Dynamic On-Demand Booking for Multi-Modal Transfer Points
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multi-modal trip planners fail to account for real-time factors, leading to inefficiencies and increased waiting times due to mismatches between commuter arrival times and on-demand transportation availability, particularly at transfer points, resulting in delayed trips and unnecessary expenses.
Innovation Solution
An automated system that receives real-time location data from commuters and analyzes it to determine the estimated time of arrival at transfer points, identifies the availability of on-demand service vehicles, and optimally books the service to minimize waiting times by communicating with on-demand service providers and tracking sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the multi-modal trip planner books the on-demand transportation at the time of trip selection or in advance, then the commuter has a pre-arranged schedule, but the system does not account for real-time factors such as traffic conditions and resource availability, leading to mismatches between commuter arrival time and service availability
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the booking time of on-demand transportation based on real-time factors. Instead of using a fixed pre-booked schedule, the system continuously monitors traffic conditions, resource availability, and commuter location to determine the optimal booking moment, making the scheduling adaptive to changing conditions while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops by continuously receiving real-time data from location tracking sensors, traffic monitors, and resource availability feeds. This feedback is processed to adjust booking decisions dynamically, ensuring that the scheduling system adapts to current conditions while maintaining schedule adherence through iterative optimization
2Device complexity
If the commuter performs the booking herself with limited information and time constraints, then the system reduces operational complexity, but the commuter experiences significant travel delays and wait times
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements automated self-service booking where the multi-modal trip planner autonomously books on-demand transportation without requiring commuter intervention. The system uses available data and algorithms to make booking decisions automatically, reducing operational complexity while eliminating commuter wait times through proactive scheduling
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary booking actions automatically based on trip plans and real-time conditions. By proactively booking on-demand services in advance when conditions are favorable, the system eliminates the need for commuters to perform time-consuming booking tasks while ensuring service availability when needed
3Reliability
If the on-demand service is booked well in advance, then the service availability is secured, but the system incurs unwarranted expenses for waiting times and increases overall trip duration due to mismatches at transfer points
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically determines the optimal booking time for on-demand services by balancing service availability requirements with minimizing waiting time expenses. Instead of fixed early booking, the system adjusts booking timing based on real-time conditions, securing service availability only when necessary while reducing unnecessary waiting and associated costs
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the booking time parameter dynamically based on real-time factors such as traffic conditions, resource availability, and commuter location. By optimizing this parameter rather than using a fixed early booking time, the system ensures service availability while minimizing waiting time expenses and overall trip duration
Data Source
AI summary
A method for automated booking of an on-demand service in a multimodal journey includes receiving information related to a multimodal trip plan for a commuter trip. The multimodal trip plan includes a plurality of segments, and the plurality of segments include an on-demand service segment that requires an on-demand service vehicle as the mode of transport. The method also includes receiving real-time information relating to a location of the commuter from one or more location tracking sensors, determining an estimated time of arrival of the commuter at a transfer point for transfer to the on-demand service segment by analyzing the real-time information, identifying a time of availability of an on-demand service vehicle at the transfer point (as a function of a time of booking), and determining an optimal time of booking of the on-demand service vehicle based on the estimated time of arrival and the time of availability.