Increasing transport efficiency using simulation modeling in a dynamic modeling approach

The effective movement of people is the purpose of transportation, but the behavior of people within a transportation system is not always well understood. Using analytical data, particularly simulations, to understand the behavior of passengers can offer valuable insight on improving processes and optimizing transportation infrastructure. The bus route at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA, was optimized and the optimal number of buses on the route was estimated in order to streamline the working process and reduce any unwanted activity, thereby saving operating costs and reducing pollution. The present paper presents a dynamic simulation modeling methodology that reduces the variation between the simulation model results and actual system performance. The dynamic simulation model presented updates itself based on the dynamics of the actual system to reflect correctly the impact of organization restructuring on overall organizational performance. •A dynamic simulation modeling approach has been used for optimizing bus routes.•Dynamic simulation modeling reduces variation between the simulation model results.•The model updates itself based on the dynamics of the actual system.•Optimization of the bus route helps save operating costs and reduces emissions.