Track: Transportation
Decision Support Software for Real-Time Route Deviation Transit Service
Brian L. SmithPriya K. Durvasula , Michael J. Demetsky, Stephen C. Brich
GIS has long been used as an effective tool in public transportation planning by government and private agencies. However, its potential for developing customized applications for transit operations has not received much attention. This paper presents an application of ArcView GIS Version 3.0 in developing a real-time route deviation decision support software (DSS) for the Peninsula Transportation District Commission (Pentran), Hampton, Virginia. In a route deviation service the bus makes scheduled stops at fixed points along the route, while also providing an on-demand service to customers off the standard route. This is an innovative service option that can attract nontraditional transit riders and lessen the burden on paratransit services. The DSS consists of three modules: the input module, the routing and scheduling module, and the output module. The input and output modules have been developed using the Dialog Designer extension. The routing and scheduling module constitutes an algorithm to process each trip request and determine if the desired pickup and delivery are feasible given the schedule constraints at the fixed stops. The algorithm has been implemented within ArcView GIS using Avenue and the ArcView Network Analyst extension.
Brian L. Smith
VA Transportation Research Council
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