Two-stage control for transfer synchronisation and regularity of subsequent bus line service

Transfer synchronisation aims at reducing the waiting time of transferring passengers to achieve a seamless transfer. Taking control at the operation level is widely regarded as an effective method to make real-time response to transfer synchronisation. However, the irregularity of bus line service after transfer may be caused due to the real-time control before the transfer behaviour. In this paper, we propose a two-stage speed control strategy to improve the transfer efficiency and the regularity of bus service after transfer simultaneously. The influence of speed control is estimated by constructing dynamic rolling horizon. Considering the service performances of both the transfer node and the next stop, we develop a multi-objective optimisation model. Experimental results show that compared with the one-stage control, the two-stage control can significantly reduce the deviation of headway after transfer while reducing the transfer time.