Dynamic Bus Routing: A study on the viability of on-demand high-capacity ridesharing as an alternative to fixed-route buses in Singapore

Mobility-on-demand ridesharing services have transformed the transportation landscape by offering commuters the convenience of point-to-point transportation, while at the same time being more efficient than private vehicles. However, the benefits these services have to offer are fundamentally limited by their capacities, and are often seen as taxi equivalents. In this paper, we apply this concept to high-capacity buses in a population-dense environment. We first develop a simulator that uses a modified insertion algorithm to model the dynamic routing of such vehicles. Using Singapore as a case study, we demonstrate that dynamically routed buses are an efficient mode of mass transport, and in some cases may hold significant advantages over present-day fixed-route services. Finally, we hypothesize how this new transport mode may be integrated with the wider public transportation network, to create a more efficient commute for all.