Determination of Dynamic Stopping Places in Flexible Public Transportation Systems

Flexible public transportation systems offer, among other private concepts like ride-sharing, a mobility solution for people in regions where a scheduled bus system would not be able to operate cost-efficient. A basic requirement for flexible systems is that the clients (passengers) have to meet the hosts (buses, other car drivers etc.) at a certain point. This happens usually at a designated stopping places like stations or bus stops.

Spatially dynamic stopping places could offer the possibility to find best fitting meeting points for a unique route, so that the travel time or the distance for the host and the clients can be reduced. When considering the case of multiple hosts, cooperative approaches are necessary to reach a good efficiency. In addition, traffic management can be taken into account, so that in case of congestion the location of the stopping position can be changed. Furthermore it could be conceivable to prefer landmarks such as churches, fountains or parking places as meeting points to ensure a safe navigation and boarding.