A software solution to control bus-bunching using networked, commoditized tablets

Bus bunching, the tendency of buses to cluster together, delays passengers, wastes transit agency resources, and makes drivers’ jobs more difficult. To solve this problem, we propose a control system consisting of networked tablets designed to automatically provide drivers with simple guidance based on the positions of other vehicles in the system. This proposal provides a plan to expand the existing system’s capabilities to make it robust to real-world operating conditions and develop open-source tools to analyze system performance. The system will be implemented under a variety of scenarios, including: overlapping lines; frequency-based scheduling; switch-backs, where buses turn back before the end of the route; and leap-frogging, allowing buses to pass one another.