Optimization of Bus Depot Location with Consideration of Maintenance Center Availability

Abstract

Congested cities rely on public bus transportation services for a high share of its urban mobility. Unplanned disruptions to these services, their availability, and response time have significant impacts on passengers’ satisfaction. Optimally allocating buses to depots can undermine the impact of these disruptions as well as significantly reduce operational costs. Bus depots should be equipped with the necessary tools to serve and maintain the allocated buses. This study optimizes the assignment of buses to depots while taking into consideration the availability of maintenance resources. A mixed-integer linear program (MILP) formulation was developed to reduce the overall operational cost, optimize the assignment of buses to depots, and determine the optimum allocation of the maintenance centers. The model was validated by comparing computed results with those published in the literature for Vancouver Regional Transit System. Then, the model was further used to analyze another public transportation system. Results reveal that 17% savings in deadhead kilometers cost per bus can be achieved if limitations in the maintenance resources are considered at the planning stage.