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Project
Number:
02-01
Research
Project: Optimal
Resource Allocation For The Purchase Of New Buses And The Rebuilding Of Existing
Buses As A Part Of A Transit Asset Management Strategy For State DOTs
P.I.
Name & Address:
Dr.
Snehamay Khasnabis
Professor
of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Wayne
State University
Detroit,
MI 48202
313-577-3915
skhas@ce.eng.wayne.edu
Project
Objective:
The purpose of this study is to develop a procedure that can be used by
the state DOTs to optimally allocate limited capital dollars for the dual
purpose of purchasing new buses and for rebuilding existing buses to be used by
local transit agencies. The project will develop methodology for optimizing the
investment in new buses versus various rehabilitation strategies under budget
limitations. The optimization methodology will allow State DOTs to identify a
solution that meets minimum fleet size requirements within budgetary
constraints. The result of this
project will be an allocation procedure that can be incorporated into asset
management practices.
Project
Abstract:
Most
state DOTs receive requests for capital funds from local transit agencies for
replacing existing buses that far exceed the funds available. Due to the lack of
necessary capital dollars, the DOTs are not able to grant all such requests
under the current allocation procedures even though the state’s responsibility
is to provide match funding up to 20% of the cost of a new bus.
Thus, many transit agencies are faced with the task of providing service without
adequate fleet size of appropriate quality.
State
DOTs are faced with determining the best combination of resource allocation to
meet the replacement needs of transit agencies to maintain minimum fleet sizes.
With a fraction of the procurement cost for a new bus, it may be possible to
extend the life of an existing bus, thereby partly solving the question of
inadequate fleet size. Since the Federal Transit Administration considers
rehabilitation costs allowable expenses, the fraction of the cost borne by the
state will be small. Thus, it may be possible for the state DOT to allocate
funds partly for the purchase of new buses, and partly for rehabilitation of
existing buses, and thus meet the requests for all buses although not all will
be new.
A
procedure is not currently available that can be used to allocate a fixed number
of dollars to meet the needs for a given fleet size by a combination of new and
rebuilt buses. The project will collect information on the costs and conditions
of each alternative strategy (replacement and rehabilitation) and develop
optimization criteria that will allow needs to be met using the lower cost
options. Several optimization models will be developed and applied to a case
study analysis. From this analysis, the most desirable optimization model will
be selected.
Task
Descriptions:
Task
1: Identify various constraints faced by DOTs in allocating resources for the
purchase of new buses and rebuilding existing buses.
Task
2: Develop alternative methodologies for allocating fixed resources over a
planning horizon for both buying new buses and rebuilding existing buses.
Task
3: Validate alternative procedures against the experience of case studies.
Task
4: Identify the most appropriate procedure for allocating resources considering
data availability, ease of application, etc.
Milestones,
Dates: Project
start date: 9/1/01, Final report
by 8/31/02
Yearly
Budget:
$98,285
Total
Budget:
$98,285
Student
Involvement:
One graduate research assistant,
9 months @ 50% effort and one student hourly employee
Relationship
to Other
Research
Projects:
Technology
Transfer
Activities:
Potential
Benefits
of
the Project:
This is a real issue on which some practitioners need help. The optimization
model resulting from this project will help state DOTs to better allocate
limited resources for bus replacement and rehabilitation to maintain minimum
fleet sizes.
TRB
Keywords:
Asset
Management, Maintenance Management, Strategic Planning, Transit
Primary
Subject:
Optimal
Resource Allocation
Modal
Orientation: Transit