A SCHEDULING MODEL AND A SOLUTION ALGORITHM FOR INTER-CITY BUS CARRIERS
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
2002
Subject Area
operations - scheduling, planning - methods, ridership - commuting, ridership - demand, place - urban, mode - bus
Keywords
Timetables, Taiwan, Sensitivity analysis, Scheduling, Routing, Networks, Mixed integer programming, Lagrangian functions, Interurban transportation, Intercity transportation, Intercity bus lines, Heuristic methods, Formosa, Demand, China (Republic : 1949- ), Case studies, Algorithms
Abstract
Inter-city bus carriers in Taiwan have usually set their timetables and bus routes/schedules manually. This paper develops a model that will help these bus carriers in setting timetables and bus routes/schedules more efficiently. The model uses multiple time-space networks that can formulate bus movements and passenger flows and manage the interrelationships between passenger trip demands and bus trip supplies to produce the best possible timetables and bus routes/schedules. The model is formulated mathematically as a mixed integer multiple commodity network flow problem. An algorithm, based on Lagrangian relaxation, a sub-gradient method, the network simplex method, a Lagrangian heuristic and a flow decomposition algorithm, is developed to efficiently solve the problem. A case study using the operational data of a major inter-city bus carrier in Taiwan was performed to show how well the model works. Sensitivity tests demonstrated that the model was flexible.
Recommended Citation
Yan, S, CHEN, H-L, (2002). A SCHEDULING MODEL AND A SOLUTION ALGORITHM FOR INTER-CITY BUS CARRIERS. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Volume 36, Issue 9, p. 805-825.
Comments
Transportation Research Part A Home Page: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09658564