:p:867-881
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2025.07.015
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X25002689
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.tranpol.2025.07.015?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bhat, Chandra R., 2000. "A multi-level cross-classified model for discrete response variables," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 567-582, September.
    2. Yang, Jiawen & Su, Pinren & Cao, Jason, 2020. "On the importance of Shenzhen metro transit to land development and threshold effect," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 1-11.
    3. Robert Cervero, 2007. "Transit-Oriented Development's Ridership Bonus: A Product of Self-Selection and Public Policies," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 39(9), pages 2068-2085, September.
    4. Kuby, Michael & Barranda, Anthony & Upchurch, Christopher, 2004. "Factors influencing light-rail station boardings in the United States," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 223-247, March.
    5. Wang, Donggen & Chai, Yanwei & Li, Fei, 2011. "Built environment diversities and activity–travel behaviour variations in Beijing, China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 1173-1186.
    6. Yang, Jiawen & Chen, Junxian & Le, Xiaohui & Zhang, Qin, 2016. "Density-oriented versus development-oriented transit investment: Decoding metro station location selection in Shenzhen," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 93-102.
    7. Tian, Guang & Ewing, Reid & Li, Han, 2023. "Exploring the influences of ride-hailing services on VMT and transit usage – Evidence from California," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    8. Huang, Xiaoyan & Cao, Xinyu (Jason) & Cao, Xiaoshu & Yin, Jiangbin, 2016. "How does the propensity of living near rail transit moderate the influence of rail transit on transit trip frequency in Xi'an?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 194-204.
    9. Li, Wenxiang & Chen, Shawen & Dong, Jieshuang & Wu, Jingxian, 2021. "Exploring the spatial variations of transfer distances between dockless bike-sharing systems and metros," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    10. Tao, Tao & Cao, Jason, 2024. "Ineffective built environment interventions: How to reduce driving in American suburbs?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    11. Ding, Chuan & Cao, Xinyu, 2019. "How does the built environment at residential and work locations affect car ownership? An application of cross-classified multilevel model," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 37-45.
    12. Marlon G. Boarnet & Xize Wang & Douglas Houston, 2017. "Can New Light Rail Reduce Personal Vehicle Carbon Emissions? A Before‐After, Experimental‐Control Evaluation In Los Angeles," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(3), pages 523-539, June.
    13. Sun, Ran & Fan, Yueyue, 2024. "Stochastic OD demand estimation using stochastic programming," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    14. repec:osf:socarx:qvwpg_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Hu, Songhua & Chen, Mingyang & Jiang, Yuan & Sun, Wei & Xiong, Chenfeng, 2022. "Examining factors associated with bike-and-ride (BnR) activities around metro stations in large-scale dockless bikesharing systems," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    16. Nasri, Arefeh & Zhang, Lei, 2014. "The analysis of transit-oriented development (TOD) in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan areas," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 172-179.
    17. Cristian David Correa-Álvarez & Juan Carlos Salazar-Uribe & Luis Raúl Pericchi-Guerra, 2023. "Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models: a case study applied to the results of two questionnaires administered to university students," Computational Statistics, Springer, vol. 38(4), pages 1791-1810, December.
    18. Shen, Qing & Chen, Peng & Pan, Haixiao, 2016. "Factors affecting car ownership and mode choice in rail transit-supported suburbs of a large Chinese city," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 31-44.
    19. Boarnet, Marlon G. & Wang, Xize & Houston, Douglas, 2017. "Can New Light Rail Reduce Personal Vehicle Carbon Emissions? A Before-After, Experimental-Control Evaluation in Los Angeles," SocArXiv qvwpg, Center for Open Science.
    20. Gan, Zuoxian & Yang, Min & Zeng, Qingcheng & Timmermans, Harry J.P., 2021. "Associations between built environment, perceived walkability/bikeability and metro transfer patterns," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 171-187.
    21. Shao, Qifan & Zhang, Wenjia & Cao, Xinyu & Yang, Jiawen & Yin, Jie, 2020. "Threshold and moderating effects of land use on metro ridership in Shenzhen: Implications for TOD planning," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    22. Wu, Xueying & Lu, Yi & Gong, Yongxi & Kang, Yuhao & Yang, Linchuan & Gou, Zhonghua, 2021. "The impacts of the built environment on bicycle-metro transfer trips: A new method to delineate metro catchment area based on people's actual cycling space," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    23. Liu Yang & Yuanqing Wang & Yujun Lian & Zhongming Guo & Yuanyuan Liu & Zhouhao Wu & Tieyue Zhang, 2022. "Key Factors, Planning Strategy and Policy for Low-Carbon Transport Development in Developing Cities of China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-14, October.
    24. Zhao, Pengjun & Li, Shengxiao, 2017. "Bicycle-metro integration in a growing city: The determinants of cycling as a transfer mode in metro station areas in Beijing," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 46-60.
    25. Jennifer Day & Robert Cervero, 2010. "Effects of Residential Relocation on Household and Commuting Expenditures in Shanghai, China," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(4), pages 762-788, December.
