Assessing a Model for Optimal Bus Stop Spacing with High-Resolution Archived Stop-Level Data

Abstract

With increasing attention given to performance and financial issues related to the operation of public transportation systems, tools are needed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of service offerings. High-resolution archived stop-level bus performance data can be used to generate and test a bus stop spacing model with the goal of minimizing operating cost while maintaining a high degree of transit accessibility. Two cost components are considered in the spacing model: passenger access cost and in-vehicle passenger stopping cost. These are combined and optimized to minimize total cost. A case study was made of a bus route in Portland, Oregon, by using 1 year of stop-level archived data from the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, the regional transit provider of the Portland metropolitan area. The case study indicates that the theoretical optimized bus stop spacing is 1,200 ft, compared with the current value of 950 ft. Trade-offs are discussed, and an estimate is presented of transit operating cost savings based on optimized spacing. It is shown that because of availability of high-resolution archived data, this modeling tool can be applied routinely across multiple routes as part of an ongoing service-planning and performance-measurement process.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Furth

, Mekuria

, and SanClemente

J. L.

Stop Spacing Analysis Using Geographic Information System Tools with Parcel and Street Network Data. In Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2034, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2007, pp. 73–81.

Ammons

D. N.

Municipal Benchmarks: Assessing Local Performance and Establishing Community Standards. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, Calif., 2001.

Reilly

J. M.

Transit Service Design and Operation Practices in Western European Countries. In Transportation Research Record 1604, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1997, pp. 3–8.

Benn

Bus Route Evaluation Standards. Presented at 74th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington D.C., 1995.

Furth

P. G.

, and Rahbee

A. B.

Optimal Bus Stop Spacing Through Dynamic Programming and Geographic Modeling. In Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 1731, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2000, pp. 15–22.

Fitzpatrick

, Hall

, Perdinson

, and Nowlin

TCRP Report 19: Guidelines for the Location and Design of Bus Stops. TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1996.

NCHRP Synthesis of Highway Practice 69: Bus Route and Schedule Guidelines. TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1980.

Saka

Model for Determining Optimum Bus-Stop Spacing in Urban Areas.

Journal of Transportation Engineering, Vol. 127, No. 3, May/June 2001, pp. 195–199.

El-Geneidy

A. M.

, Strathman

J. G.

, Kimpel

T. J.

, and Crout

D. T.

Effects of Bus Stop Consolidation on Passenger Activity and Transit Operations. In Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 1971, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2006, pp. 32–41.

10.

Newell

G. F.

Lecture Notes on Public Transportation. University of California at Berkeley, 1994.

11.

Wirasinghe

S. C.

, and Ghoneim

N. S.

Spacing of Bus Stop for Many to Many Travel Demand.

Transportation Science, Vol. 15, No. 3, 1981, pp. 210–221.

12.

Murray

A Coverage Model for Improving Public Transit System Accessibility and Expanding Access.

Annals of Operations Research, Vol. 123, No. 1, 2003, pp. 143–156.

13.

van Nes

, and Bovy

P. H. L.

Importance of Objectives in Urban Transit-Network Design. In Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 1735, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 2000, pp. 25–34.

14.

Vuchic

, and Newell

Rapid Transit Interstation Spacings for Minimum Travel Time.

Transportation Science, Vol. 2, No. 2, 1968, pp. 303–339.

15.

Chien

S. I.

, Qin

, and Liu

Optimal Bus Stop Locations for Improving Transit Accessibility. Presented at 82nd Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2003.

16.

Kuah

G. K.

, and Perl

Optimization of Feeder Bus Routes and Bus Stop Spacing.

Journal of Transportation Engineering, Vol. 114, No. 3, 1988, pp. 341–354.

17.

Murray

, and Wu

Accessibility Tradeoffs in Public Transit Planning.

Journal of Geographical Systems, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2003, pp. 93–107.

18.

Kittelson & Associates,. Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual. U.S. Department of Transportation, 2003.

19.

Bertini

R. L.

, and El-Geneidy

Modeling Transit Trip Time using Archived Bus Dispatch System Data.

Journal of Transportation Engineering, Vol. 130, No. 1, Jan./Feb. 2004, pp. 56–67.

20.

Berkow

, Chee

, Bertini

R. L.

, and Monsere

Transit Performance Measurement and Arterial Travel Time Estimation Using Archived AVL Data. Presented at ITE District 6 Annual Meeting, July 2007.

21.

Bertini

R. L.

, and El-Geneidy

Generating Transit Performance Measures Using Archived Data. In Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 1841, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington D.C., 2003, pp. 109–119.

22.

TDM Encyclopedia. Victoria Transport Policy Institute. www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm62.htm#_Toc135020075.

23.

TriMet Service Standards. Tri-County Metropolitan District of Oregon, Portland, 1989.

24.

Saka

A. A.

Effect of Bus-Stop Spacing on Mobile Emissions in Urban Areas. Presented at 82nd Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2003.