Autonomous dial-a-ride transit : benefit-cost evaluation

Lau, Samuel W. · 1998 · ROSA P / United States. Joint Program Office for Intelligent Transportation Systems

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Summary

This paper evaluates the benefit-cost (BC) efficiency of Autonomous Dial-a-Ride Transit (ADART), a fully automated, demand-responsive transit system designed to serve the general population. The research addresses the gap between fixed-route transit, which is cost-effective only in high-density areas, and taxis, which are expensive and scarce in low-density suburbs. Conventional dial-a-ride services are limited to elderly and handicapped users and are costly to operate. ADART aims to provide a service level and cost structure between fixed-route bus and taxi, utilizing off-the-shelf navigation, scheduling, and communication technologies to reduce operational costs and improve accessibility. The study employs a qualitative benefit-cost evaluation framework due to a lack of complete quantitative data. It compares a "without ADART" base case, assuming natural development of existing transit and highway infrastructure, against a "with ADART" project alternative. The analysis identifies potential impacts by categorizing them into costs (capital and operating), benefits (time savings, reliability, safety), and transfers. The evaluation focuses on mode shifts from four primary sources: fixed-route transit, conventional dial-a-ride, taxi, and private automobiles. The paper details ADART’s operational features, including an automated order entry system, decentralized vehicle assignment via trip auctioning, GPS-based navigation, and automated fare collection. Key findings indicate that ADART offers significant advantages over existing modes. Compared to fixed-route transit, ADART eliminates access and transfer times, reduces wait times through call-ahead features, and provides door-to-door service, thereby improving reliability and security. Relative to conventional dial-a-ride, ADART reduces labor costs by eliminating human call-takers and dispatchers, lowers dwell times through automated ID card swiping, and improves operating efficiency via decentralized routing algorithms that scale easily with fleet size. Against taxis, ADART provides lower fares through shared rides, improved reliability in low-density areas, and enhanced safety via cashless payment systems. For private auto users, ADART eliminates parking search times and driving stress while offering cost savings compared to vehicle ownership. The system targets specific trip types, including many-to-few trips, recurring commutes, off-peak transit-dependent trips, and reverse commutes, using a stratified pricing structure based on reservation time, frequency, and time constraints. The significance of this research lies in demonstrating that ADART can increase total net benefits to society by improving operating efficiency and reducing costs for transit agencies. By automating dispatching and routing, ADART allows for scalable service that adapts to demand fluctuations, unlike fixed-route systems that require excess capacity for peak hours. The decentralized architecture reduces computational burdens and expansion costs. The paper concludes that ADART has the potential to attract new trips, serve as effective feeder service to line-haul transit, and provide a viable, cost-effective alternative to private automobiles in suburban and low-density areas, thereby enhancing overall transit accessibility and reducing the stigma associated with conventional paratransit services.

Key finding

ADART provides a fully automated, decentralized transit service that reduces operating costs by eliminating human dispatchers and call-takers while improving efficiency through automated scheduling, routing, and fare collection.

Methodology

theoretical

Provenance

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