Methodological Framework for the Evaluation of Critical Nodes in Public Transit Systems

Public transport of a region is extremely important for connecting the commuters from their origins to destinations. Public transport systems with large fleets cannot be guaranteed to perform efficiently, unless it is well connected and accessible to maximum possible population. In this regard, the localization of public transport stops (nodes) are highly important, since access to public transit systems is only possible through these nodes.In this framework, this paper focuses on the formulation of a general methodology for the evaluation of public transit nodes of a region based on transit system characteristics, spatial coverages and characteristics of zones using the concepts of connectivity and accessibility. Similarly, connectivity and accessibility index are calculated and enhanced based on distribution of public transport trips in zones and compared with each other to determine the critical nodes. To show the capability of the proposed approach, an application of this methodology in terms of a case study is analyzed in order to show the effects of trip distribution in the zones on the connectivity and accessibility index values during different time periods.