EURO 2024 Copenhagen
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1187. Robustness in railway crew scheduling

Invited abstract in session MB-54: Crew Planning in Public Transport, stream Public Transport Optimization.

Monday, 10:30-12:00
Room: S01 (building: 101)

Authors (first author is the speaker)

1. Paul Päprer
Business Administration, esp. Industrial Management, TU Dresden
2. Janis Sebastian Neufeld
Operations Management, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg
3. Udo Buscher
Industrial Management, TU Dresden

Abstract

Traction unit drivers have become an increasingly critical resource for railway companies, making the railway crew scheduling problem an essential step in the planning cascade. While efficiency has traditionally been the primary goal, the vulnerability of schedules to disruptions requires robust planning. Compared to other planning stages in the railway sector, crew scheduling robustness has received less attention, although its counterparts in the bus and airline industries are thoroughly evaluated. We address this gap by investigating robustness in railway crew scheduling problems and its impact on efficiency. Our approach involves solving real-world problems using column generation. We assess existing robustness indicators and adapt a performance indicator from timetabling called t-robustness. This criterion is new for crew scheduling. On the one hand, t-robustness penalizes train changes, which are critical since delays are transferred to other circulations. On the other hand, buffers at important spots within a shift are rewarded. We evaluate the dependencies between efficiency and robustness through empirical analysis of real-world planning problems, highlighting the significance of our proposed t-robustness measure. By integrating robustness considerations into crew scheduling, railway operators can achieve shift plans that not only optimize efficiency but also better withstand unforeseen disruptions, ensuring resilient operations.

Keywords

Status: accepted

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