NSF/USDOT: Innovative Feeder Transit Services: Mobility Allowance Shuttle Transit - MAST

对城市交通机构改善和延长服务的需求正在增加；然而，几乎没有公众支持增加票价或补贴。因此，中转机构目前正在寻找方法，以成本效益的方式提高服务灵活性。传统的固定路线公共交通系统具有成本效益，但由于缺乏灵活性，公众认为服务不方便。需求响应传输(DRT)网络很灵活，但部署成本往往比固定路由系统高得多。为了克服这些限制，私人投资促进机构将探索和开发一种名为机动性津贴班车运输(MAST)的创新概念，将DRT系统的灵活性与固定路线巴士系统的低成本可操作性结合在一起。主服务具有覆盖特定地理区域的固定基本路线。创新的转折是，桅杆允许公交车偏离固定的路线，这样想要在路线附近提供服务的乘客可以在他们想要的位置上车或下车。乘客联系调度中心，要求接送并接受下一辆可用公交车的服务。对灵活性的唯一限制是偏差必须在与固定的基本路线的预定距离内。PIS的研究目标是推荐一种可行的桅杆架构，特别是提供(1)路线偏离距离，(2)调度松弛时间，以及(3)实时排序和接送任务的策略。本研究将提出一个基于回归的需求模型和一个非线性的动态公交班次分布模型。这些模型将用于推动设计过程以及综合运营政策。该方法将通过广泛的模拟研究来验证。这项研究将确定使桅杆在财务上可行的需求和运营条件。Mast的成功实施将提高作为私家车替代品的公共交通的可取性，并可能导致公共交通乘客的增加。公交乘客的增加可能会减少道路拥堵，改善环境条件，例如减少温室气体排放。

Demands on urban transit agencies for improved and extended services are increasing; yet, there is little public support for increases in fares or subsidies. Therefore, transit agencies are currently seeking ways to improve service flexibility in a cost-efficient manner. Traditional fixed-route bus transit systems are cost effective; however, the general public considers the service to be inconvenient because of a lack of flexibility. Demand Responsive Transit (DRT) networks are flexible, but tend to be much more costly to deploy than fixed-route systems. To overcome these limitations, the PIs will explore and develop an innovative concept called Mobility Allowance Shuttle Transit (MAST) that merges the flexibility of DRT systems with the low cost operability of fixed-route bus systems. A MAST service has a fixed, base route that covers a specific geographic zone. The innovative twist is that MAST allows buses to deviate from the fixed path so that passengers wanting service in the vicinity of the path may be picked up or dropped off at their desired locations. Passengers contact the dispatch center to request a pick-up and receive service from the next available bus. The only restriction on flexibility is that the deviations must lie within a predetermined distance from the fixed, base route. The PIs' research objective is to recommend a viable MAST architecture, specifically providing (1) the route deviation distance, (2) the schedule slack time, and (3) the policies for real-time sequencing and assignment of pick-ups. This research will produce a regression-based demand model and a nonlinear dynamic bus headway distribution model. These models will be used to drive the design process as well as to synthesize operating policies. The approach will be validated through an extensive simulation study.This research will determine the demand and operating conditions that will allow MAST to be financially viable. The successful implementation of MAST will improve the desirability of transit as an alternative to private automobiles, and could result in increased transit ridership. An increase in transit ridership would likely lead to reduced roadway congestion and improved environmental conditions, such as reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.