Optimizing Bus Timetables in the Presence of Stochastic Demand: A Computational Approach
Keywords:
Including Network Route Design, Timetable Setting, Vehicle Assignment, Crew AssignmentAbstract
Local bus networks are widely recognized as the primary and often sole mode of public transportation in the majority of cities worldwide. City planners seek to enhance the attractiveness and usage of this mode for urban trips, making it a key goal in urban transportation planning. Among the essential components of bus network design (including network route design, timetable setting, vehicle assignment, crew assignment), timetable setting plays a critical role in influencing the overall travel time experienced by transit passengers. The total travel time significantly impacts the utility and share of local bus transit for urban commuting. Notably, one significant aspect in the process of timetable setting is ensuring adequate temporal coverage of service
throughout the day. However, the concept of covering the demand throughout various time periods has not been thoroughly explored in the existing literature. Addressing this research gap, our paper presents a novel model designed to maximize the temporal coverage of local bus networks. The proposed model takes into account the temporal fluctuations in demand and acknowledges the stochastic nature of demand by employing a distribution function rather than relying on deterministic values. To demonstrate the model’s effectiveness, we implement it in an illustrative hypothetical scenario. Through this
research, we aim to contribute to the advancement of efficient and comprehensive public transit planning and operations.
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