A Microscopic Simulation of Transit Speed Guidance and Signal Priority Using Advanced Detection to Make BRT More Efficient

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) may improve the level of bus service and has been implemented in about twelve Chinese cities (i.e. Beijing, Hangzhou, Changzhou, etc). However, priorities for BRT in China are limited mainly to exclusive bus lanes. Although some simple signal priority strategies have been adopted, bus efficiency has not improved significantly. This study analyzes two proposed control strategies using a microscopic traffic simulator, VISSIM. The first strategy is transit speed guidance, a traffic control strategy that provides priority at intersections for buses. Another is signal priority using advanced detection, a Transit Signal Priority (TSP) strategy that detects one cycle in advance of bus arrival. An example is presented based on the BRT planning scheme on Shengli Avenue in Yingtan City. It includes BRT features such as exclusive bus lanes, bus stops installed in front of stop lines, and loading/unloading of passengers during the red signal period. Based on the evaluation of indicators like delay, travel speed and reliability, the simulation results show that these two proposed control strategies have remarkably improved the efficiency of public transit. It offers a case study for the management and control of BRT operation, and provides some practical insights on how to improve public transit efficiency.