Milatras: A new modelling framework for the transit assignment problem

Abstract

There is a growing need for a new modelling framework for the transit assignment problem, particularly to represent behavioural responses under information provision. Traditional transportation planning methods have serious limitations in evaluating the effects of information technologies, since they are neither sensitive to the types of information that may be provided to travellers nor to the traveller's response to that information. This paper discusses the issues concerning the development and implementation of a new modelling framework for the transit assignment problem, namely the MIcrosimulation Learning-based Approach for TRansit ASsignment - MILATRAS. The proposed modelling framework is sensitive to timedependent and stochastic transit service characteristics (supply modelling). It also models adaptive departure time and path choices by passengers (demand modelling), and captures the interaction between passenger decisions and transit network performance (via an integrated framework).