DEVELOPMENT OF EFFICIENT CENTRAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR ADVANCED GROUP RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEMS

This paper presents a summary of a computer-aided method for developing efficient central management system strategies for advanced group rapid transit systems by use of medium-sized, automatically controlled vehicles that travel on dedicated guideways. Some efficient central management system strategies developed for a test network that uses the method are presented and discussed in detail. The method consists of an iterative process in which experienced transit system operators make complex, judgmental decisions and a computer performs extensive and repetitive computations. This computer-aided method allows transit system operators to compare the consequences of various central management system strategies in terms of such measures as passenger wait times, number of passenger intermediate stops, vehicle fleet size, vehicle load factor, and vehicle flows in various guideway sections and at various passenger stations. After studying such measures, operators can develop a set of efficient and realistic central management system strategies. The computer-aided method and the associated computer simulation program are general in nature and can be used to develop central management system strategies for a variety of network configurations and trip demand data. /Author/