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Urban Transport Systems Efficiency, Network Planning and Safety

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 November 2021) | Viewed by 34811

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Roland Jachimowski

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Transport, Warsaw University of Technology, 00662 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: modeling and optimization of logistics systems; material flow simulation; intermodal transport technology; intermodal terminals design and optimization; ecology in transport
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Michał Kłodawski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Faculty of Transport, Warsaw University of Technology, 00662 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: modelling logistic processes; logistics; warehouse design; warehousing; order picking
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid population growth of cities and the growing mobility needs of their inhabitants make it necessary to constantly increase the efficiency of urban transport systems. The efficiency of a transport system refers to how well the system achieves its goals. The measurement of efficiency is extremely important, because it provides information about how effectively the system works. This then allows the early diagnosis of problems and the search for effective solutions. Ensuring the high efficiency of transport systems in cities requires the consideration of a number of factors that affect this efficiency.

One of the most prevalent transport challenges in large urban agglomerations is congestion and parking difficulties. Congestion is particularly linked with motorization and the diffusion of the automobile, which has increased the demand for transport infrastructures. A limited parking infrastructure causes private car users to spend a lot of time finding the right parking lot. Unfortunately, the development of transport infrastructure is very difficult, especially in city centers, where the phenomenon of congestion is most problematic. However, it is possible to plan this infrastructure, especially in the developing areas of cities. Strategic planning of the infrastructure, including forecasts of the demand for transport in each area, is crucial for minimizing later urban transport problems.

The phenomenon of congestion in cities causes many people to decide to use public transport. Proper planning of public transport makes it incomparably more effective than individual transport.

People traveling from suburban areas must consider the need to transfer between suburban and urban transport. In order to increase the efficiency of this type of transport, it is necessary to properly synchronize the timetables of suburban and urban transport vehicles. In addition, the right location and functionality of urban transport interchange facilities, connecting suburban and urban transport, are crucial for the efficient mobility of people.

The issue of the efficiency of urban transport also concerns pedestrians and cyclists. Unfortunately,

these difficulties are either the outcome of intense traffic, where the mobility of pedestrians, bicycles, and other non-motorized vehicles is impaired, or because of a blatant lack of consideration for pedestrians and bicycles in the physical design of infrastructures and facilities.

Increasing vehicle traffic in urban areas has a very negative impact on the safety of people and the environment. Therefore, planning various areas of urban transport from the point of view of human and environmental safety should be the basic decision-making criterion in this regard.

A very important aspect of urban transport is the movement of freight, which commonly shares infrastructures supporting the circulation of passengers. The growth of e-commerce and home deliveries has created additional pressures in the urban mobility of freight. It is therefore important to establish strategies to mitigate the variety of challenges faced by urban freight distribution.

This Special Issue aims to combine the different aspects of urban transport systems into one picture for a new look at the mobility of people and freight transport in the city. We hope this is of interest to you and hope that you will consider contributing to this Special Issue.

Dr. Roland Jachimowski
Dr. Michał Kłodawski
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

urban transport
urban network planning
public transport modeling
transport safety
environment protection
multimodal interchange facilities
traffic congestion
urban freight transport
city logistics

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 274 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Traits and Transports: The Effects of Personality on the Choice of Urban Transport Modes

by John Magnus Roos, Frances Sprei and Ulrika Holmberg

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1467; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031467 - 29 Jan 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2392

Abstract

We examine the influence of personality on car driving, usage of public transport and cycling. Personality is measured through the Big Five personality traits (i.e., Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism) and Environmental personality. Data were collected through a Web-based panel of adult citizen in the city of Gothenburg, Sweden (N = 1068). Age, gender, income, children at home and residential area were used as control variables. Car driving is influenced by low degree of Openness, high degree of Conscientiousness, and low degree of Environmental personality. Usage of public transport is influenced by low degree of Conscientiousness, high degree of Agreeableness, and high degree of Environmental personality. Cycling is foremost influenced by a high degree of Environmental personality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Transport Systems Efficiency, Network Planning and Safety)

