Assessing the Impact of Bus Arrival Rate on the Bus Lane Capacity: A Simulation-Based Approach

Bus lane capacity is undoubtedly an essential ingredient in the planning, design and operation of bus corridors. Among the various factors influencing the bus lane capacity, bus arrival rate has been underexplored. Therefore, this study focusses on assessing the impact of eight different arrival rates on bus lane capacity. To achieve this aim, a simulation model is developed, and two simulation experiments were performed. One with fixed dwell time and varying arrival rates, and second with fixed arrival rate and varying dwell time. To compute the capacity, transit capacity and quality of service manual (TCQSM) model is selected. Based on the analysis, as the arrival rate increases, the bus lane capacity increases at the cost of increase in the queue length. Furthermore, for a fixed arrival rate, when the dwell time decreases, the bus lane capacity increases. From the practitioners’ and policy makers’ viewpoint, the findings of this study highlight the importance of judiciously selecting an arrival rate.