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DA CA1
CA2 CAn
reqDriver reqDriver
reqDriver respond
respond respond
detailsSpec detailsSpec
detailsSpec beginMatching
beginMatching noMatch
noMatch
findingNearestMatched noMatch
findingNearestMatched reserved
acceptMatch
Figure 6.3: The Sequence of Messages for More than One Round of Rescheduling
6.5 Potential Beneficiaries of the System
The CRSMAS that is informed by this research could be a useful decision making tool for several audiences. Such audiences are
Operation Manager, Supervisor, Scheduler, and Researcher. The Operation Manager is a person who is responsible for overseeing
the whole bus operation. The Operation Manager can use CRSMAS as a planning tool that is capable of simulating different UE. The simulation results will help the
Operation Manager in planning things such as the number of crews needed in everyday operation, and the estimated costs caused by disruption.
The Supervisor is a person who is directly involved in day-to-day operations, handling UE, and has to make quick decisions in handling such events. CRSMAS could help the
Supervisor in making quick decisions to replace unavailable crew. The Scheduler is a person who is responsible for constructing the predetermined schedules. CRSMAS
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could help the scheduler to construct robust crew schedules that support the rescheduling process. Section 6.3 discusses some of the limitations in crew schedules
that reduce the possibility of successful rescheduling and proposes some actions that could increase successful rescheduling. The Researcher who is searching for tools or
techniques to improve bus or public transport services can also use CRSMAS to simulate the rescheduling process using MAS. The simulation results can help
researchers to understand the capability of MAS in rescheduling, the effect of UE to schedules, and identify factors in schedules that support rescheduling.
The potential beneficiaries mentioned above are those who are involved in bus operation. However, the tool also could be of benefit to other domains of scheduling
where humans are involved such as workforce scheduling, nurse rostering, truck driver scheduling and air crew scheduling.
6.6 Summaries and
Conclusions
This chapter presents the analysis and evaluation of the results from both the Single Event and Multiple Event experiments. The chapter set two criteria for analysis and
evaluation which are rescheduling capability and rescheduling speed. Rescheduling capability was measured using the matching percentage and rescheduling speed was
measured by the time taken to perform the rescheduling. For the first criterion, CRSMAS is capable of performing rescheduling but the results are still not satisfactory
44.7 because of weaknesses and limitations in CRSMAS itself, limitations in crew schedules, and the nature of some of the UE which can be lengthy. CRSMAS’s
weaknesses and limitations are that it cannot perform more than one round of rescheduling automatically and it cannot reschedule different events at the same time.
The limitations in crew schedules are the small number of dutiescrews, duties are not equally spread, and the relief time is not long enough. For the rescheduling speed, the
ability of CRSMAS is satisfactory because it can perform rescheduling with the average 1.45 seconds. What is still missing is how we can increase the CRSMAS’s capability
for rescheduling. It is hoped that the proposed modifications to CRSMAS, as mentioned in Section 6.4, would increase the matching percentage. Section 6.3 also suggests ways
to deal with the limitations in crew schedules and the lengthy period of some UE. From
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this analysis and evaluation it has been learned that the successful of rescheduling is not only dependent on the tool but also other factors, such as the design of crew schedules.
If crew schedules are designed with the criteria suggested in Section 6.3 taken into account, then it will increase the probability of successful rescheduling. One limitation
that has been found with MAS is that MAS is not capable of rescheduling for different events at the same time because there are different rules of rescheduling for different
events. In short, in this research the research aim was achieved although not 100, which was to reduce the effect of UE to crew schedules. However, there are many
potential ways left to maximise the achievement of the aim such as to increase the successful matches, and to design crew schedules that support rescheduling. The
chapter suggests potential beneficiaries of the system such as the Operation Manager, Supervisor, Scheduler and Researcher in public transport. The next chapter summarises
the whole research and concludes the findings, and suggests further research.
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Chapter Seven: Summary and Conclusions
7.1 Introduction
