Event-Driven Holding Control for High-Frequency Transit

Transit operations are subject to disruptions caused by events. Some events cause unpredictable disruptions (e.g., signal failures in rail transit and traffic accidents along a bus route operating in mixed traffic). Other events, such as concerts or sport contests, cause foreseen disruptions. In some cases, dynamic functions of running times and demand can be used to predict and model disruptions. Past research has explored the use of operations control to respond to disruptions after service deteriorates, assuming constant running times and demand. The proposed framework enables anticipatory control strategies by dynamically modeling expected changes in running times and demand during events. A holding optimization model formulated to capture dynamics is applied to a simulated transit system experiencing disruptions induced by an unforeseen event and a foreseen event. Controlling operations with an awareness of events has little effect in the unforeseen event case but significantly improves performance in the foreseen event case. Erroneous estimates of the time an event will occur can lead to counterproductive control policies.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.3141/2535-07
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/173885.aspx
• Authors:
  • Sánchez-Martínez, Gabriel E
  • Koutsopoulos, Haris N
  • Wilson, Nigel H M
• Publication Date: 2015

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 65–72
• Monograph Title: Public Transportation: Management, Performance, and Quality of Service, Volume 3
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
  • Issue Number: 2535
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Optimization; Public transit; Running time; Service disruption; Special events; Transit vehicle operations; Travel demand
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01556508
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780309369510
• Report/Paper Numbers: 15-4611
• Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 6 2015 1:46PM