Computer-Controlled Vehicle Scheduling for a Demand-Controlled Bus System.

There is a growing need for new public transportation systems for thinly populated areas which can offer an alternative to existing unsatisfactory line haul systems in terms of quality and cost. A solution to this problem may be given by a demand-responsive operation of small buses which provide service within a narrow network of stopping points. The routes and schedules are determined by a digital computer which monitors the state of the system and receives new service requests. These routing decisions are made according to an algorithm used by the computer, and the performance of the algorithm greatly affects the utility of the system. In this report a possible heuristic algorithm of a many-to-many mode of operation with dynamic routing and scheduling of vehicles is given. The procedure was programmed and tested extensively in a simulation of a real transportation environment.