T J T L U http://jtlu.org V. 14 N. 1 [2021] pp. 863–884 Planning a high-frequency transfer-based bus network: How do we get there? Emily Grisé Ahmed El-Geneidy University of Alberta McGill University
[email protected] [email protected] Anson F. Stewart Conveyal
[email protected] Abstract: As cities have grown more dispersed and auto-oriented, Article history: demand for travel has become increasingly difficult to meet via public Received: February 21, 2020 transit. Public transit ridership, particularly bus ridership, has recently Received in revised form: been on the decline in many urban areas in Canada and the United November 11, 2020 States, and many agencies have either undergone or are planning Accepted: March 11, 2021 comprehensive bus network redesigns in response. While comprehensive Available online: August 13, bus network redesigns are not novel to public transit, network redesigns 2021 are commonly being considered in cities to optimize operational costs and reverse downward trends in transit ridership. For cities considering a comprehensive bus network redesign, there is currently no comprehensive easy-to-follow planning process available to guide cities through such a major undertaking. In light of that, this study presents a methodology to guide transport professionals through the planning process of a bus network redesign, using Longueuil, Quebec, as a case study. Currently, Longueuil operates a door-to-door network, and the goal is to move to a transfer-based, high-frequency service while keeping the existing number of buses constant. A variety of data sources that capture regional travel behavior and network performance are overlaid using a GIS-based grid-cell model to identify priority bus corridors.