Exploiting the timetabling flexibility in the context of the vehicle scheduling problem with heterogeneous fleet

Abstract

In the context of a heterogeneous fleet, the single-depot Vehicle Scheduling Problem is known as the Vehicle Type Scheduling Problem (VTSP). In this paper, we extend a VTSP model proposed in the literature to enable timetabling flexibility. Two strategies were developed to promote flexibility: aggregated trips and time windows. The former allows to aggregate two or more trips, occurring close in time, into a single one through the use of larger vehicle types, while the latter allows shifting the departure time of scheduled trips backward in few minutes. Both approaches were tested on generated instances that simulate the traffic behavior of a Brazilian city, where clock-face departure pattern is not required and demand peak times occur. We verified significant savings in the daily operation of the public transportation service with acceptable impact on passengers’ experience.