Representing public transport services in a regional travel model

Abstract

The Western Cape Travel Model (WCTM) is a multi-modal process that includes both traditional fixed-route public transport (PT) and an extensive minibus-taxi (MBT) network. The PT services are represented in the model by coding traditional routes, frequencies, and fares in the Cube software package. This includes Golden Arrow Bus System, MyCiti, Jammie Shuttle (UCT students), Metrorail, and GoGeorge. The coded PT network is a simplified representation of the routes of the real system, consistent with the zones and the roadway network of the model. Many of the data characterizing the supply of the PT services were not readily available and the existing information required considerable processing before the routes could be coded. The coded network provides a systematic way of calculating the zone-to-zone travel time by PT. The MBT service has hundreds of individual flexible routes that operate without fixed schedules and service is nearly ubiquitous. This is similar to informal transit services that exist in other cities in developing countries: colectivos in Buenos Aires and jeepneys in Manila. To represent this service, the authors developed an innovative route density-based procedure, which is used to calculate walk and wait times for each zone. This is combined with travel impedances from the roadway network to describe MBT service to the travel model. A similar method is used for metered taxicabs and Transport Network Company services (Uber, Bolt [formerly Taxify]).