Explicit performance models of a transit system are often very useful for system design, optimization, alternative comparison, and gaining insights into relevant system relations. In this paper, a performance metamodel has been developed for many-to-many dial-a-ride service, in which flexible routes and schedules are provided and service quality is guaranteed by time constraints. The model predicts minimum vehicle fleet size requirements. A simulation-based response surface methodology is used to model the functional relation between performance and contributing factors through experiments and statistical analysis. A detailed vehicle routing and scheduling algorithm and passenger time constraints, which are oversimplified or omitted in most other analytical approaches, are incorporated in the simulation experiments from whose results our model is statistically estimated. A face-centered central composite design is used to determine the experiment design points. The metamodel is validated using an additional set of randomly generated data. The resulting model is relatively simple in structure, inexpensive to use and fairly robust.
Fleet Size Metamodel for Dial-a-Ride Services with Time Constraints
Ninth Asia Pacific Transportation Development Conference ; 2012 ; Chongqing, China
Sustainable Transportation Systems ; 257-267
2012-06-28
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
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