A finely-detailed simulation-based approach for measuring bus bay performance

Measuring the performance of the bus bay is critical to evaluate the effectiveness of the transit system. However, there are only a few examples of such work in the literature. This study proposes a novel, finely detailed simulation approach with physics-constrained vehicle trajectories. The approach can be adopted to evaluate the efficiency of multiple-berth bus bays with physical separation. The study assesses both rule-based and non-rule-based berth assignment schemes using calibrated parameters based on real-world data. Results reveal the following findings: 1) With a non-rule-based berth assignment, the overtaking-in maneuvre can significantly improve the efficiency of bus bays; 2) With a rule-based berth assignment, high-frequency routes should be allocated evenly to different berths when re-entry delay is minimal; 3) The rule-based berth assignment scheme is generally adoptable for two-berth bus bays, and 4) The deployment of additional berths may not improve the efficiency of a bus bay.