MULTIMODAL PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM ROUTING AND SCHEDULING

The basic objective of this research is to increase the efficiency, by vehicle routing and scheduling, of a multimodal public transit system composed of fixed route buses, variable route vans for individuals with disabilities, and subsidized taxi service. Measures of efficiency considered are the number of individuals who can be accommodated by the integrated system and total system cost to the public transportation system. This objective involved: 1) the development of a model to determine when taxi riders can be paired in a common taxi (doubled up) to reduce total system cost; and 2) the development of heuristic procedures for coupling a system that integrates the fixed route bus and the van service scheduling with the taxi rider assignment system. These heuristic procedures determine when it is fiscally advantageous to alter the van routes in order to add taxi riders to the van schedules and eliminate the taxi charge.