A simulation sandbox to compare fixed-route, semi-flexible-transit, and on-demand microtransit system designs

TL;DR

This paper introduces an open-source simulation sandbox that compares fixed-route, semi-flexible, and on-demand microtransit systems, providing a tool for evaluating different public transit operation strategies.

Contribution

It develops a versatile simulation platform that incorporates passenger deviations and enables comparison of multiple transit system designs using real-world case studies.

Findings

The sandbox effectively compares different transit system performances.

Semi-flexible service with passenger deviations offers insights into operational flexibility.

Case study highlights performance differences across transit modes under various demand scenarios.

Abstract

With advances in emerging technologies, options for operating public transit services have broadened from conventional fixed-route service through semi-flexible service to on-demand microtransit. Nevertheless, guidelines for deciding between these services remain limited in the real implementation. An open-source simulation sandbox is developed that can compare state-of-the-practice methods for evaluating between the different types of public transit operations. For the case of the semi-flexible service, the Mobility Allowance Shuttle Transit (MAST) system is extended to include passenger deviations. A case study demonstrates the sandbox to evaluate and existing B63 bus route in Brooklyn, NY and compares its performance with the four other system designs spanning across the three service types for three different demand scenarios.