Analysis and operational challenges of dynamic ride sharing demand responsive transportation models

There is a wide body of evidence that suggests sustainable mobility is not only a technological question, but that automotive technology will be a part of the solution in becoming a necessary albeit insufficient condition. Sufficiency is emerging as a paradigm shift from car ownership to vehicle usage, which is a consequence of socio-economic changes. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) now make it possible for a user to access a mobility service to go anywhere at any time. Among the many emerging mobility services, Multiple Passenger Ridesharing and its variants look the most promising. However, challenges arise in implementing these systems while accounting specifically for time dependencies and time windows that reflect users’ needs, specifically in terms of real-time fleet dispatching and dynamic route calculation. On the other hand, we must consider the feasibility and impact analysis of the many factors influencing the behavior of the system – as, for example, service demand, the size of the service fleet, the capacity of the shared vehicles and whether the time window requirements are soft or tight. This paper analyzes - a Decision Support System that computes solutions with ad hoc heuristics applied to variants of Pick Up and Delivery Problems with Time Windows, as well as to Feasibility and Profitability criteria rooted in Dynamic Insertion Heuristics. To evaluate the applications, a Simulation Framework is proposed. It is based on a microscopic simulation model that emulates real-time traffic conditions and a real traffic information system. It also interacts with the Decision Support System by feeding it with the required data for making decisions in the simulation that emulate the behavior of the shared fleet. The proposed simulation framework has been implemented in a model of Barcelona’s Central Business District. The obtained results prove the potential feasibility of the mobility concept.Postprint (published version

Mass transit options

Choices on public transit options are choices about a city's future. Will there be congestion? Will there be high levels of air and noise pollution? Will transport be affordable? Will services be available to all? The type of public transit system will have a big impact on the answers to these questions. This module aims to provide policy-makers in developing cities - and those advising them - with guidance on choosing appropriate Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) systems. The module begins by briefly describing some basic concepts and defining features of MRT in developing cities. Current applications of each of the main MRT options are then described, focusing on applications in developing cities. Since Metros and Light Rail Transit are still relatively uncommon in low income developing cities, most of this discussion focuses on the recent development of Bus Rapid Transit systems throughout the world

Travel Behaviour Response to Major Transport System Disruptions: Implications for Smarter Resilience Planning

No abstract available

Low cost air travel : social inclusion or social exclusion?

The low-cost revolution that has impacted upon North America, Western Europe, and, increasingly, other parts of the world, is, on initial examination, a development that has created opportunity for wider travel for all sectors of the community. This is certainly true in terms of price in that the impact of the emergence of low-cost carriers on major, generally short-haul, air routes has been to reduce headline prices significantly across all service providers. However, there are operating features within low-cost air travel which, notwithstanding price, may create barriers to access for some sections of the community. This article looks at the operating features of low-cost airlines and evaluates these in terms of social exclusion criteria. Based on an exploratory study of consumers in Glasgow, Scotland, the article concludes that access to low-cost airlines is considerably easier in both practical and perceptual terms for consumers with a flexible relationship to working and leisure time, and also access to the technology and financial systems required to avail of the best travel opportunities

Testing demand responsive shared transport services via agent-based simulations

Demand Responsive Shared Transport DRST services take advantage of Information and Communication Technologies ICT, to provide on demand transport services booking in real time a ride on a shared vehicle. In this paper, an agent-based model ABM is presented to test different the feasibility of different service configurations in a real context. First results show the impact of route choice strategy on the system performance

Latin American busways: Moving people not cars

The rapid growth of Latin America urban centres beginning in the 1970s placed a heavy strain upon urban transport service providers. Facing high population growth from a citizenry dependent upon public transport and having limited financial resources to develop car-based infrastructure, Latin American municipal planners were challenged to create a new transport paradigm. One ingenious response to this dilemma was the busway, a surface metro system that utilizes exclusive right-of-way bus lanes. The developers of the Latin American busways astutely observed that the ultimate objective was to swiftly, efficiently, and cost-effectively move people rather than cars. Examples of innovative busway systems are presented from Curitiba, Bogota, Porto Alegre, Quito, and Sao Paulo. The low cost, flexibility, and speed of the exclusive busways all contribute to extremely high levels of customer satisfaction. Innovative approaches to the design of busway loading stations and simplified ticketing have also helped to reduce operating costs and improve customer flows. Additionally, clear system maps, colour-coded routing, system safety and cleanliness, and superior customer service have helped direct consumer preference towards the busway. The success of busways has also proved that costly subway systems or uncontrolled sprawl are not the only options available to municipal planners. The Latin American busway corridors provide high peak capacities that permit busway corridors to serve the transit requirements of most medium to large-sized cities. When integrated with progressive land-use policies, busways can also form the basis of more sustainable urban design by encouraging development corridors with high-density, mixed-use land use. The environmental benefits and calming influences afforded cities by busway systems have translated into dramatically improved levels of quality of life indicators, including improvements in health, crime reduction, and poverty alleviation. The user-friendliness and cost-effectiveness of busway systems have convinced municipal leaders in North America, Europe, and Australia to develop similar systems of their own. Latin American busways thus provide a unique example of South to North technology transfer

Travel Time Variability of a Group of Car Commuters in North London

This working paper describes a study of the variability of journey times of a panel of fifteen commuters using one north London radial corridor, over a total of seven weeks in the spring and summer of 1987. The objectives were to gain preliminary information on the extent of journey time variability and on the commuters* perception of and responses to the variability they experienced. The procedure for selecting the panel and contacting them is described, together with the data collection method, which consisted principally of panellists using tape recorders in their cars to record the time at which fixed points along the route were passed on each day's journey to work. Early or late arrival and its consequences in relation to the day's tasks were recorded at the destination. Analyses are presented of the distributions of times of complete and partial journeys, of the relationship between journey duration and variability and of the effects of diversion in response to perceived traffic conditions. The safety margins needed to ensure given percentages of punctual arrivals were estimated and contrasted with those from previous studies. Further analyses are presented indicating the general unimportance of punctuality for these panellists, the effects of significant lateness when it did occur, and of the panellists' ability to predict their arrival times in advance. A study of highway link travel time variability and its causes was also carried out for cars at the a same time in the same corridor. The methodology, surveys and data processing of this parallel study are set out in ITS Working - Paper 278, and the results and analysis in ITS Working Paper 279

Air transport liberalisation in the European Union and its impact on development of the civil aviation sector in Poland

The objective of this paper is to present an overview of the process of air transport liberalisation within the European Community and its influence on development of the aviation market in Poland. The paper describes the stages of air transport liberalisation in the European Community and its implementation to the Polish market. The special focus is given to problems of existing effects of air transport liberalisation and perspectives of its development. The study primarily intends to examine market structure changes of the Polish civil aviation sector and air traffic dynamics over the years of Polish integration with the European Union, presenting the most up-to-date available statistics