Estimation of the minimum required bus capacity between the hinterland and the centre of a functional urban region – a comparative study of the five largest Serbian cities

This study presents a simply applicable method for comparing the capacity and potential of suburban bus services. The starting point for the analysis of the capacity is raw data from individual transport companies on the frequency of bus connections and the connectivity of centres with other parts of urban regions. A minimum seat capacity constant, based on the definition of a bus as a means of public transport, enables getting estimation of minimal required capacity. The concept of demographic gravitation serves as a comparative element of gravitational and capacity potential between settlements within urban regions, namely, demographic force, which measures the population of two settlements with the square of the distance between them with adequately made calibration based on real traffic flows. The results provide a comprehensive picture of the distribution of the suburban bus network, with detailed values of the required capacity in the lowest administrative units.