Real-Time Optimization Model for Dynamic Scheduling of Transit Operations

A new transit operating strategy is presented in which service vehicles operate in pairs with the lead vehicle providing an all-stop local service and the following vehicle being allowed to skip some stops as an express service. The underlying scheduling problem is formulated as a nonlinear integer programming problem with the objective of minimizing the total costs for both operators and passengers. A sensitivity analysis using a real-life example is performed to identify the conditions under which the proposed operating strategy is most advantageous.