EPJ Data Sci. (2018) 7: 37
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjds/s13688-018-0167-3

Regular article

Commuting patterns: the flow and jump model and supporting data

¹ Department of Physics, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
² Hungarian Central Statistical Office, Budapest, Hungary

^* e-mail: zneda@phys.ubbcluj.ro

Received: 19 April 2018
Accepted: 7 October 2018
Published online: 11 October 2018

Abstract

A simple model, named the flow and jump model (FJM) is used for describing commuter fluxes at different distances. The model is based on a master equation which allows a local net probability flow and non-local jumps. FJM is in principle a one-parameter model, however it is found that by fixing this parameter we get a parameter free model, similar with the radiation model. We find that FJM offers an improved description for commuting data from USA, Italy and Hungary. For a special choice of the model parameter FJM leads to the radiation model.