Research into a method of crew scheduling for suburban rail transport using heuristic and linear programming techniques

Abstract

Crew schedules on the South African Transport Services are done by roster compilers at depots. A method that uses heuristic and mathematical programming algorithms was developed to replace existing hand methods. It is a two stage method that will use a microcomputer to assist roster compilers to draw up crew schedules. Initially timetables are subdivided into shifts and then they are combined into crew schedules. The solution, which produces a significant improvement compared with an existing crew schedule and an existing method, has been accepted in principle and computer programming has begun. In Appendix E another heuristic for the scheduling of league matches is described.