Linking Real Time and Location in Scheduling Demand-Responsive Transit

US Transportation Collection1996PDFTech ReportKihl, MaryCrum, MichaelShinn, DuaneMidwest Transportation CenterIowa. Dept. of TransportationMidwest Transportation CenterUnited StatesDemand responsive transportationSchedulingPublic transitAutomatic vehicle locationRural transitDemand-responsive transitThe specific objectives of this study are to : assess the benefits to a small rural demand-responsive transit operation of investing in smart technologies; assess the relative benefits of investments in automatic vehicle location (AVL) or dynamic scheduling in the context of a rural system; assess the potential increases in benefits to a small rural transit operation of a system that combines real-time vehicle tracking with dynamic scheduling; and assess the level of benefits resulting from coordinating acquisition of technology across a consortium of small transit systems. This report presents the findings associated with the study. In addition to an introduction and conclusion, it includes three sections: I. The needs of small demand-responsive systems and the potential response offered by advanced transit technologies; II. Applications of technologies to rural demand-responsive systems; and III. Assessment of the benefits and costs of these technologies to a small demand-responsive system.96