19 pages, 6248 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Delay Management in Regional Railway Transport

by Rudolf Vávra and Vít Janoš

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(1), 457; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12010457 - 04 Jan 2022

Viewed by 1615

Abstract

This article is focused on the reliability of transfer connections in regional railway transport. The reliability of the transportation chain in public transport is an essential element for functional, attractive, and long-term sustainable public transport. This article discusses the causes and consequences of railway traffic disruption and related impacts on passenger transfer connections. To reduce the negative impacts of common operational disruptions, the authors present an original approach for determining transfer waiting times between delayed trains based on a modified critical path method (CPM). In addition, an example of the implementation of this method in regional railway transport in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic is provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Transport Systems Efficiency, Network Planning and Safety)

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15 pages, 931 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Economic Evaluation of the Urban Road Public Transport System Efficiency Based on Data Envelopment Analysis

by Alberto Romero-Ania, María Auxiliadora De Vicente Oliva and Lourdes Rivero Gutiérrez

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(1), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12010057 - 22 Dec 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2251

Abstract

Air pollution resulting from massive urban development and increased use of private vehicles is a major environmental concern, with particular relevance in urban areas. Urban public road transport has a significant impact on shaping land use patterns, air pollution and welfare. It must therefore be efficient in terms of air pollution in order to contribute to sustainable metropolitan mobility and economic growth. This study proposes a novel and consistent data envelopment analysis, aiming to identify which urban public transport vehicle is the most efficient in terms of air pollution and therefore environmentally suitable for use in public road transport systems. The case of Madrid has been analyzed, as it is representative of other large cities, which have similar bus alternatives and the common objective of reducing air pollution. Madrid City Council data has been compiled by authors and assessed by a panel of twenty experts to determine the model criteria weights. The results show that the plug-in electric vehicle has the lowest pollutant emission values while delivering the highest performance. Useful recommendations are provided to support public policy decisions related to the complex relationships between urban land use, urban transport and air pollution in urban areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Transport Systems Efficiency, Network Planning and Safety)

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18 pages, 1175 KiB

Open AccessArticle

User Satisfaction Survey on Public Transport by a New PAHP Based Model

by Szabolcs Duleba and Sarbast Moslem

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(21), 10256; https://doi.org/10.3390/app112110256 - 01 Nov 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2817

Abstract

There is an obvious trade-off between information obtained from passenger surveys and cost and time investment. This paper offers a new approach for this problem and its detailed step-by-step procedure description. Parsimonious Analytic Hierarchy Process (PAHP) is a recently created methodology that combines the simplicity of direct evaluations with the consistency and reliability of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). In the paper, the first large sample survey of passenger satisfaction by a new, PAHP-based model and procedure is presented as a case study. Moreover, a comparison with an AHP survey on the same public transport system and the same pattern are demonstrated. Since the comparative analysis produced a strong correlation between AHP and PAHP outcomes, it can be stated that the new procedure is less time consuming and costly than the AHP, while possessing the same benefits, and thus, it is more trustworthy than satisfaction measured by direct evaluations. Consequently, our proposed model can be applied both in theoretical and practical cases. Theoretically, it solves the problem of avoiding the use of large pairwise comparison matrices, and practically, it is a useful support to public satisfaction surveys, especially in the transportation sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Transport Systems Efficiency, Network Planning and Safety)

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23 pages, 4306 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physarum-Inspired Bicycle Lane Network Design in a Congested Megacity

by M. A. H. Akhand, Md. Ahsan Habib, Md Abdus Samad Kamal and Nazmul Siddique

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(15), 6958; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11156958 - 28 Jul 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2847

