An Integrated Demand-Responsive Transport System Operating With 11-12 Fleet Vehicles (12-Seater Vans) Had Daily Vehicle Operational Cost Estimates As Low as $2,532 per Day.

Traditional public transport (PT) systems often face limitations in low-demand urban areas due to their inherent inflexibility and cost-inefficiency; Integrated-Demand Responsive Transport (I-DRT) is one possible solution. I-DRT not only serves as a feeder, connecting residents to the PT network, but also provides local services from any origin to any destination within the service area. This study investigated the implications of replacing the existing local bus lines in Belconnen, Canberra, Australia with I-DRT using a multi-objective model. The study compared the performance of I-DRT and existing local bus lines based on number of utilized vehicles, operational cost, fuel consumption, average travel time, individual passenger travel time, and delay. The dataset, obtained from Canberra’s MyWay Card, included details such as trip origins, destinations, and departure/arrival times for the busiest weekend day of the busiest month between August 2020 and July 2021.

The daily operational cost of the I-DRT system varied based on different operational priorities (e.g., minimizing operational cost vs minimizing travel time).  If operational cost was prioritized (optimal case for cost) the daily operational cost was about $4,036 AUD ($2,532 USD) with around 11–12 vehicles.  If travel time or equity was prioritized, requiring up to 32 vehicles, the daily operational cost increased up to around $10,622 AUD ($6,664 USD) which slightly exceeded the cost of the existing traditional public transport (which was about $10,377 AUD ($6,512 USD) per day.

Key factors influencing the daily operational cost for I-DRT Vehicles (12-seater vans):

• Fuel consumption: 8.1 L/100 km
• Driver cost: $35 AUD/hour
• Fuel cost: $1.87 AUD/liter
• Each driver is assumed to operate one 8-hour shift per day.