    26. Ding, Chuan & Cao, Xinyu & Yu, Bin & Ju, Yang, 2021. "Non-linear associations between zonal built environment attributes and transit commuting mode choice accounting for spatial heterogeneity," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 22-35.
    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. Bi, Hui & Gao, Hui & Li, Aoyong & Ye, Zhirui, 2024. "Using topic modeling to unravel the nuanced effects of built environment on bicycle-metro integrated usage," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    2. Liu, Yang & Feng, Tao & Shi, Zhuangbin & He, Mingwei, 2022. "Understanding the route choice behaviour of metro-bikeshare users," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 460-475.
    3. Zhou, Xingang & Zhao, Zhouye & Fu, Wenyan & Huang, Zhengdong & Yao, Yao & Huang, Yongqiao & Zhang, Yongping, 2024. "The impact of heterogeneous accessibility to metro stations on land use changes in a bike-sharing context," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    4. Zhang, Yuan & Chen, Xiao-Jian & Gao, Song & Gong, Yongxi & Liu, Yu, 2024. "Integrating smart card records and dockless bike-sharing data to understand the effect of the built environment on cycling as a feeder mode for metro trips," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    5. Liu Yang & Yuanqing Wang & Yujun Lian & Zhongming Guo & Yuanyuan Liu & Zhouhao Wu & Tieyue Zhang, 2022. "Key Factors, Planning Strategy and Policy for Low-Carbon Transport Development in Developing Cities of China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-14, October.
    6. Liu, Xiang & Chen, Xiaohong & Tian, Mingshu & De Vos, Jonas, 2023. "Effects of buffer size on associations between the built environment and metro ridership: A machine learning-based sensitive analysis," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    7. Wang, Jingjing & Lu, Yi & Yang, Yiyang & Peng, Jiandong & Liu, Ye & Yang, Linchuan, 2023. "Influence of a new rail transit line on travel behavior: Evidence from repeated cross-sectional surveys in Hong Kong," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    8. Lan Wu & Xiaorui Yuan & Chaoyin Yin & Ming Yang & Hongjian Ouyang, 2023. "Car Ownership Behavior Model Considering Nonlinear Impacts of Multi-Scale Built Environment Characteristics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-14, June.
    9. Ding, Chuan & Cao, Xinyu & Yu, Bin & Ju, Yang, 2021. "Non-linear associations between zonal built environment attributes and transit commuting mode choice accounting for spatial heterogeneity," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 22-35.
    10. Yang, Jiawen & Cao, Jason & Zhou, Yufei, 2021. "Elaborating non-linear associations and synergies of subway access and land uses with urban vitality in Shenzhen," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 74-88.
    11. Wu, Xueying & Lu, Yi & Gong, Yongxi & Kang, Yuhao & Yang, Linchuan & Gou, Zhonghua, 2021. "The impacts of the built environment on bicycle-metro transfer trips: A new method to delineate metro catchment area based on people's actual cycling space," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    12. Ibraeva, Anna & Van Wee, Bert & Correia, Gonçalo Homem de Almeida & Pais Antunes, António, 2021. "Longitudinal macro-analysis of car-use changes resulting from a TOD-type project: The case of Metro do Porto (Portugal)," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    13. Zhesong Hao & Ying Peng, 2022. "Comparing Nonlinear and Threshold Effects of Bus Stop Proximity on Transit Use and Carbon Emissions in Developing Cities," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-21, December.
    14. Zhou, Meng & Huang, Chuqi & Yang, Yuhan & Cao, Jason & Huang, Sixian, 2025. "Exploring the nonlinear association between bike-sharing and household car ownership in Shenzhen, China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    15. Zhao, Pengjun & Zhang, Yixue, 2018. "Travel behaviour and life course: Examining changes in car use after residential relocation in Beijing," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 41-53.
    16. Ding, Chuan & Zhou, Xinyu & Jason Cao, Xinyu & Yang, Jiawen, 2023. "Spatial and mediation analysis of the influences of residential and workplace built environments on commuting by car," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    17. Chan, Tommy Ho-Yin, 2025. "Socio-material perspectives on perceived accessibility of cycling: A sociological inquiry into practices, regulations and informal rules," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    18. Wang, Xiaoquan & Han, Jiaxin & Yin, Chaoying & Shao, Chunfu & Zhang, Junyi, 2025. "Built environment and travel satisfaction revisited: Differences between consonant and dissonant travelers," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    19. Ibraeva, Anna & Correia, Gonçalo Homem de Almeida & Silva, Cecília & Antunes, António Pais, 2020. "Transit-oriented development: A review of research achievements and challenges," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 110-130.
    20. Wang, Xiaoquan & Yin, Chaoying & Zhang, Junyi & Shao, Chunfu & Wang, Shengyou, 2021. "Nonlinear effects of residential and workplace built environment on car dependence," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:eee:trapol:v:171:y:2025:i:c:p:867-881. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30473/description#description .

    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.