A BI-LEVEL OPTIMIZATION MODEL FOR INTEGRATING FARE AND SERVICE STRUCTURES TO MINIMIZE URBAN TRANSIT OPERATING DEFICITS

U.S. transit operators are faced with escalating operating deficits along with growing opposition to the increase in taxes required to offset those deficits. This financial situation has created an immediate need to restructure inefficient and underproductive transit operations. In response to this need, this study developed an analytical framework to deal with the control of transit operating deficits. A bi-level optimization model based on non-linear programming was developed at a system/route level of detail. The model postulates that transit operators could reach a feasible solution for minimizing operating deficits through minor modifications of current fare and and service policies. The model has an economic framework (through the specification of appropriate cost and revenue functions) and solves for optimality through system supply-demand equilibrium. Solutions of the optimization model will provide transit operators with specific operating guidelines for minimizing deficits subject to resource and policy constraints. The non-linear optimzation model is solved using a large-scale (sparse matrix) successive linear programming algorithm. The model was implemented on a microcomputer and was tested with a real-world application to establish its practicality and usefulness.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Utah, Salt Lake City

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  122 South Central Campus Drive
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84112

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  University Research and Training Program, 400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Yu, J C
  • Lall, U
• Publication Date: 1985-1

Media Info

• Pagination: 147 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus routes; Computer programs; Fares; Microcomputers; Operating costs; Operations; Optimization; Planning; Revenues; Service discontinuance
• Identifier Terms: Urban Mass Transportation Act
• Old TRIS Terms: Operations planning; Umta section 11
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Finance; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00395228
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-UT-11-0003-85-1Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: UT-11-0003
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: May 31 1985 12:00AM