Reducing the impact of disruptions is essential to provide reliable and attractive public transport. In this work, we introduce a topological approach for evaluating recoverability, i.e., the ability of public transport networks to return to their original performance level after disruptions, which we model as topological perturbations. We assess recoverability properties in 42 graph representations of metro networks and relate these to various topological indicators. Graphs include infrastructure and service characteristics, accounting for in-vehicle travel time, waiting time, and transfers. Results show a high correlation between recoverability and topological indicators, suggesting that more efficient networks (in terms of the average number of hops and the travel time between nodes) and denser networks can better withstand disruptions. In comparison, larger networks that feature more redundancy can rebound faster to normal performance levels. The proposed methodology offers valuable insights for planners when designing new networks or enhancing the recoverability of existing ones.

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In this article, we introduces a model based on big data analysis to characterize the travel times of buses in public transportation systems. Travel time is a critical factor in evaluating the accessibility of opportunities and the overall quality of service of public transportation systems. The methodology applies data analysis to compute estimations of the travel time of public transportation buses by leveraging both open-source and private information sources. The approach is evaluated for the public transportation system in Montevideo, Uruguay using information about bus stop locations, bus routes, vehicle locations, ticket sales, and timetables. The estimated travel times from the proposed methodology are compared with the scheduled timetables, and relevant indicators are computed based on the findings. The most relevant quantitative results indicate a reasonably good level of punctuality in the public transportation system. Delays were between 10.5% and 13.9% during rush hours and between 8.5% and 13.7% during non-peak hours. Delays were similarly distributed for working days and weekends. In terms of speed, the results show that the average operational speed is close to 18 km/h, with short local lines exhibiting greater variability in their speed.

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Network hierarchy describes the relative arrangement of network elements and reflects its fundamental structure. We propose a multi-dimensional topology-based method for quantifying and comparing the extent to which different Public Transport Networks (PTNs) exhibit a hierarchical structure. The proposed method considers the uneven distribution of node importance with different definitions (e.g., degree centrality and betweenness centrality) in a PTN, the clustering of nodes and the node connection patterns. We apply the developed method on 63 high-capacity PTNs worldwide using General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data. In addition to global indicators, we use the goodness-of-fit between the probability density function of local indicators and a skew-normal distribution to quantify the extent of PTN hierarchy. Results show that the scale-free network structure and preferential attachment do not vary much across PTNs. In contrast, stop accessibility and traffic intermediacy vary considerably across PTNs as reflected by the closeness centrality and betweenness centrality distributions. Lastly, metro systems exhibit a more hierarchical structure than their tram and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) counterparts. This work makes a first step towards a better mapping and comparison of different PTNs, which can assist academics and practitioners in better (re)designing and planning the PTNs of the future.@en

Public transport plays a key role in expanding the distances that people can travel using active modes of transport. Studying walking accessibility to public transportation systems is highly relevant, since the walk to stops/stations can be particularly challenging for children, the elderly, citizens with disabilities, and for the general population during bad weather conditions or in pedestrian-unfriendly cities. This work presents a study on walking accessibility for the public transport system in Montevideo, Uruguay. The proposed methodology combines information of the bus stops and lines that operate in the city, the road infrastructure, and demographic information of the city to compute walking accessibility indicators to the public transport system. The results of the analysis suggest that over 95.5% of the population can access at least one stop when walking up to 400 m. However, these values are not evenly distributed among the population, with young citizens and men showing lower levels of coverage compared to their counterparts.

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