Simulation-based optimization for rebalancing the fleet of vehicles in free-floating shared mobility systems

Abstract

In recent years, shared mobility systems have had a growing presence in cities all over the world. This is understandable given its numerous advantages such as the reduced need for personal vehicle ownership, reduced traffic congestion and emissions, increased parking efficiency, and cost savings for users. Overall, shared mobility systems offer the potential to revolutionize transportation, providing individuals with more options and helping to create more sustainable, livable cities. For shared mobility systems to fully deliver their benefits, vehicle availability must be maintained at the right place and time. If the vehicle distribution is not optimal, it may lead to overcrowding and shortages which in turn will discourage usage and lead to reduced revenues for the operator. Therefore, ensuring proper balancing of supply and demand is crucial for the success of the shared mobility service. One way to balance supply and demand is through physically rebalancing vehicles within the service area. In this study, a simulation-based optimization model is created and used to determine the optimal rebalancing operations while quantifying system improvement. A case study is conducted using real data from the Dutch moped sharing provider Felyx to examine the impact of performing rebalancing operations in Eindhoven throughout May ’22. The results demonstrate a potential increase in profit of up to 2.06%. By performing the recommended rebalancing actions several times a week in each city where the operator is active, a significant amount of extra profit can be made. This additional profit will even rise as the usage of shared mobility rises in general.