PREDICTION OF EFFECTS OF BUS-PRIORITY SCHEMES BY USING COMPUTER SIMULATION TECHNIQUES

This paper describes a computer program that predicts the effect of bus-priority measures applied to an urban highway network. The program predicts the travel times of buses and other vehicles along a highway network that has different types of intersection controls, with or without bus-priority schemes in operation. The paper describes how the program will allow transportation planners to assess the likely effects of proposed priority measures from a comparison of travel times through a complex highway system by use of a model that computes the journey times of buses and other vehicles over a network that is composed of highway links that have priority, roundabout, or signal control at the intersections. The model follows the progress of each bus along a given route as it repeats the cycle from one bus stop to the next for various traffic conditions. Details of the master computer program and the associated subroutines are given together with details of validation studies carried out on the outer ring road of the city of Bradford. To demonstrate the practical use of the program details are given of the effect of bus-priority schemes on average delay, queue lengths, and bus travel times for the following highway and traffic situations: (a) priority intersections where the nearside lane of the minor road is allocated to buses for different traffic flow conditions and different lengths of priority lanes, (b) signalized intersections that have two or three approach lanes where the nearside lane of one approach road is allocated to buses for different traffic flow conditions and different lengths of priority lane, and (c) a 2-km length of bus route, which includes three signalized intersections and eight bus stops for differeing traffic volumes and proportions of buses in the traffic flow. Details of the program output are given to demonstrate that the simulation model is flexible enough to study any particular section of a highway that may incorporate bus priority.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1979/718/718-001.pdf
• Summary URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=PREDICTION+OF+EFFECTS+OF+BUS-PRIORITY+SCHEMES+BY+USING+COMPUTER+SIMULATION+TECHNIQUES&author=R.+SALTER&author=J.+Shahi&publication_year=1979
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309029686
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Bus Transit Systems. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • SALTER, R J
  • Shahi, J
• Conference:
  • 58th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1979-1-15 to 1979-1-19
• Publication Date: 1979

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 1-5
• Monograph Title: Bus and Rural Transit
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 718
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus priority; Bus stops; Computer programs; Forecasting; Networks; Roads; Routes; Simulation; Traffic circles; Traffic flow; Transportation planning; Urban highways; Urban transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Road networks
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00303932
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309029686
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Mar 31 1981 12:00AM