Séminaire conjoint GERAD-Chaire de recherche du Canada en distributique-Chaire en logistique et en transport

TITRE : Models for technology choice in a transit corridor

CONFÉRENCIER : Luigi Moccia, National Research Council, Italie

DATE et ENDROIT : 29 août 2016, 10h30, salle 5441, Pavillon André-Aisenstadt, Campus de l’Université de Montréal

RESPONSABLE : Gilbert Laporte

RÉSUMÉ : This talk presents three extensions to a base optimization model for a transit line which can be used to strategically evaluate technology choices such as bus rapid transit, light rail transit, metro, or commuter rail. In the base model the optimized variable is the frequency, the objective function is the minimization of the sum of passenger and operator costs, and the demand is assumed to be fixed in a single period. This model can be solved analytically. We first extend the base model to account for optimal stop spacing. We then introduce optimal train length and a crowding penalty. Finally, we consider a two-period case and a multi-period generalization. The proposed extensions can be solved by simple approximation schemes which provide some analytical insights into the structure of optimal solutions. Their significance is illustrated by means of an example in which two road modes and two rail modes are defined by a set of techno-economical parameters. These parameters loaded in the base model yield dominance of road modes for all but the largest demand levels. We consistently keep this set of parameters for all models, and show how the break-even points between road and rail modes progressively recede toward lower demand levels when model refinements — not parameter changes — are applied.