Fare inspection patrols scheduling in transit systems using a Stackelberg game approach. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brotcorne, L.; Escalona, P.; Fortz, B.; Labbé, M.
• Is Part Of: Transportation research. Volume 154(2021)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 20
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: Fare inspection scheduling -- Stackelberg game -- Proof-of-payment transit systems; Transportation -- Research -- Periodicals; Transportation -- Mathematical models -- Periodicals
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trb.2021.10.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-2615

Abstract

Abstract: This study analyzes the scheduling of unpredictable fare inspections in proof-of-payment transit systems, where the transit operator chooses a collection of patrol paths (one for each patrol) every day with some probability in order to avoid any regularity that could be exploited by opportunistic passengers. We use a Stackelberg game approach to represent the hierarchical decision-making process between the transit operator and opportunistic passengers, whose decision on whether to evade the fare depends on the inspection probabilities set by the transit operator. Unlike previous work, we use an exact formulation of the inspection probabilities that allows us to develop new heuristics for the fare inspection scheduling problem, and to assess their solution quality in terms of their optimality gap. Highlights: Unpredictable fare inspections in transit systems using a Stackelberg game approach. Exact formulation of the inspection probabilities. New heuristics for the fare inspection scheduling problem. Computational experiments on a full-size transport line. Computational results show good quality solutions in terms of the optimality gap.