Network analysis for the scheduling of a bus route: Cyride case study

This study aims to apply the concept of network flow in a real life problem. The application has been made by working on a transport organization called CyRide, the bus network in Ames, IA, in the US. The study has been conducted on two routes of CyRide called route numbers 6 and 6A. Both these routes basically cover the same roads and stops, but at different times. Hence they both could be considered together as a single route. This study focused on minimizing the number of drivers working on this route. This study is defined as a scheduling problem that must be solved to ensure optimum utilization of the organization's resources. In this study, a network model has been developed to address the scheduling problem of a CyRide route so that the model can be solved using a shortest path algorithm. System of difference constraints has been followed to develop the model. Real-life data has been used in the model and the model has been solved using Excel Solver as optimization software. By knowing the optimal number of drivers, the scheduling performance should be improved. This will lead to lowering the operating cost of CyRide.