DEVELOPMENT OF A DISCRETE EVENT SIMULATION MODEL FOR THE BUS SYSTEM AT THE FAMU-FSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Abstract

Mobility and access are the two essential criteria for evaluating any mode of transportation. A private vehicle comes at the top when we think about mobility and access. But an increase in the utilization of private vehicles has many drawbacks, such as an increase in traffic congestion, air pollution, fuel consumption, etc., which also affect public health. It is essential to provide an efficient public transportation system to minimize these effects, especially in urban areas. Bus transportation is one of the significant modes of transport with a good capacity compared to private vehicles, but there is a need to compromise for access. Bus transportation is an essential mode of transportation for students, faculty, and staff, especially to travel to, around, and from school and work. It is always necessary that buses reach the stop on time and service all the passengers waiting at the stop, considering peak hour demands and potential uncertainties in transportation time. To achieve such an objective, it is essential to improve the serviceability of the bus transportation network.

This study focuses on improving the operations of the Florida State University (FSU) campus bus service, Seminole Express, for the “INNOVATION” bus route in Tallahassee, Florida (USA). The “INNOVATION” bus route service connects the main FSU campus with the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and is heavily used by the FSU students. A simulation model is built using the FlexSim simulation software to emulate the operations of the “INNOVATION” bus route service to determine the required number of buses to be deployed. An excessive number of buses may increase the operational costs and idling time. In the meantime, an insufficient number of buses will cause significant waiting times at the bus stop, which are not desirable as some students may be late for their classes. The developed simulationmodel will assist with effectively planning the bus route connecting the main FSU campus with the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering by providing solutions with adequate waiting time and operational costs.