Publication Type
Report
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
10-2008
Abstract
In this paper, we present an empirical analysis of the GPS-enabled taxi dispatch system used by the world’s second largest land transportation company. We first summarize the collective dynamics of the more than 6,000 taxicabs in this fleet. Next, we propose a simple method for evaluating the efficiency of the system over a given period of time and geographic zone. Our method yields valuable insights into system performance—in particular, revealing significant inefficiencies that should command the attention of the fleet operator. For example, despite the state of the art dispatching system employed by the company, we find imbalances in supply and demand during peak business hours, often resulting in unacceptably high waiting times for passengers. Surprisingly, we also find imbalances during off-peak hours in certain zones. Finally, we discuss how techniques from multi-agent systems research, such as distributed coordination and market-based resource allocation, may be effective in improving the performance of this important mode of public transportation.
Discipline
Databases and Information Systems | Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing
Research Areas
Data Science and Engineering
First Page
1
Last Page
7
Embargo Period
3-28-2022
Citation
SANTANI, Darshan; BALAN, Rajesh Krishna; and WOODARD, C. Jason.
Spatio-temporal efficiency in a taxi dispatch system. (2008). 1-7.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sis_research/7043
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://apollo.smu.edu.sg/papers/efficiency_in_taxi_dispatch_system.pdf
Included in
Databases and Information Systems Commons, Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing Commons