Can driving automation make demand responsive transit viable? A strategic modeling approach

Amir Brudner, Anne S. Patricio, Gonçalo Gonçalves Duarte Santos, António Pais Antunes and Moshe Ben-Akiva

Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 2026, vol. 204, issue C

Abstract: This research investigates the viability and potential advantages of deploying a Demand-Responsive Transit (DRT) service in low-demand areas, with a particular focus on the role of driverless technology. Central to the analysis is a strategic modeling framework that captures the interaction between a transit regulator and a service operator. We propose a two-stage game-theoretic model in which the regulator sets the fare per kilometer and the operator responds by optimizing operations through an integer linear programming (ILP) model. This framework integrates demand estimation based on fare and service attributes with operational decision-making, enabling a systematic and computationally efficient evaluation of policy scenarios without relying on complex agent-based simulations.

Keywords: Demand responsive transit; Automated vehicles; Public transport subsidies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2025.104839

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