Formulating a New Express Minibus Service Design Problem as a Clustering Problem
本文提出一种新型快速小巴服务的设计问题，通过聚类算法将时空兼容的乘客分组，以在公共交通不足的区域提供接近直达的服务，并在里斯本大都市区早高峰时段进行了应用测试。
This paper presents the formulation of a new optimization problem designated as the express minibus problem, which intends to form small groups of clients with compatible boarding/exiting points in time and space for a new type of urban mobility service. This new transport option, as a competitive alternative to the private car, aims to provide almost direct services between dispersed demand poles in places where high-capacity and efficient public transport options are scarce, thus combining the major strengths of both public transport and private vehicles. Conventional public transport systems can present efficient space and energy consumption, whereas private vehicles have high levels of flexibility, are fast, and are always available. The proposed algorithm aims at assessing the potential demand of this new service by developing a clustering algorithm in which the groups of clients formed for each minibus route should present the following characteristics: there is a small number of boarding and exiting points, where in each point there is only boarding or alighting; boarding points should be close to each other, as well as the exiting points; there must be a reasonable distance between the last boarding point and the first exiting point; the average load factor must be high; and for all clients the overall detour time relative to the direct service should be small. This paper presents the rationale and structure of the clustering algorithm, followed by an application for the Lisbon metropolitan area during the morning peak, which could be adapted to the afternoon peak with some slight modifications.