G-EMME/2: Automatic Calibration Tool of the EMME/2 Transit Assignment Using Genetic Algorithms

Abstract

This research presents an automatic procedure for calibrating transit-assignment model parameters. The calibration process targets the optimal set of parameter values by ensuring that the assignment output volumes match ridership volumes obtained from on-board surveys. Due to the combinatorial nature of the problem of interest, the proposed calibration process is automated using genetic algorithm techniques to find the best values for parameters through minimizing a “misfit” function. This study presents the new G-EMME/2 tool, which is an automatic calibration tool designed to find the optimal set of values for the transit-assignment model parameters implemented in the EMME/2 transportation planning software. The G-EMME/2 tool was applied to the Toronto transit network, and the five EMME/2 aggregate transit-assignment model parameters were estimated. The results are very encouraging. This research is an attempt to help automate the tedious process of calibrating transit assignment models.