Bus peak period scheduling scheme: An improved multi-stage decision model

In this paper, we improve the bus departure scheduling model and propose a combined bus scheduling model based on dynamic programming. According to the actual requirements, we use an objective function that combines bus profitability, passenger detention time and passenger comfort, then establish the required state transition equations and bus passenger carrying model. In particular, we add a profitability threshold constraint for off-peak hours and a finiteness constraint on the number of people and vehicles to make the model more general and universal. We use the results to derive some analytical properties and use these findings to propose a solution to the scheduling problem of moving from peak to flat period when passenger flow decreases and then back to peak period.