Abstract

Improvement of mobility, especially environment-friendly green mobility, is challenging in existing megacities due to road network complexity and space constraints. Endorsing the bicycle lane network (BLN) in congested megacities is a promising option to foster green mobility. This research presents a novel bioinspired network design method that considers various constraints and preferences related to the megacity for designing an optimal BLN. The proposed method is inspired by natural Physarum polycephalum, a brainless, multi-headed single-celled organism, which is capable of developing a reticulated network of complex foraging behaviors in pursuit of food. The mathematical model of Physarum foraging behavior is adapted to maneuver various BLN constraints in megacity contexts in designing the optimal BLN. The Physarum-inspired BLN method is applied to two case studies on the megacity Dhaka for designing BLNs: the first one covers congested central city area, and the second one covers a broader area that includes major locations of the city. The obtained BLNs were evaluated comparing their available routes between different locations with the existing vehicle routes of the city in terms of distance and required travel times in different time periods, and the BLN routes were found to be suitable alternatives for avoiding congested main roads. The expected travel time using BLNs is shorter than other transport (e.g., car and public bus); additionally, at glance, the average travel speed on BLNs is almost double that of public buses in peak hours. Finally, the designed BLNs are promising for environment-friendly and healthy mobility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Transport Systems Efficiency, Network Planning and Safety)

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21 pages, 4909 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Case Study: Simulation Traffic Model as a Tool to Assess One-Way vs. Two-Way Traffic on Urban Roads around the City Center

by Peter Bindzar, Janka Saderova, Marian Sofranko, Peter Kacmary, Jaroslaw Brodny and Magdalena Tutak

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(11), 5018; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11115018 - 28 May 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3014

Abstract

This article evaluates changes in the organization of transport on urban roads through the transport model in the OmniTRANS program. The selected location for the case study in this article is the internal traffic circuit of Kosice, which borders the historic core of the city. Currently, the proposal is being prepared to change the organization of transport in the town’s monument reserve and its protection zone. The transition to a one-way road around the historic center is being considered. Before introducing the new proposed change in traffic, it is necessary to test this proposed change and determine how it will affect the traffic situation. The aim of this article is to compare the current transport organization with the proposed change in transport organization in terms of traffic intensity. The use of transport models in the world is not a new concept, but it is often not used in the conditions of the Slovak Republic. However, traffic and simulation models can save money and time and avoid possible unexpected problems before putting the proposed changes into practice. Solving the given problem is an excellent benefit for transport planning and traffic engineering for Kosice and other places with a similar arrangement of the historical center and a similar number of inhabitants. The proposed changes can be tested by modelling traffic and then to adjust them when the cons are identified. Thanks to the traffic simulation model, it is possible to compare the capacity load of the inner traffic circuit of the city before and after the introduction of the one-way circuit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Transport Systems Efficiency, Network Planning and Safety)

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16 pages, 5416 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation-Based Public Transport Priority Tailored to Passenger Conflict Flows: A Case Study of the City of Zagreb

by Luka Novačko, Karlo Babojelić, Luka Dedić and Tomislav Rožić

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(11), 4820; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11114820 - 24 May 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2062

Abstract

Prioritizing public transport is one of the most effective measure to increase the attractiveness and competitiveness of public transport in relation to individual vehicles. The main goal of this study was to examine the possibilities for reducing the travel time of tram vehicles by giving priority at signalized intersections in terms of sharing the traffic lane with personal vehicles and under conditions of strong conflict flows with private transport. For this purpose, we used the simulation tool VISSIM and its module EPICS. A methodology for determining weighting factors for prioritizing public transport flows was developed based on conflicting passenger flows in public transport vehicles and passenger cars. Three scenarios were tested in the study area: (1) “do nothing”; (2) unconditional priority; and (3) conditional priority. The results showed that unconditional priority led to unsustainable traffic conditions for personal vehicles and public transport. In contrast, conditional priority reduced the travel time of public transport on certain corridors by between 7.64% and 18.76% in the morning peak period, and 5.60% to 22.50% in the afternoon peak period. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Transport Systems Efficiency, Network Planning and Safety)

