Designing transit routes at the network level

A system designed to create, analyze, and optimize bus route networks is described. Out of all feasible routes and transfers that connect every place (node) on the network to all others, it generates smaller subsets, each maintaining connectivity on the network. For each of the subsets generated, the system fulfils transformation demand by calculating the appropriate frequency for each route. Next, it calculates the optimization parameters for each subset: passenger hours, waiting time, empty space hours, and fleet size. At this point, the user is able to choose the most suitable subset, based on the specific optimization parameter desired. The system has been designed as a tool to plan future transit networks as well as to help maintain existing ones. This flexibility is achieved throughout the system by allowing the user to supply either his own data or to execute it automatically.<>