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FEASIBILITY OF ADVANCED VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR TRANSIT BUSES

The work presented here represents a feasibility study for the application of Advanced Vehicle Control Systems (AVCS) to transit bus operations. The paper explores past and present research relevant to automatic control for buses and recommends specific operations which could be better performed by AVCS-assisted or controlled vehicles. A survey of feasible technologies for the guidance and control of the buses is also presented. Several nationwide initiatives are currently underway to increase the efficiency of surface transportation. Two of the most important goals stemming from these initiatives are to increase the capacity of the existing transportation infrastructure and reduce energy consumption associated with driving. Within the national ITS program, among these areas which attempt to address these problems are the AVCS and Advanced Public Transportation Systems (APTS) user services. AVCS has already contributed to improved safety and efficiency of driving, however its future impacts may be far more significant as enabling technologies develop into fully automated vehicles and roadways with dramatically higher capacity. Like AVCS, applications of technology to public transportation may also revolutionize the service quality and operating costs of transit modes and thus attract more travelers away from automobiles. Rather than let these research areas develop independently it is desirable to study ways in which AVCS and APTS can evolve together. The increased operating efficiency and safety which AVCS promises could have a particularly high payoff for transit buses. This report investigates the technical and economic feasibility of applying AVCS to transit buses through a three step approach: 1. examine the history of vehicle control and automation associated with transit vehicles; 2. assess the user needs for operational improvements; 3. assess the available AVCS technologies to achieve improvements. The study concludes with a series of recommendations for proceeding towards a deployment phase. Discussions with transit operators and technology providers indicated a genuine interest in AVCS concepts, but also some concerns regarding technical, economic, and institutional challenges. For deployment to become a reality, a development team of diverse organizations must be established, and costs clearly defined for an operational field test. For transit bus operations, the most suitable deployment opportunities for AVCS exist on exclusive busways (bus-only roads) or large bus servicing facilities used for daily maintenance operations. Busways would provide a testing ground for a lateral control/lane keeping system. Such a system would provide immediate utility on the existing busway and would serve as a building block for future systems. Maintenance operations in service garages require dedicated drivers to move vehicles through a routine servicing sequence. By fully automating the movement of buses within such facilities, labor costs could be dramatically reduced.

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Pagination: n.p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00741794
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Oct 28 1997 12:00AM