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17 pages, 1218 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Service Quality Assessment of App-Based Demand-Responsive Public Transit Services in Lahore, Pakistan

by Muhammad Abdullah, Nazam Ali, Syed Arif Hussain Shah, Muhammad Ashraf Javid and Tiziana Campisi

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(4), 1911; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041911 - 22 Feb 2021

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3622

Abstract

App-based demand-responsive transit (DRT) services are emerging where conventional public transport is unable to meet the demand. SWVL (choice A) and Airlift (choice B) are two such DRT bus services operating in Lahore, Pakistan. It is important for the policy makers and operators to evaluate the satisfaction levels of the passengers using these services. This study evaluated passengers’ satisfaction regarding choice A and choice B through a questionnaire survey. A total of 440 responses were collected from the users of the DRT services through personal interviews and a web-based approach. Factor analysis on the collected data produced two underlying factors, namely service-attributes and bus ambiance. Ordinal regression showed that the service-attributes and ambiance were significant predictors of overall satisfaction levels about choice A. Service-attributes indicated a larger positive impact on overall satisfaction with choice A as compared to ambiance. Although the ordinal model for choice B fitted the data well, the predictors were found to be insignificant. The results offer an insight into which predictors affect the overall satisfaction and how it can be improved. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Transport Systems Efficiency, Network Planning and Safety)

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Review

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20 pages, 3247 KiB

Open AccessReview

Impacts of E-Micromobility on the Sustainability of Urban Transportation—A Systematic Review

by Buket Şengül and Hamid Mostofi

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(13), 5851; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11135851 - 24 Jun 2021

Cited by 36 | Viewed by 7698

Abstract

When considering the sharp growth rate of the use of e-micromobility vehicles, such as e-scooters and e-bikes, it is necessary to investigate whether these emerging modes of transport play a sustainable role in cities in terms of their energy efficiency, emissions, and their relationship with other modes of mobility, such as public transport. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the impacts of e-micromobility through a systematic review of relevant studies in the field of e-scooters and e-bikes. We followed the steps of PRISMA to conduct a systematic literature review, including identification, screening, eligibility and inclusion steps. One hundred forty-six studies were reviewed and compiled, and 29 of these studies were selected for the focus of this review and their research data were synthesized. The impacts of e-micromobilities were categorized into four categories—travel behaviors, energy consumption, environmental impacts, and safety and related regulations. The category of travel behaviors includes the analysis of the purposes of travel, modal shift from different modes of transport to e-micromobility vehicles, average travel time, and distance. In this review, the findings of relevant studies in different cities around world are compared to each other and synthesized to give an insight into the role of e-micromobility in the present and in the future of urban transportation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Transport Systems Efficiency, Network Planning and Safety)

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17 pages, 3147 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Autonomous Vehicles: An Analysis Both on Their Distinctiveness and the Potential Impact on Urban Transport Systems

by Alessandro Severino, Salvatore Curto, Salvatore Barberi, Fabio Arena and Giovanni Pau

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(8), 3604; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11083604 - 16 Apr 2021

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 5028

Abstract

Autonomous driving is a technological innovation that involves the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the automotive area, representing the future of transport and whose applications will influence the concept of driving and many other features of modern society. Indeed, the introduction of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) on the market, along with the development of related technologies, will have a potential impact not only on the automotive industry but also on urban transport systems. New mobility-related businesses will emerge, whereas existing ones will have to adapt to changes. There are various aspects that affect urban transport systems: in this work, we highlight how road markings, intersections, and pavement design upgradings have a key role for AVs operation. This work aims to describe how contemporary society will be influenced by Autonomous Vehicles’ spread in regard to urban transport systems. A comprehensive analysis of the expected developments within urban transport systems is hereby presented, and some crucial issues concerning benefits and drawbacks are also discussed. From our studies, it emerges that the detection performed by vehicles is mainly affected by road markings characteristics, especially at intersections. Indeed, the need for a new cross-sections type arise, since vehicles wandering phenomena will be reduced due to AVs position-keeping systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Transport Systems Efficiency, Network Planning and Safety)

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