Quantifying the competitiveness of transit relative to taxi with multifaceted data

This paper proposes an assessment framework to quantify the competitiveness of transit relative to a taxi-like service. The framework centers on a transit route builder, which searches, using a hyperpath-based algorithm, for the best available transit route that matches the origin and the destination of a given taxi trip. Based on the optimal transit route, we then measure the relative competitiveness of the transit service according to the preference of a rational traveler, which is determined by the generalized cost defined by fare, in-vehicle travel time and other service attributes. The framework is evaluated using a case study constructed with multifaceted data sources collected in Shenzhen, China. The results show that, while 90% of all taxi trips are faster than its best alternative transit option, only about 36% is shorter. Also, the relative competitiveness of transit decreases with the passenger's value of time, and increases with the average trip distance. We also find that the preference of the middle-income passengers for transit is the most sensitive to the changes in trip distance, mode (bus or rail) and fare.

Automated summary

This paper proposes an assessment framework to quantify the competitiveness of transit compared to a taxi-like service. The framework uses a transit route builder to search for the best available transit route based on origin and destination of a given taxi trip. The competitiveness of transit is measured based on the traveler's preference and the generalized cost. The study finds that while most taxi trips are faster, only a small percentage of them are shorter. The relative competitiveness of transit increases with average trip distance and decreases with the passenger's value of time.