Bus timetabling and scheduling

ITEC 810 ProjectSupervisor: Stephen Smith

Xinru Ma (42622611)

Agenda What is this topic about?What are the current problems?What are the current solutions and limitations?How do we solve the problems?What are the expected outcomes?What are the future directions?

What is this project about?Real-Time Traffic Information System

Bus timetable and schedule management system

For Sydney (STA)◦Dynamic ◦Real-time◦Customer focused

IntroductionHand drawing timetable

Timetable at each stop

Electronic board

On-time Bus Service

BackgroundScenario ◦When will the bus arrive?

◦Did I just miss the bus?

◦Where should I get off?

◦How long does it take to the destination?

Problem statement Current problems:

◦ Delays◦ Left early◦ Customers are upset

Reason behind the problems:◦ Fixed timetable◦ Poor information provided◦ Information not correct/out of date

Customers want:◦ Accurate bus arrival time◦ Bus stop information ◦ Estimated arrival time

What customers want?Research shows customer want to know◦Actual bus arrival time (80%) ◦On-time performance (70%)◦Delay time (60%)

My opinion:◦ Exact arrival time > on-time performance rate◦ More information choices confidence◦ Notification reliable commitment more travellers

Motivations Customer perspective:

Productivity & efficiency Convenience

Operator perspective: More customers More profits

Others: Environment issues Increasing population Worse traffic condition

Aims of this projectHigh-level ◦Accurate & reliable timetable◦Real-time information◦Speed up journey ◦Notify schedule changes

To make a bus system similar to train systems

Current solutionsReal-Time Passenger Information System

STA currently offers:◦SMS service which communicates with

Public Transport Information and Priority System Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System

Limitations of STA solution STA does not offer Importance

Access to real-time information Critical

Notification when the schedule changes Critical

Predicted arrival time on customers’ destinations Medium

Available seats information about the selected service Low

Effective bus priority Low

High quality on-time arrival Critical

Improvements Automatic Vehicle Location system ◦ Mobile Digital Computer (MDC)◦ Drivers involvement◦ Historical data to improve timetable

Bus priority system◦ On street surveillance camera◦ Improved response time

Traffic management system◦ Data Management system and GIS◦ Traveller Information system◦ Computer Aided Dispatch and Scheduling

The proposed RTTIS

Bus

Traffic signal

Radio/Satellite

transmitter

AVL System

Communication device

Central computer

Electronic real-time

information board

Database

Web, Smart phones

On bus stop information

board

Bus

Traffic Management

System

Components of the system

Improve system performance

The on-time performance can increase by 20% with the aid of the Automatic Vehicle Location system and Computer Aided Dispatch and Scheduling.

The travel time can be improved by 10% by implementing the Bus Priority system.

Improve the emergency response time by 50%.

Expected outcomes  Current system RTTIS

On-time performance 95.9% 98.9%

On-time arrival 60% 95%

Average delays 2-5 minutes 1 minutes

Customer satisfaction Medium High

Bus bunch High Low

Challenges Uncertainties, unpredictable ◦ Traffic jam◦ Incident ◦ etc.

Hard to achieve “real-time”

New technology to improve performance◦ 90 seconds to apply traffic light changes

Future workE-ticket

Wireless on bus

Weather information system

Integrate with other transport systems

End of presentation

Thank you