Predicting traffic volumes and estimating the effects of shocks in massive transportation systems.

ABSTRACT: Public transportation systems are an essential component of major cities. The widespread use of smart cards for automated fare collection in these systems offers a unique opportunity to understand passenger behavior at a massive scale. In this study, we use network-wide data obtained from smart cards in the London transport system to predict future traffic volumes, and to estimate the effects of disruptions due to unplanned closures of stations or lines. Disruptions, or shocks, force passengers to make different decisions concerning which stations to enter or exit. We describe how these changes in passenger behavior lead to possible overcrowding and model how stations will be affected by given disruptions. This information can then be used to mitigate the effects of these shocks because tr

SUBMITTER: Silva R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4426445 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature