Research Article

Evaluation of an Urban Bus Transportation Network for COVID-19 Pandemic

Volume: 28 Number: 83 May 31, 2026
TR EN

Evaluation of an Urban Bus Transportation Network for COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected urban transportation networks, necessitating real-time monitoring and optimization to meet passenger loads under rising demand while maintaining public health and safety. This study proposes a novel optimization model to evaluate the performance of an urban bus transportation network in a Turkish municipality during the pandemic. The model uses manual passenger counts from four primary bus lines during peak hours to determine the optimal number of bus trips required to accommodate demand, considering seated and standing passenger reduction factors. The model is implemented with Google OR-Tools and compares actual trip counts with optimal values, avoiding subjective design decisions. Findings indicate that trip numbers during the data-collection period were sufficient to meet demand and protect public health; however, comfort could be improved by adding a small number of additional trips. By adjusting trip counts in both overloaded and underloaded scenarios, the model enables decision-makers to improve network performance under varying demand and emergency conditions. The study also evaluates environmental impacts, with a focus on carbon emissions. The proposed technique offers an objective, data-driven framework for assessing and enhancing urban transportation networks, providing critical insights for responding to extraordinary circumstances—such as pandemics—while prioritizing passenger safety and comfort.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Distributed Systems and Algorithms, Performance Evaluation

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

May 31, 2026

Submission Date

May 17, 2025

Acceptance Date

September 10, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 28 Number: 83

APA
Siyah, B., & Berber, T. (2026). Evaluation of an Urban Bus Transportation Network for COVID-19 Pandemic. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi Fen Ve Mühendislik Dergisi, 28(83), 203-211. https://doi.org/10.21205/deufmd.2026288306
AMA
1.Siyah B, Berber T. Evaluation of an Urban Bus Transportation Network for COVID-19 Pandemic. DEUFMD. 2026;28(83):203-211. doi:10.21205/deufmd.2026288306
Chicago
Siyah, Beyzanur, and Tolga Berber. 2026. “Evaluation of an Urban Bus Transportation Network for COVID-19 Pandemic”. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi Fen Ve Mühendislik Dergisi 28 (83): 203-11. https://doi.org/10.21205/deufmd.2026288306.
EndNote
Siyah B, Berber T (May 1, 2026) Evaluation of an Urban Bus Transportation Network for COVID-19 Pandemic. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi Fen ve Mühendislik Dergisi 28 83 203–211.
IEEE
[1]B. Siyah and T. Berber, “Evaluation of an Urban Bus Transportation Network for COVID-19 Pandemic”, DEUFMD, vol. 28, no. 83, pp. 203–211, May 2026, doi: 10.21205/deufmd.2026288306.
ISNAD
Siyah, Beyzanur - Berber, Tolga. “Evaluation of an Urban Bus Transportation Network for COVID-19 Pandemic”. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi Fen ve Mühendislik Dergisi 28/83 (May 1, 2026): 203-211. https://doi.org/10.21205/deufmd.2026288306.
JAMA
1.Siyah B, Berber T. Evaluation of an Urban Bus Transportation Network for COVID-19 Pandemic. DEUFMD. 2026;28:203–211.
MLA
Siyah, Beyzanur, and Tolga Berber. “Evaluation of an Urban Bus Transportation Network for COVID-19 Pandemic”. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi Fen Ve Mühendislik Dergisi, vol. 28, no. 83, May 2026, pp. 203-11, doi:10.21205/deufmd.2026288306.
Vancouver
1.Beyzanur Siyah, Tolga Berber. Evaluation of an Urban Bus Transportation Network for COVID-19 Pandemic. DEUFMD. 2026 May 1;28(83):203-11. doi:10.21205/deufmd.2026288306

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