Conventional, Flexible, and Variable-Type Bus Services

To provide efficient public transportation services in areas with high demand variability over time, it may be desirable to switch vehicles between conventional services (with fixed routes and schedules) during peak periods and flexible route services during low-demand periods. This option is called variable-type services. Conventional, flexible, and variable-type service alternatives optimized for various conditions are compared to explore when variable-type bus services might be preferable to purely conventional or flexible service. The optimization models used for purely conventional or flexible service are adapted from previous studies. These models are integrated into a new model for optimizing variable-type bus service. The results of sensitivity analyses show how demand variability over time and other factors affect the relative effectiveness of conventional, flexible, and variable-type bus services.