Metro networks provide efficient transportation services to large numbers of travelers in urban areas around the World; any unexpected operational disruption can lead to rapid degradation of the provided level of service by a city's public transportation system. In such instances, quick and efficient substitution of services is necessary for accommodating metro passengers including the widely used practice of bridging metro stations using bus services. Despite its widespread application, bus bridging is largely done ad-hoc and not as part of an integrated optimization procedure. This paper proposes a methodological framework for planning and designing an efficient bus bridging network. The paper offers a set of structured steps and optimization models as well as a unified Decision Support System for handling bus bridging problems.
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