WP Essentials
This is a Work Package as part of the OSSTIP project.
Inputs: BZE’s Proposed updated network and frequency information, Working OSSTIP platform for display of existing PT timetable (OSSTIP/WP4), Network->timetable conversion tools (OSSTIP/WP5).
Outputs: Installed instance of OSSTIP with relevant GIS data uploaded, Created map-based analysis, and updated documentation.
Estimated Time: Small-Medium
Requirements Summary
In this Work Package, the previous work to set up a display and analysis capability for Melbourne’s current public transport network in OSSTIP/WP4 will be applied to the first version of the new proposed public transport network and preliminary timetable that BZE have developed.
Note: whilst this work package is going on, we expect considerable effort will be needed to refine the proposed network into a full GTFS-compatible timetable, even with the supporting tools developed in OSSTIP/WP5. This will primarily be the responsibility of BZE team members, although user:PatSunter will support this process throughout this work package.
Results
Creating the BZE GTFS files
Using the process developed in OSSTIP/WP5, by December 2013 we were able to create a GTFS schedule file for BZE's proposed modified bus network, running on a high-frequency timetable, as follows:
| Time Period | Service Headway (min) |
|---|---|
| 05,00 AM - 07,30 AM | 20 |
| 07,30 AM - 10,00 AM | 5 |
| 10,00 AM - 4,00 PM | 10 |
| 04,00 PM - 06,30 PM | 5 |
| 06,30 PM - 11,00 PM | 10 |
| 11,00 PM - 02,00 AM | 20 |
As part of creating the timetable, after some initial tests revealing that the manually created bus stops in QGIS were quite 'sparse' in some areas resulting in long walk times, we also ran a script to create bus stops at a specified maximum distance, if they weren't there already. We chose 500m for this maximum distance. The gallery below shows the difference between the previously manually placed stops in QGIS, versus those that resulted after running the update script.
Loading these into OpenTripPlanner along with other modes, and routing tests
Then, a new OpenTripPlanner graph was created using this new bus timetable in combination with the existing tram and train timetables, using the same process as in OSSTIP/Setup of OpenTripPlanner to display Melbourne PT network.
We were then successfully able to route sample trips using both the old and new servers. Below are shown several examples.
Comparisons can be done manually using their interactive web-application aspects of OTP, or programmatically by using the REST web-server APIs.
TODO - add examples once this feature working.
Relationship to later WPs
Completing this WP now lays the foundation for OSSTIP/WPBZE3, setting up a live web-server running both old and new networks, to communicate the benefits and differences between them.
Re-run process for phase 2 BZE network
Depending on if work in OSSTIP/WPBZE2 and other analysis suggests network refinement is needed, we may want to re-run the process of creating an updated GTFS timetable, and displaying the results.
Testing of OTP Analyst time of day issues
Detailed checking of OTP analyst results has revealed some potential issues.
See OSSTIP/OpenTripPlanner Issues for tracking of those.