PhD Position Dimensioning On-Demand Multimodal Micromobility Sharing Systems
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Employer: Delft University of Technology |
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Job location: Delft Netherlands |
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Apply before: 01 Dec 2021 |
Summary
This PhD project is initiated to model and solve the service network design problem (in terms of dimensioning the fleet size of a multimodal micromobility system) to better use the public space while maximizing the service level and complying with users' preferences.
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Progressive urbanisation and densification of residential areas pose opportunities as well as challenges on smart mobility to safeguard sustainable and inclusive accessibility. Throughout the EU and world-wide new solutions for personal mobility are being explored in addition to the car and public transport centric paradigms such as on-demand mobility, car sharing and active modes such as walking and cycling. The advent of new solutions for personal mobility offers a perspective to reduce the use of public space by private passenger cars by the means of micro-mobility. Reallocating this space to other functions such as green, water, recreation and commercial activities may lead to cities that are more liveable and sustainable. Yet, the provision of sustainable, adequate and affordable personal mobility in (dense) residential areas is non-trivial, since the demand is high, space is scarce and the acceptance, use and operation of (interacting) new mobility services are insufficiently known.
In recent years, one-way shared mobility has seen large growth. The term micromobility generally encompasses vehicles that weigh under 500 kg, including e-bikes, kick-scooters, and seated scooters. One-way shared mobility can be subdivided into station-based vehicle sharing (SBVS) and freefloating vehicle sharing (FFVS). The main difference between these two modes of vehicle sharing is that SBVS only allows pick-up and drop-off of vehicles at specific locations called stations. This mode of vehicle sharing is mostly present in bicycle sharing (BS) and other micromobility services. The stations are often physical existing stations with a limited number of spots available for dropping off vehicles. Whereas, FFVS allows the drop-off of vehicles at any locations inside a certain geofenced area. The result of this difference is that FFVS offers users more freedom and flexibility. However, balancing the fleet is easier to manage in SBVS. The large growth of one-way shared mobility in recent years is especially visible in FFVS.
This PhD project is initiated to model and solve the service network design problem (in terms of dimensioning the fleet size of a multimodal micromobility system) to better use the public space while maximizing the service level and complying with users' preferences.
Some main elements of the project may include:
Study the current state-of-the-art in fleet sizing for multimodal shared mobility. Define specific metrics to express accessibility, congestion and public space usage in order to have a better understanding of this dynamic multimodal system.
Model users' behavior according to a disaggregated level data to explain the user's preferences for drop-off locations and types.
Find the optimal fleet size for multimodal micromobility services to avoid flawed public space usage and ensure accessibility, service level and low congestion.
Investigate (experimentally) the impact of the future demand on optimal fleet dimensioning of each miromobility mode.
Define a choice-driven reallocation planning to steer users to more sustainable dropoff locations (heuristics/or exact)
Requirements
A Master's degree in a relevant field, i.e. Operations research, Transportation, Mathematics, Applied mathematics or Computer science.
Good knowledge of behavioral models and optimization (mathematical modeling, algorithms) and simulation.
Strong programming skills
Ability to work both in a project team, but also independently and take leadership and responsibility for research tasks
A passion for scientific research in close cooperation with practice
Excellent communication skills in English, both written and oral
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