Route Configuration Method for Highway Passenger Hubs from the Perspective of Transportation Integration: A Case Study of Nanjing, China

As a result of transportation integration, the role of highway passenger transport hubs has changed dramatically; these nodes act as important links to construct a seamless regional comprehensive passenger transport system which reflects the coordination and symmetry of public transportation and the integrated transportation system. In order to optimise the efficiency of transportation organisation and improve the quality of passenger transport services, in this study we developed an optimisation method for the allocation of passenger transport hubs based on the analysis of passenger flow demand and spatial distribution. Configuration models of the departure sites of single-station and multi-station hub lines were established according to the service scope of the stations and the relative generalised travel cost, respectively. The overall optimisation method of the route allocation scheme was proposed by checking and optimising the passenger volume of each station. The developed methodology was successfully validated by applying it to the highway passenger transport hub system of Nanjing, China. The proposed methodology is expected to help management agencies and business operators to optimise existing highway passenger bus lines, thereby improving the quality of their services.