PROPOSED APPROACH TO DETERMINE OPTIMAL NUMBER, SIZE, AND LOCATION OF BUS GARAGE ADDITIONS

A proposed technique for determining the location, size, and number of new bus-garage additions is described. First, different cost components (nonrevenue transportation cost, operating cost, and construction cost) related to new garages (location, size, and number) are identified, and it is shown how most of the current techniques fail to consider the full ramifications of all of these cost elements. Second, an optimization model is presented that includes the full range of cost components that deserve consideration in decisions related to the number, location, and size of new garages. A case study is also presented in which the implications of the full range of cost components are tested on an actual fixed-facility problem. The case study uses the proposed technique in its most fundamental state. The analysis shows that some of the less visible but recurring nonrevenue cost components may significantly affect the total annual garage cost. On the other hand, the more prominent, one-time construction cost may be of marginal importance in the annual cost of the garages distributed over the life of the facility. (Author)