The Optimization of Routes Using Evolutionary Algorithms in Public Transportation Systems

Abstract

This study aims to examine, regulate, and update the land transportation of the Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality (EMM), Turkey using computerized calculation techniques. In line with these targets, some critical information has been obtained for study: the number of buses, the number of expeditions, the number of bus lines, and the number and maps of existing routes belonging to EMM. By using the information that has been obtained, this study aims at outlining specific outputs according to the input parameters, such as determining the optimal routes, the average travel, and the journey time. Once all of these situations were considered, various optimization algorithms were used to get the targeted outputs in response to the determined input parameters. In addition, the study found that the problem involved in modeling the land transport network of the EMM is in line with the so-called “traveling salesman problem,” which is a scenario about optimization often discussed in the literature. This study tried to solve this problem by using the genetic algorithm, the clonal selection algorithm, and the DNA computing algorithm. The location data for each bus stops on the bus lines selected for the study were obtained from the EMM, and the distances between these coordinates were obtained by using Google Maps via a Google API. These distances were stored in a distance matrix file and used as input parameters in the application and then were put through optimization algorithms developed initially on the MATLAB platform. The study’s results show that the algorithms developed for the proposed approaches work efficiently and that the distances for the selected bus lines can be shortened.