On the Online Dial-a-Ride Problem

In recent years, there has been considerable progress in the area of logistics. This evolution is based on technologies such as GIS, GPS, and Intelligent Highway Information Systems. These technologies optimize decisions on routing, assignment, distribution as well as many other logistics problems. Most of the research in the last twenty years was focused on the optimization of static networks. The traditional design of static algorithms assumes that an algorithm has access to the complete input data. However, this assumption is often unrealistic. Many of the practical applications are online by nature. This book addresses the "Online Dial-a-Ride" problem, which is an extension to the traditional "Dial-a-Ride problem." It deals with the continuous flow of trip demands during operation. Six different dial-a-ride algorithms have been implemented. Four are static and were used as a backbone to the online algorithms. The other two are pure online algorithms. A new methodology concerning the profitability of an existing, but dated, Demand Responsive Transportation System is presented as well. This methodology is based on "Online Dial-a-Ride" algorithms.