Abstract
A new kind of public transportation called the customized bus has become more popular in tier-1 cities in recent years. The customized bus is designed to transfer people with similar travel demands between their homes and workplaces nonstop and rapidly. However, with the growing construction of the metro in tier-1 cities, the passenger flow and the advantage in efficiency have been challenged. Therefore, this research will evaluate whether customized buses could increase travel efficiency in tier-1 cities and whether it could be applicable in smaller-scale cities.
Recent studies have shown that the customized bus could better meet the multi-level and diversified travel needs of urban passengers. The customized bus has also reduced the traffic volume on congested roads during peak hours and reduced the parking pressure at workplaces. But the congestion leads to fluctuation in travel speed, and the challenges from other means of transportation make it important to find the perfect combination of customized bus and conventional public transportation.
In this research, when examining the efficiency of the customized bus and other means of transportation, an inclusive criterion by considering as many elements as possible will be set up. Then the demand and supply distribution obtained from the modeling will help analyze whether the customized bus could fit other cities.
The results of this study could confirm whether customized transit provides a better commuting experience for people in tier-1 cities with its unique advantages while bringing people in smaller cities a new kind of public transportation option.
Student Fellow
ZHANG, Weisheng
Class 2026
Supervisor
LI, Fang D.Eng.
Assistant Director for Innovation Incubator