An integrated model with a solution algorithm for improving an existing public bicycle sharing system

• Published in: Computers & industrial engineering Vol. 184; p. 109612
• Main Authors: Yan, Shangyao, Hsieh, Kuo-Pin, Hsieh, Chun-Hui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2023
• Subjects: Bicycle sharing; Deployment; Heuristic; Relocation; Site selection; Time–space network; Deployment; Bicycle sharing; Site selection; Relocation; Time–space network; Heuristic
• ISSN: 0360-8352; 1879-0550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cie.2023.109612

•An integrated model is developed to improve an existing public bicycle sharing system.•This model is formulated as an integer network flow problem with side constraints.•A heuristic algorithm is developed to efficiently and effectively solve the problem.•The test results could be useful references for bicycle-sharing operators to improve their systems.•The bicycle demand is a key factor that affects the system improvement. This study uses a time–space network flow technique combined with a mathematical programming method to construct a holistic model for improving an existing bicycle sharing system. The model considers bicycle rental station site selection, expansion of station capacity, expansion of bicycle fleet size, and bicycle deployment and relocation issues in the same integrated framework. The model can be formulated as an integer network flow problem with side constraints. Since the problem is NP-hard, we design a heuristic algorithm to solve the problem efficiently and effectively. Finally, numerical tests are conducted in order to perform a preliminary evaluation of the model and heuristic algorithm with data from an existing public bicycle sharing system. The results indicate that the model and heuristic algorithm could be helpful to planners to improve their bike-sharing system operations.