A simulation of transit bus emissions along an urban corridor: Evaluating changes under various service improvement strategies

This study investigates the impacts of transit improvement strategies on bus emissions along a busy corridor in Montreal, Canada. The local transit provider, Société de Transport de Montréal, has implemented a number of strategies which include the use of smart cards, limited-stop (express bus) service, and reserved bus lanes along this corridor. Using data collected on-board for instantaneous speeds and stop-level ridership, we estimated bus emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants at three levels: road segment, bus-stop, and per passenger. A regression of segment-level emissions against a number of explanatory variables reveals that reserved bus lanes and express bus service reduce emissions significantly. On the other hand, smart card use reduces idling emissions compared to other fare payment methods. The authors' findings are of most relevance for transit planners who are seeking to implement different strategies to reduce emissions and improve transit performance.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2014.06.010
• Record URL:
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1361920914000753
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/13619209
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Alam, Ahsan
  • Diab, Ehab
  • El-Geneidy, Ahmed M
  • Hatzopoulou, Marianne
• Publication Date: 2014-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 189-198
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment
  • Volume: 31
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 1361-9209
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/13619209

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Articulated buses; Bus lanes; Bus transit; Environmental impacts; Exhaust gases; Express buses; Smart cards; Urban areas
• Identifier Terms: Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES)
• Geographic Terms: Montreal (Canada)
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I15: Environment; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01538641
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 26 2014 2:24PM