Bus timetabling optimisation method with passenger waiting time and dwell time for different bus passenger capacity

Abstract

The primary aim of this research is to solve the timetabling optimisation problem of bus service with multiple bus types consideration. A bus timetabling optimisation model with bi-objective functions is constructed. The first objective is to minimize the total bus dwell time for all bus stops along the route. The second objective is to minimize the total passenger waiting time for all passengers at all bus stops. Both objectives are considered simultaneously in the model by using weighted optimisation model with one objective function. Genetic algorithm is used to decide the bus departure time and type of bus used for every trip. Moreover, the passenger demand distribution is used to simulate the bus dwell time at all bus stops in the algorithm. Real-life bus passenger data such as passenger demand is used to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed timetable and the productiveness of the timetabling optimisation model. The proposed optimal bus timetable from optimisation model is able to reduce the total dwell time by 14.88% and the total passenger waiting time by 23.55% compared with the bus timetable currently used. The result shows that the constructed bus timetabling optimisation model is effective to provide a reliable bus timetable by balancing the benefits between the bus passengers and operators.