Optimizing transport operations in a hybrid mobility system for rural-urban transport

Abstract

The potential benefits of integrating public transportation and demand-responsive services to create more flexible and efficient mobility systems are widely recognized. In this context, this paper introduces the Integrated Dial-a-Ride Problem including Walking (IDARPW). The problem appears in the context of passenger transportation between urban and rural areas, where passenger trips may be a combination of public transportation, demand-responsive services, and walking. Our focus lies on the operational optimization of the routing and scheduling of the on-demand vehicles in such a system. Both a mathematical (MILP) formulation and a heuristic solution approach are proposed for this problem. The heuristic algorithm is based on the Large Neighborhood Search (LNS) framework and contains an optimal scheduling procedure with the distinctive quality of optimizing the passenger trip times. A numerical study and sensitivity analysis are performed, resulting in managerial insights for decision-making on the operational level.