Calculation Method for On-Board Crowding Degree of a Bus Route/Network

Abstract

The degree of crowding on board is one of the crucial factors affecting the attraction of a bus system. In order to provide an overview of the on-board crowding degree of a bus route or network for both managers and passengers, Crowding Index is proposed in this paper. The Crowding Index can quantify the degree of crowding in a single number. Firstly, the load factors index between adjacent bus stops is calculated based on the passenger volume and the number of buses at a certain interval. Then the load factor index is converted to Crowding Index through linear transform based on the relationship between them. The Crowding Index is based on a scale of '0' to '10' and'0' is considered the 'best'. Thirdly, the passenger turnover volume on each segment is chosen as the weight to calculate the Crowding Index of the bus route or network. Finally, case studies are conducted to verify the calculation method. The results show that the Crowding Index can reflect the degree of crowding of a bus route or network properly in a visual way. The research can provide a support for evaluating the degree of crowding on board.