Dial-a-Bus for a University: Demand Response Service in a Many-to-One Environment

The feasibility of a demand responsive bus system for Oakland University is analyzed and the recommended plan is presented. Oakland is an isolated campus, located approximately 25 miles north of Detroit, between Rochester and Pontiac, in a relatively low population density area. The University is primarily a commuter institution, with almost 100% of its 5000 commuter students traveling to the campus in personal automobiles. There is no form of public transportation serving the University, except the personal taxi. Oakland's policy is to construct parking lots to accommodate the high commuter volume. As early as 1976, the University will have to consider building parking structures to keep the lots within a reasonable walking distance from the center of campus.

This paper examines an alternative mode of transportation for Oakland. Based on an analysis of potential demand and a transportation simulation, the University should implement a four-bus system to link Oakland with the Rochester community. Each 12-passenger vehicle would be flexibly routed on demand within a quadrant of the Rochester community; the system could be operating by the beginning of the Fall term 1972.