Free-floating bike sharing: Solving real-life large-scale static rebalancing problems

Free-floating bike sharing (FFBS) is an innovative bike sharing model. FFBS saves on start-up cost, in comparison to station-based bike sharing (SBBS), by avoiding construction of expensive docking stations and kiosk machines. FFBS prevents bike theft and offers significant opportunities for smart management by tracking bikes in real-time with built-in GPS. However, like SBBS, the success of FFBS depends on the efficiency of its rebalancing operations to serve the maximal demand as possible.Bicycle rebalancing refers to the reestablishment of the number of bikes at sites to desired quantities by using a fleet of vehicles transporting the bicycles. Static rebalancing for SBBS is a challenging combinatorial optimization problem. FFBS takes it a step further, with an increase in the scale of the problem. This article is the first effort in a series of studies of FFBS planning and management, tackling static rebalancing with single and multiple vehicles. We present a Novel Mixed Integer Linear Program for solving the Static Complete Rebalancing Problem. The proposed formulation, can not only handle single as well as multiple vehicles, but also allows for multiple visits to a node by the same vehicle. We present a hybrid nested large neighborhood search with variable neighborhood descent algorithm, which is both effective and efficient in solving static complete rebalancing problems for large-scale bike sharing programs.Computational experiments were carried out on the 1 Commodity Pickup and Delivery Traveling Salesman Problem (1-PDTSP) instances used previously in the literature and on three new sets of instances, two (one real-life and one general) based on Share-A-Bull Bikes (SABB) FFBS program recently launched at the Tampa campus of University of South Florida and the other based on Divvy SBBS in Chicago. Computational experiments on the 1-PDTSP instances demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms a tabu search algorithm and is highly competitive with exact algorithms previously reported in the literature for solving static rebalancing problems in SBSS. Computational experiments on the SABB and Divvy instances, demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is able to deal with the increase in scale of the static rebalancing problem pertaining to both FFBS and SBBS, while deriving high-quality solutions in a reasonable amount of CPU time.     

变邻域搜索求解公共交通乘务调度问题

公共交通乘务调度问题是一个将车辆工作切分为一组合法班次的过程,它是NP难问题,许多求解方法的效率都与班次评价密不可分,本文通过裁剪TOPSIS方法(Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution)设计了TOPSIS班次评价方法.此外,通过裁剪变邻域搜索算法使之适合求解乘务调度问题,提出了基于变邻域搜索的乘务调度方法(Crew Scheduling Approach Based on Variable Neighbourhood Search,VNS),其中,并入了TOPSIS班次评价方法在调度过程中进行班次评价,设计了两种带概率的复合邻域结构以增加搜索的多样性,帮助跳出局部最优,在VNS中利用模拟退火算法进行局部搜索.利用中国公共交通中的11组实例进行了测试,测试结果表明,VNS优于两种新近提出的乘务调度方法,且其结果关于班次数接近于下界.     

The load-dependent vehicle routing problem and its pick-up and delivery extension

The present paper examines a Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) of major practical importance which is referred to as the Load-Dependent VRP (LDVRP). LDVRP is applicable for transportation activities where the weight of the transported cargo accounts for a significant part of the vehicle gross weight. Contrary to the basic VRP which calls for the minimization of the distance travelled, the LDVRP objective is aimed at minimizing the total product of the distance travelled and the gross weight carried along this distance. Thus, it is capable of producing sensible routing plans which take into account the variation of the cargo weight along the vehicle trips. The LDVRP objective is closely related to the total energy requirements of the vehicle fleet, making it a credible alternative when the environmental aspects of transportation activities are examined and optimized. A novel LDVRP extension which considers simultaneous pick-up and delivery service is introduced, formulated and solved for the first time. To deal with large-scale instances of the examined problems, we propose a local-search algorithm. Towards an efficient implementation, the local-search algorithm employs a computational scheme which calculates the complex weighted-distance objective changes in constant time. Solution results are presented for both problems on a variety of well-known test cases demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed solution approach. The structure of the obtained LDVRP and VRP solutions is compared in pursuit of interesting conclusions on the relative suitability of the two routing models, when the decision maker must deal with the weighted distance objective. In addition, results of a branch-and-cut procedure for small-scale instances of the LDVRP with simultaneous pick-ups and deliveries are reported. Finally, extensive computational experiments have been performed to explore the managerial implications of three key problem characteristics, namely the deviation of customer demands, the cargo to tare weight ratio, as well as the size of the available vehicle fleet.     

