Transportation Proposal Selection via Commuter Pledges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Public transportation providers face challenges in planning new services, such as bus lines, due to a lack of information on how commuters and organizations will respond to modifications, leading to uncertainty about financial viability and impact on existing services. Current survey methods are time-consuming and do not effectively engage non-users or provide commitment levels from respondents.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that involves sending transportation proposals to organizations and commuters, allowing them to select and pledge for modified options based on variable parameters, which are then used to compute a cost-benefit function to identify viable options for implementation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If surveys are conducted to collect feedback on transportation service modifications, then information about commuter preferences can be obtained, but the process is time-consuming and does not reach individuals currently not using public transport
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by sending transportation proposals to organizations and commuters before the planning decision is finalized. This allows preferences and commitments to be collected in advance, eliminating the need for time-consuming post-implementation surveys and reaching both current and potential users simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
Organizations serve as intermediaries between the transport provider and commuters. The system sends proposals to organizations, which then distribute them to their employees (commuters). This intermediary approach efficiently reaches a large number of commuters without requiring direct contact from the transport provider, saving time while collecting comprehensive preference data.
2Loss of information
If surveys are used to collect preliminary interest from a sampled population, then some feedback can be obtained, but the responses do not indicate the level of commitment of the respondents
Solution Approach 1:
The system collects commitments in advance through a formal pledge process before the transportation service is implemented. Commuters explicitly state their commitment levels when making pledges, providing reliable information about their intent to use the service, unlike traditional surveys that only capture vague preferences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of response measurement from simple preference indication to quantified commitment levels through pledges. By requiring commuters to make formal pledges with specified conditions and commitments, the system transforms qualitative survey responses into measurable, reliable data about actual usage intent.
3Productivity
If the transport provider plans modifications without sufficient information, then planning can proceed quickly, but there is uncertainty about financial viability and impact on existing services
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary cost-benefit computations based on pledged commitments before finalizing the transportation plan. This allows the transport provider to assess financial viability in advance with reliable data about actual commuter interest, rather than making uncertain projections after implementation or delaying planning to gather sufficient information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where organizations and commuters provide pledged commitments that inform the cost-benefit analysis. This feedback provides reliable information about actual demand and willingness to pay, enabling accurate financial viability assessments while maintaining efficient planning timelines.
4Productivity
If organizations are not involved in the planning process, then planning decisions can be made quickly, but organizations lack influence and modifications do not meet their transportation needs
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the planning process by involving organizations as distinct participants with specific roles. Organizations receive tailored proposals, provide feedback on their specific needs, and make commitments on behalf of their employees. This segmentation allows simultaneous involvement of multiple organizations without slowing down the overall planning process.
Solution Approach 2:
Organizations are given the opportunity to provide input and make commitments in advance during the proposal stage. This preliminary involvement ensures their needs are incorporated into the final plan while maintaining planning efficiency, as their feedback is collected systematically rather than requiring iterative negotiations after decisions are made.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for planning a transportation service includes sending transportation proposal to a plurality of organizations. The proposal includes one or more initial options, each including a set of variable parameters. Each organization can generate a modified option and make a commitment conditional on selected ones of the parameters. Each organization sends respective modified options to commuters of that organization who may specify their own pledges for at least one of the modified options, conditional on the organization-selected values for the variable parameters and optionally on commuter-selected values for the variable parameters. A cost-benefit function is computed for each of a set of revised options for the transportation service, each of the revised options being based on a combination of the variable parameters for which pledges which cover the combination have been received and one or more of the revised options is identified, based on the computed cost-benefit function.