Optimal Routing Design for Feeder Bus Service Considering Socio-Economic Benefits and the Equalization of Public Traffic Services

In developing countries like China, economic benefit and efficiency have been considered primary factors in the design of feeder bus routes. This paper intends to present a method that balances the socioeconomic benefits during the optimal routing design procedure, considering the fact that some feeder bus routes provide social benefit. This study addresses the development of an optimal routing design for feeder buses in suburbs. A research model focusing on optimal route design was developed, and a genetic algorithm was used to solve the problem and test the results within reasonable running time; factors including passenger travel cost and coverage of existing nodes were studied as constraints. Results show, in general, that the method can optimize the route design in a suburb area where the equalization of public traffic service is emphasized, and the results of feeder route design were reasonable.