Newly Revised Optimal and Synchronized Timetables for Greater Kuala Lumpur Using Mixed Integer Programming

Abstract

Sustainable transportation supports the mobility needs of a society. People are encouraged to use public transport networks such as Greater Kuala Lumpur transportation system (GKL) with 11 rail lines and 192 stations. Passengers using GKL often miss the next connecting train to their destination. They must also rush to catch this train. This problem may be caused by the utilization of unsynchronized train schedules. Aimed with the objective to produce an optimal revised timetable synchronization for GKL, the study applied Mixed Integer Programming and Heuristic Approach in Code Blocks platform to successfully estimate the departure times during Rush-Hour and Non-Rush-Hour periods. As a result, arrival times for newly revised timetables involving 4 connecting transit stations for routes 1 with 15 stations and route 2 with 9 stations were found. By assuming Rush-Hour period equivalent to workday starting time and workday ending time, optimal synchronizations for Rush-Hour and Non-Rush-Hour periods were 108 cycles and 66 cycles, respectively. A comparative analysis was made between waiting times of the original timetable and the newly revised timetable. The newly revised timetables for Rush-Hour and Non-Rush-Hour periods showed efficiency rates of 86.11% and 31.03%, respectively. Therefore, the study has successfully revised four timetables for routes 1 and 2. Sustainable transportation for GKL will be complete when future research works are expanded to include the other 10 lines and all other train stations in GKL. The study also recommends adding new variables such as headways, dwell times, and runtimes.