Evaluation of integrated transport efficiency and equity at the county level——taking the counties in ningbo city as an example

The evaluation research on integrated transport has mainly focused on urban agglomeration or cities. Yet the integration of various modes of transportation is increasingly being seen at smaller scales, such as counties, due to population concentration and rising affluence levels. Consequently, it is becoming necessary to evaluate the efficiency and convenience of transportation services for people at each location in the county space. This study has evaluated the efficiency and equity of integrated transport from a county perspective. With respect to efficiency indexes, in addition to transportation infrastructure investment, transportation energy consumption, transportation turnover, and other general indicators, we also take into account the accessibility of people to various types of hubs in the county. We use the BCC (Banker, Charnes, Cooper) model in DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) for efficiency evaluation. Besides, we evaluate transport equity by using the Gini coefficient to reflect the population distribution of the county and GIS-based spatial accessibility of each hub site. Finally, we establish an evaluation matrix of efficiency and equity; we employ a spatial overlay method to classify research counties into different quadrants. By comprehensively considering the relationship between efficiency and equity in integrated transport, this study can identify areas for improvement in transportation development. The case study evaluation in Ningbo counties, using data from 2017 to 2020, provides practical questions and constructive suggestions for integrated transport development in these areas. Overall, this research has important implications for local transportation development and could inform policy decisions related to integrated transport.