Using Data to Redesign Bus Transit Networks for Better User Access to Daily Needs

What is it about?

In many urban and suburban neighborhoods, bus routes often fail to connect residents to essential destinations such as grocery stores, healthcare facilities, schools, and job centers. This study introduces a data-driven approach to redesign where bus stops should be placed and how routes should be structured so that more people can conveniently access the places they rely on for everyday functioning. Instead of costly new construction, the method uses existing roads and real-world data, including sociodemographic information, land-use patterns, and the locations of key destinations, to design bus transit networks. When applied to the City of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, the redesigned transit network dramatically increased access to key places across the city. The results show how local governments and transit agencies can use this approach to enable fast, meaningful improvements in mobility and accessibility.

Featured Image

Photo by Lennon C on Unsplash

Photo by Lennon C on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Many communities struggle with bus transit networks that fail to adequately connect residents to the destinations they rely on every day. In low-income neighborhoods, where people may not be able to afford a car, they often face significant barriers in reaching jobs, healthcare, or grocery stores, which limit opportunities and make daily life more difficult. At the same time, residents in more affluent, car-dependent areas may want to use transit but are unable to do so because such service simply does not exist, leading to higher car usage, congestion, emissions, and negative health and environmental impacts. This work is important because it provides communities with a practical, data-driven method to redesign bus stops and routes so that all residents can reach key destinations more easily. By improving transit access across neighborhoods, the framework improves community mobility, reduces dependence on private vehicles, and contributes to healthier and more sustainable transportation.