Shared-vehicle mobility-on-demand systems: A fleet operator’s guide to rebalancing empty vehicles

ABSTRACT 1 We consider the operation of automated mobility-on-demand systems, whereby users share access to a fleet 2 of self-driving vehicles. In these systems, rebalancing, the process by which the supply of empty vehicles is 3 periodically realigned with the demand for transport, is carried out by a fleet operator. Where much of the 4 rebalancing literature skews to the theoretical or simulation-based, we considering shared mobility systems 5 from the perspective of the fleet operator. We test, via simulations, how key performance metrics vary as a 6 function of fleet size and rebalancing policy using rental data from car2go, a free-floating carsharing service 7 operating in markets across Europe and North America. Results reveal that rebalancing can dramatically 8 reduce the number of customer walk aways, even for relatively small fleet sizes. A framework is provided 9 to assess what fleet size is a appropriate for a city factoring in the cost of vehicles, customer walk aways, 10 and the added expense of moving empty vehicles. 11INTRODUCTION 12 In an increasingly urbanized world, ensuring sustainable access to mobility is a serious issue. Road networks 13 and the supporting infrastructure are operating at or near capacity, and the demand for transport continues 14 to rise. Attempts to add parking spaces and expand roadways raise environmental concerns, threaten the 15 livability of cities, and, in many cases, are prohibitively expensive. Fortunately, the emergence of shared-16 economy markets and ongoing advancements in autonomous vehicle technology may provide a novel option 17 to alleviate the ensuing increase in the demand …