A comparison is made between the different criteria for inserting calls for trips in the routing of a computer demand-bus system. This applies equally to the factors influencing productivity (requests per hour) per vehicle, such as density of demand, area size, level of service (total time required: time for identical car trip), and others. Some conditions for the demand bus service are discussed, such as method of calling, communication with the buses, type of buses and type of computer, various cost components, and applications. This shows that an optimum exists at 20-80 demands (sg.mile) hr and at levels of service 2-3. Vehicles of 10-20 seating capacity are used. Costs in the operational stage vary from $0.40- $1.30 per trip, differences in labour costs mainly accounting for this difference.
Abstract