Optimizing mix of heterogeneous buses and chargers in electric bus scheduling problems
Journal
Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory
Journal Volume
119
Start Page
102584
ISSN
1569190X
Date Issued
2022-09
Author(s)
Abstract
Many bus operators are planning to replace or have replaced diesel buses with electric buses in public transportation. However, the scheduling of electric buses is more complex than that of diesel buses in various aspects, including battery recharging, compatibility between batteries and chargers, and dispatching and recharging strategies. The problem of electric bus scheduling is often studied using mathematical programming approaches. However, the operation rules are usually simplified to solve the problem in a reasonable time. A simulation model and a heuristic algorithm are proposed to deal with the complicated electric bus scheduling problem without considerable simplification. The scheduling problem aims to minimize the total cost, including bus, charger, and electricity costs. The model outputs include the required numbers and types of buses and chargers and the bus dispatching and recharging schedules. A case study of a bus company is conducted to demonstrate the application of the proposed method and its potential to improve the operations of electric buses. The novelty of the proposed method lies in its ability to optimize heuristically the mix of heterogeneous buses and chargers while considering their compatibility. The factors critical in electric bus operations, such as bus dispatching and recharging strategies, are explicitly considered.
Subjects
Bus fleet
Discrete event simulation
Electric bus scheduling
Optimization
Recharging
Publisher
Elsevier B.V.
Type
journal article