Modelling of inter-stop minibus taxi movements : using machine learning and network theory
Date
2014-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Minibus taxis provide affordable alternative transport
for the majority of urban working population in Sub-
Saharan Africa. Often, these taxis do not follow predefined routes
in their endeavours to look for passengers. Frequently, they stop
by roadsides to pick up passengers and sometimes go off the
main route in an attempt to fill the taxi with passengers to
make the trip profitable. In addition, the destinations are changed
from time to time depending on the driver. This uncoordinated
movement creates a web of confusion to would-be passengers. The
key aspects that are not clear to the passengers include; where to
get a taxi, the waiting time and the travel time to the destination.
These conditions leave taxi passengers at a very big disadvantage.
In this research, we applied the concepts of machine learning
and network theory to model the movements of taxis between
stops. The model can be used to compute the waiting times at
the stops and the travel times to a specified destination. Twelve
minibus taxis were tracked for 6 months. Density-based clustering
was used to discover the formal and informal taxi stops, which
were modelled into a flow network with the significant stops as
nodes and the frequency of departures between nodes as edges
representing the strength of connectivity. A data driven model was
developed. From the model, we can predict the time a passenger
will have to wait at a stop in order to get a taxi and the trip
duration.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar
Description
Please cite as follows:
Ndibatya, I. & Booysen, M. J. 2014. Modelling of inter-stop minibus taxi movements: Using machine learning and network theory, in Proceedings of the First International Conference on the use of Mobile Informations and Communication Technology (ICT) in Africa UMICTA 2014, 9-10 December 2014, STIAS Conference Centre, Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University, Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, South Africa, ISBN: 978-0-7972-1533-7.
The conference is available at http://mtn.sun.ac.za/conference2014/
See also the record http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/95703
Ndibatya, I. & Booysen, M. J. 2014. Modelling of inter-stop minibus taxi movements: Using machine learning and network theory, in Proceedings of the First International Conference on the use of Mobile Informations and Communication Technology (ICT) in Africa UMICTA 2014, 9-10 December 2014, STIAS Conference Centre, Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University, Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, South Africa, ISBN: 978-0-7972-1533-7.
The conference is available at http://mtn.sun.ac.za/conference2014/
See also the record http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/95703
Keywords
Minibus taxis, Public transport, Taxi passengers, Stops, Bus, Bus transit -- Stops, Machine learning