Simultaneous identification of transportation-deficient zones and transit hubs through Origin-Destination and Boarding-Alighting surveys

Abstract

The key to designing a good public transportation system is to understand the transportation needs of commuters in a city. An Origin-Destination survey gives us an idea of the movement of commuters from the start and end of their commutes, while a Boarding-Alighting survey shows how individuals use different forms of public transportation for their needs. We compare these two datasets for the time period of 06:00-09:00 (AM rush hours) and identify zones that fit two extreme scenarios: zones that are underserved by the transportation system, and zones that are transit hubs. Our analysis shows 250000 commuters in 85 zones that have insufficient public transport access, while 300000 commuters in 53 zones potentially have inefficient commutes. We also relate the presence of transit hubs to the risk they pose in the case of a disease outbreak, such as COVID-19.