Multi-objective Optimization in a “Specified Driver’s Origin and Destination” Ridesharing System

Ridesharing is a shared vehicle service with the potential to meet the growing travel demand and shortage in transportation infrastructure capacity. Ridesharing services reduce the number of vehicles and reduce traffic congestion and emissions while providing mobility services to the same number of people with no additional transportation infrastructure investment. One of the significant challenges in implementing ridesharing services is matching drivers and riders. Conflicts between matching objectives in satisfying the interests of diverse stakeholders influence ridesharing efficiency in a transportation system. This study investigates the conflicts between two ridesharing matching objectives (i.e., minimization of system-wide trip time [TT] and minimization of system-wide vehicle miles traveled [VMT]) by applying a multi-objective optimization technique. The results indicate that an acceptable performance of a ridesharing system in terms of TT and VMT can be achieved by optimizing a ridesharing system for conflicting objectives. A trade-off analysis was performed to evaluate the compromise needed between two conflicting objectives in satisfying diverse stakeholders’ interest in a ridesharing system.