Analysis of Long-Distance Passenger Transportation Based on a Highway Network Using the SWOT-AHP Method

Nowadays the process of urbanization in China is rapid, so the demand of city-to-city transportation or downtown-to-suburb transportation is massively increasing. The traditional ways of passenger transportation cannot meet the passengers’ requirements gradually and have some related safety problems. So this paper put forward the concept and the definition of long-distance passenger transportation based on highway network. At the same time this paper analyze the long-distance passenger transportation’s advantages and disadvantages qualitatively and quantitatively by the SWOT-AHP method. We also found that the lack of theory support is the main disadvantage of long-distance passenger transportation based on highway network while it also confronts the strong competition of high-speed railway transportation, however the advantages like higher comfort level and higher coverage rate still demonstrate its development potential. The competitiveness of long-distance passenger transportation will be enhanced during its rapid developing if we strengthen its advantages.