Creating bus timetables with maximal synchronization

This paper addresses the problem of generating a timetable for a given network of buses so as to maximize their synchronization. It attempts to maximize the number of simultaneous bus arrivals at the connection (transfer) nodes of the network. Transit schedulers, taking into account the satisfaction and convenience of the system's users, appreciate the importance of creating a timetable with maximal synchronization, which enables the transfer of passengers from one route to another with minimum waiting time at the transfer nodes. In this paper, the problem is formulated as a mixed integer linear programming problem, and a heuristic algorithm is developed to solve the problem in polynomial time. The efficiency of this algorithm, compared to optimal solutions, is illustrated through a series of examples. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.