Bus timetabling and scheduling ITEC 810 Project Supervisor

Bus timetabling and scheduling ITEC 810 Project Supervisor: Stephen Smith Xinru Ma (42622611)

Agenda �What is this topic about? �What are the current problems? �What are the current solutions and limitations? �How do we solve the problems? �What are the expected outcomes? �What are the future directions?

What is this project about? �Real-Time Traffic Information System �Bus timetable and schedule management system �For Sydney (STA) ◦ Dynamic ◦ Real-time ◦ Customer focused

Introduction �Hand drawing timetable �Timetable at each stop �Electronic board �On-time Bus Service

Background �Scenario ◦ When will the bus arrive? ◦ Did I just miss the bus? ◦ Where should I get off? ◦ How long does it take to the destination?

Problem statement � Current problems: � Reason behind the problems: ◦ Delays ◦ Left early ◦ Customers are upset ◦ Fixed timetable ◦ Poor information provided ◦ Information not correct/out of date � Customers want: ◦ Accurate bus arrival time ◦ Bus stop information ◦ Estimated arrival time

What customers want? �Research shows customer want to know ◦ Actual bus arrival time (80%) ◦ On-time performance (70%) ◦ Delay time (60%) �My opinion: ◦ Exact arrival time > on-time performance rate ◦ More information choices confidence ◦ Notification reliable commitment more travellers

Motivations �Customer perspective: �Productivity & efficiency �Convenience �Operator perspective: �More customers �More profits �Others: �Environment issues �Increasing population �Worse traffic condition

Aims of this project �High-level ◦ ◦ Accurate & reliable timetable Real-time information Speed up journey Notify schedule changes �To make a bus system similar to train systems

Current solutions �Real-Time �STA Passenger Information System currently offers: ◦ SMS service which communicates with �Public Transport Information and Priority System �Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System

Limitations of STA solution STA does not offer Importance Access to real-time information Critical Notification when the schedule changes Critical Predicted arrival time on customers’ destinations Medium Available seats information about the selected service Low Effective bus priority Low High quality on-time arrival Critical

Improvements � Automatic Vehicle Location system ◦ Mobile Digital Computer (MDC) ◦ Drivers involvement ◦ Historical data to improve timetable � Bus priority system ◦ On street surveillance camera ◦ Improved response time � Traffic management system ◦ Data Management system and GIS ◦ Traveller Information system ◦ Computer Aided Dispatch and Scheduling

The proposed RTTIS

Components of the system

Improve system performance � The on-time performance can increase by 20% with the aid of the Automatic Vehicle Location system and Computer Aided Dispatch and Scheduling. � The travel time can be improved by 10% by implementing the Bus Priority system. � Improve the emergency response time by 50%.

Expected outcomes Current system RTTIS On-time performance 95. 9% 98. 9% On-time arrival 60% 95% Average delays 2 -5 minutes 1 minutes Customer satisfaction Medium High Bus bunch High Low

Challenges �Uncertainties, unpredictable ◦ Traffic jam ◦ Incident ◦ etc. �Hard to achieve “real-time” �New technology to improve performance ◦ 90 seconds to apply traffic light changes

Future work �E-ticket �Wireless on bus �Weather information system �Integrate with other transport systems

End of presentation Thank you