THE DIAL-A-RIDE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM - SUMMARY REPORT

THE TECHNICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE DIAL-A-RIDE SYSTEM, A DOOR-TO-DOOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICE, ARE DISCUSSED. A FLEET OF SMALL VEHICLES SERVES CUSTOMER REQUESTS AS THEY ARE RECEIVED. THERE ARE NO FIXED ROUTES OR SCHEDULES. RATHER, VEHICLE ASSIGNMENTS ARE DETERMINED BY A DIGITAL COMPUTER PROGRAM, OPERATING ON THE CURRENT CUSTOMER REQUESTS TO PRODUCE MAXIMUM VEHICLE PRODUCTIVITY AND TO ENSURE THAT ALL CUSTOMERS ARE PICKED UP AND DELIVERED WITHIN REASONABLE TIME PERIODS. DIAL-A-RIDE IS THUS A FLEXIBLE, DYNAMIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT ADAPTS TO TRAVEL DESIRES AS THEY BECOME APPARENT. THE COST COMPONENTS OF A DIAL-A-RIDE SERVICE ARE VEHICLE OPERATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMPUTER DISPATCHING, AND OVERHEAD. A REPRESENTATIVE HOURLY COST BREAKDOWN INDICATES THAT VEHICLE OPERATIONS WOULD BE THE DOMINANT EXPENDITURE AT A COST OF TEN DOLLARS AN HOUR PER VEHICLE. VEHICLE OPERATIONS CONSISTS OF DRIVER WAGES, VEHICLE DEPRECIATION CHARGES, MAINTENANCE COSTS, AND FUEL COSTS. ASSIGNMENT ALGORITHMS CAN BE DEVELOPED WHICH WILL PROVIDE A DOOR-TO-DOOR MASS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM WITH REASONABLE EFFICIENCY. THIS FUNCTION COULD BE PERFORMED IN REAL TIME WITH EXISTING MEDIUM-SIZED COMPUTERS. ONE SUCH COMPUTER ASSIGNMENT ALGORITHM WAS DEVELOPED, PROGRAMMED AND EXTENSIVELY TESTED WITH EXCELLENT RESULTS. /UMTA/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • PROJ NO MASS-MTD-6
• Corporate Authors:

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Urban Systems Laboratory, 77 Massachusetts Avenue
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02139
• Authors:
  • Roos, D
  • Melone, T
  • Little, F
  • PORTER, E
  • Wilson, N
  • Sussman, J
• Publication Date: 1971-3

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Algorithms; Benefit cost analysis; Bus transportation; Demand responsive transportation; Information processing; Maintenance equipment; Operating costs; Paratransit services; Scheduling
• Subject Areas: Highways; Motor Carriers; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00242077
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Nov 7 1972 12:00AM