Inference of Transit Passenger Counts and Waiting Time Using Wi-Fi Signals

Passenger data such as real-time origin-destination (OD) flows and waiting times are central to planning public transportation services and improving visitor experience. This project explored the use of Internet of Things (IoT) Technology to infer transit ridership and waiting time at bus stops. Specifically, this study explored the use of Raspberry Pi computers, which are small and inexpensive sets of hardware, to scan the Wi-Fi networks of passengers’ smartphones. The process was used to infer passenger counts and obtain information on passenger trajectories based on Global Positioning System (GPS) data. The research was conducted as a case study of the Streamline Bus System in Bozeman, Montana. To evaluate the reliability of the data collected with the Raspberry Pi computers, the study conducted technology-based estimation of ridership, OD flows, wait time, and travel time for a comparison with ground truth data (passenger surveys, manual data counts, and bus travel times).

• Record URL:
  https://westerntransportationinstitute.org/research_projects/inference-of-transit-passenger-counts-and-waiting-time-using-wi-fi-signals/

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $31895
• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Performing Organizations:

  Western Transportation Institute

  Montana State University, Bozeman
  P.O. Box 174250
  Bozeman, MT  United States  59717-4250
• Start Date: 20180516
• Expected Completion Date: 20190630
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus transit operations; Case studies; Global Positioning System; Internet; Internet of things; Origin and destination; Passenger counting; Public transit; Ridership; Smartphones; Travel time; Waiting time
• Geographic Terms: Bozeman (Montana)
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Operations and Traffic Management; Passenger Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01758013
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Small Urban, Rural and Tribal Center on Mobility
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Nov 18 2020 5:19PM