Methods to calculate and evaluate the efficiency of combined traffic mode in the context of urban bus routes

Problem. Despite certain governmental support, the efficiency of urban passenger transport remains low under the current inflation. Improved economic feasibility of AOCs is possible if only combined operation mode for buses is implemented. Implementation of the measure results in the accelerated transportation, efficient use of road transport vehicles, and transportation services as well as significant reduction in combustible and lubrication materials, and current repair and maintenance of buses. However, lack of uniform methodology and reliable substantiation techniques, neglected basic economic and social factors of transportation process as well as high labour intensity of the available developments complicate seriously determination of rational parameters of the combined transportation forms implementation hindering their wide use. Goal is to develop methods as well as economic and mathematical model making it possible to study and determine both expediency and rational parameters of implementation of combined speedy transportation forms in terms of certain urban route using the selected efficiency criteria.  To estimate the modeling results, it is also required to develop a structure of the efficiency complex index while implementing combined transportation forms which would involve basic economic, technologic, and social components of passenger transportation process. Methodology . The paper has applied calculation and experimental approaches.  With the help of mathematical modeling, calculation technique has analyzed the effect of different ratios of buses, involved in customary and speedy transportation forms, on the estimation criterion of the combined transportation mode efficiency. Experimental technique studied characteristics of passenger flows within a route, determined average distances of passenger trips, turnover coefficient, and transportation velocity for various types of bus traffics. Results. The proposed nonequilibrum passenger flow coefficient made it possible to obtain zones of preliminary estimation of expediency to implement corresponding transportation forms within certain routes.  Efficiency criteria to implement such combined transportation forms have been formulated. A structure of complex efficiency index has been proposed helping select the best variant of numerous ones while involving basic economic, technological, and social indices of passenger transportation process. Originality. To implement a procedure of passenger number redistribution between customary transportation type and speedy one (depending upon the number of buses of corresponding form), a technique has been proposed. The technique is based upon logic analysis of the two matrices: a matrix of interstop correspondence, and a standard time matrix for buses to travel between stopping points of their route. Practical value . Rational parameters to implement the combined transportation type in terms of urban route 70 (city of Dnipro) substantiating release of 7 buses from transportation process and making it possible to reduce unproductive transportation from 2 471.2 down to 216.7 pas. ∙km as well as transportation passenger time consuming from 385.6 down 378.4 hours (including transportation time reduce from 351.0 down to 296.9 hours).