The effect of crowding on public transit user travel behavior in a large-scale public transportation system through modeling daily variations

In this paper, the crowding effect in a transit vehicle is modeled in a time-expanded network that considers the daily variation in passenger flows. The study models the daily variation of in-vehicle crowding in a real large-scale transit system. A transit assignment for this real network is modeled and implemented by constructing a crowding cost function that follows the valuation of crowding and by using the reliable shortest path finding method. The direct application of the crowding model to a real network for the Utah Transit Authority indicates that crowd modeling with multi-user classes could influence public transportation system planning and affect the revenues of transit agencies. Moreover, the addition of the disutility factor, crowding, does not always appear to cause an increase in disutility for transit users.     

Labview应用程序开发中使用支持文件相对路径的有关问题

用Labview开发涉及支持文件读写的应用程序时,常会出现调试正常而可执行文件运行时找不到支持文件路径的错误。基于一简单示例,分析了产生此问题的原因并提供了解决问题的思路。     

Real-time trip purpose prediction using online location-based search and discovery services

The use of smartphone technology is increasingly considered a state-of-the-art practice in travel data collection. Researchers have investigated various methods to automatically predict trip characteristics based upon locational and other smartphone sensing data. Of the trip characteristics being studied, trip purpose prediction has received relatively less attention. This research develops trip purpose prediction models based upon online location-based search and discovery services (specifically, Google Places API) and a limited set of trip data that are usually available upon the completion of the trip. The models have the potential to be integrated with smartphone technology to produce real-time trip purpose prediction. We use a recent, large-scale travel behavior survey that is augmented by downloaded Google Places information on each trip destination to develop and validate the models. Two statistical and machine learning prediction approaches are used, including nested logit and random forest methods. Both sets of models show that Google Places information is a useful predictor of trip purpose in situations where activity- and person-related information is uncollectable, missing, or unreliable. Even when activity- and person-related information is available, incorporating Google Places information provides incremental improvements in trip purpose prediction.     

Investigating Causal Pathways Linking Site-Level Characteristics,Compliance, and Ecological Performance in Caribbean MPAs

A rapidly growing body of empirical evidence has linked improved ecological performance of social–ecological systems (SES) with better compliance with rules governing human activities. Researchers have proposed several key factors that motivate an individual to comply with resource use rules, including deterrence, social pressures, moral inclinations, and perceived legitimacy of rules and responsible authorities. Much of the research on compliance proposes causal mechanisms at the individual human level, but few studies test causal paths with empirical data particularly at the site level. This study tested a proposed pathway for explaining overall compliance rates and ecological performance in SES using data from structured surveys of community members, key informant interviews, policy documents, and coral reef surveys at marine protected areas (MPAs) and their associated human communities in the wider Caribbean. Findings indicate that compliance and other active MPA management interventions positively affect ecological performance, and site-level contextual factors (level of community development and being part of a political network) positively influence significant predictors of overall compliance rates, which include active MPA management and enforced punishments.     

立交线形动态拖动设计的关键技术

对立交线形动态拖动设计的几个关键技术进行论述.分析了缓和曲线计算精度,提出了动态拖动模式设计模型,以及约束满足条件下的非线性方程组的数值解算法.     

考虑多人相互影响的舰船通道最短路径规划

将时间维引入既定舰船通道网络,把考虑多人相互影响的动态最优路径规划问题转化为时间依赖网络中的最优路径搜索问题。首先,论文的算法为所有人员随机生成走行路径,为了预测网络中的弧(路段)的走行时间,按人员速度从慢到快的顺序依次计算并记录人员到达路径中的各路段首节点的时刻,先记录到的人员将成为后记录到的人员的动态障碍。然后,将遗传算法与网络中弧的走行时间预测方法相结合,借助遗传算法的个体多样性天然地解决了人员走行任意性问题,因而获得了全局动态最优路径算法,并仿真计算了两人以及三人的最短时间路径;经与不考虑人员间相互影响时获得的最优路径相比较,论文的算法获得了人员遇到障碍时(或跟行或绕行)的最优走行路径。最后,借助时间依赖网络中的最优路径充要条件定理,说明了算法的有效性。