EFFECTIVENESS OF ALTERNATIVE DOWNTOWN AREA BUS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

AN ANALYSIS IS MADE OF ALTERNATIVE BUS TRANSIT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS IN CENTRAL OR DOWNTOWN AREAS. THIS IS DONE THROUGH THE USE OF A MODEL THAT SIMULATES THE OPERATION OF BUSES AS THEY TRAVEL THROUGH A DOWNTOWN AREA, STOPPING AT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS AND AT DESIGNATED STATIONS TO TAKE ON PASSENGERS. VARIABLES SUCH AS BUS HEADWAYS, PASSENGER ARRIVAL RATES, AND PASSENGER BOARDING TIMES ARE TREATED STOCHASTICALLY IN THE EVENT-ADVANCED SIMULATION. A TOTAL OF 20 ALTERNATIVES WERE TESTED WITH THE SIMULATION. THE ALTERNATIVES INCLUDED PREFERENTIAL BUS TREATMENTS, SUCH AS EXCLUSIVE STREETS FOR BUSES, GRADE-SEPARATED BUSWAYS, AND BUS-ACTUATED SIGNALS, AND FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORM OF SKIP-STOP OPERATIONS, BUS LOADING BAYS AT STATIONS, AND IMPROVED BOARDING AND FARE-COLLECTION METHODS. THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT TRANSIT OPERATIONS IN CENTRAL AREAS CAN BE SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVED BY THE USE OF PREFERENTIAL BUS TREATMENTS AND FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS. REDUCTIONS OF BUS OPERATING TIMES TO LESS THAN HALF OF THOSE OF CONVENTIONAL OPERATIONS WERE FOUND.