Open AccessOptimal control of headway variation on transit routes
Author(s) -
Abkowitz Mark,
Eiger Amir,
Engelstein Israel
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of advanced transportation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 2042-3195
pISSN - 0197-6729
DOI - 10.1002/atr.5670200106
Subject(s) - headway , transit (satellite) , control (management) , computer science , function (biology) , variation (astronomy) , optimal control , simulation , control theory (sociology) , engineering , transport engineering , public transport , mathematical optimization , mathematics , physics , artificial intelligence , evolutionary biology , astrophysics , biology
Headway control strategies have been proposed as methods for correcting transit service irregularities and thereby reducing passenger wait times at stops. This paper addresses a particular strategy which can be implemented on high frequency routes (headways under 10–12 minutes), in which buses are held at a control stop to a threshold headway. An algorithm is developed which yields the optimal control stop location and optimal threshold headway with respect to a system wait function. The specification of the wait function is based on the development of several empirical models, including a headway variation model and an average delay time model at control stops. A conclusion is reached that the headway variation does not increase linearly along a route, a common assumption made in many previous studies. Furthermore, the location of the optimal control stop and threshold value are sensitive to the passenger boarding profile, as expected. The algorithm itself appears to have practical application to conventional transit operations.