Integrating bipartite network modelling and overlapping community detection: A new method to evaluate transit line coordination

• Published in: Physica A Vol. 628; p. 129169
• Main Authors: Li, Jin-Yang, Teng, Jing, Wang, Hui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.10.2023
• Subjects: Bipartite network; Community detection; Public transport network; Transit line coordination; Community detection; Public transport network; Bipartite network; Transit line coordination
• ISSN: 0378-4371; 1873-2119
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2023.129169

This paper introduces a novel approach, integrating bipartite network modelling and overlapping community detection, to evaluate the coordination of transit lines in public transport systems. The bipartite networks capture the affiliation relationship between transit lines and stations, considering both transfer distance and service frequency. We adapt the BiEgoNet-based and BiClique-based algorithms for overlapping community detection in the bipartite transport network, and employ four indices to evaluate the quality of bipartite community partition from the perspective of community connectedness (extended modularity, community partition density and route diversity) and independence (community partition independence). Additionally, we propose two metrics, coordination scale and variance, to analyse transit line coordination. The former metric measures the overall ability of a transit line to coordinate, and the later metric quantify the variance of the coordination property along a transit line. The proposed methods are tested in the public transport system of Urumqi, China, and the results demonstrate that these metrics effectively reveal the ability and inclination of transit lines to interact, based on their distributions, lengths, and station numbers. This research contributes to the understanding and assessment of redundancy and resilience in public transport systems through innovative bipartite network modelling and community detection. •Overlapping community detection in bipartite public transport networks.•Community evaluation from perspectives of connectedness and independence.•Transit lines’ coordination scale and variance based on community partition.•Coordination regarding transit lines’ distribution, length, and number of stations.