Implementation of a Headway

Constrol System for Buses in Santiago

Ricardo Giesen

Juan Carlos Muñoz, Felipe Delgado & Pedro Lizana

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Bus Bunching

• Santiago, Chile

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Bus Bunching

• Bogotá, Colombia

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Bus Bunching

• Beijing, China

Bus Bunching

• Brussels, Belgium

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Bus Bunching

• Boston, MA

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• London, UK

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Bus Bunching

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Bus Bunching

Bus Bunching

• Trajectories: distance vs time

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NN

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Bus bunching is a challenging problem

Increases average waiting times

Pushes transit agencies to increase the number of buses

Reduces transit comfort and reliability

Solution: Control headways

Schedule-based control

• Common in USA and Europe

• Low frequency services

• Not appropiate for Transantiago

High frequency

Congestion

Long services (60+ km) with more than 120 stops

Buses overtake each other

• Schedule adherance is extremely difficult

Requires a lot of effort by the people involved in operating the system

Not flexible: partially considers real-time information

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¿In Transantiago?

Fine system => Multas: ICF e ICR

Guarantee frequence and regularity compliance

Fines whenever heaways exceed a threshold

Have put into evidence the lack of solutions cost-

effective solutions available in the market

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Proposed headway control model

• Rolling horizon mathematical programming optimization

model (Delgado et al., 2012)

• Minimize user waiting times subject to system constraints

• Seeks to regularize operation and address bus bunching

with real-time information

• Decision variable: holding times at bus stops, increase or

decrease bus speed

• Buses do not follow a schedule: supply is adjusted to

demand depending on real-time system conditions (traffic

and bus headways and capacities)

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Simulation results

• Both in BRT corridors and mixed-traffic services the

following benefits have been observed:

Reduced waiting times and their variability

More regular headways: decreased regularity fines

More even bus loads: improved bus confort

Improved cycle time regularity making terminal

operations smoother

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Simulation results: video

No control

With control

Circle: buses

Color: bus loads

(green: empty….red: at capacity)

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Headway control software: Buzz Assist

• Develop software and implement solution in real bus

services

• Retrieve real-time bus location and run optimization

model with a frequency of one minute

• Control instructions are then sent to any Android

(commercial or industrial) tablets (with GPS and data

plan) installed in the buses

• Software is flexible enough to adapt to existing transit

system technology (GPS devices and consoles)

• Operates in headway and schedule based control

systems

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Software: Input information

• Static transit system data:

• Bus services, operating programs, bus stop locations, etc: data in General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) format (used by Google Transit)

• Real-time bus positions:

• GPS devices already installed in buses

• Tablet GPS

• Demand data: • Passive smart card information: OD matrices and historical bus stop

arrival rates

• Segment speeds:

• Combination of real-time speeds with historical speeds

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Synoptic & dashboard web tool

• Visualize buses and control instructions, modify system

parameters and download daily operating reports

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Buzz Console

• “Slow down” recommendation

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Buzz Console

• Wait additional time at bus stops and headers

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Buzz Console

• Ok

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Buzz Console

• Speed up if possible

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Buzz Console

• Traffic congestion

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Console device management system • Check device statuses

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Buzz Console • Currently testing in real operating conditions different devices:

commercial tablet vs. industrial console

• Start pilot test in B22 and B14 services (February 2015)

• Obstacles: anti-theft and ruggedized support structures

• Lessons: offer an integrated service (both hardware + software)

and relevance of headway control in terminals

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Integration to existing technological system

• We have successfully integrated our technology to an

existing fleet management system (with Subus Chile S.A)

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Holding

Instruction

Copyright: Mobius S.A.

Time with

forward and

backward

buses

Integration to existing technological system

• Pilot test in 210 service since March 2014

• Results: 40-50% decrease in fines despite a 25%

compliance rate

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System not operating

Complementary technologies

• Android Mobile App for dispatching buses in terminals

• Android Mobile App for counting passengers in buses

• Buzz Santiago: sustainable mobility App (transit+bike)

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Thank you

Implementation of a Headway

Constrol System for Buses in Santiago

Ricardo Giesen

Juan Carlos Muñoz, Felipe Delgado & Pedro Lizana

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile