Tool: Simulation-optimisation for new shared modes

The SUM Simulation-Optimization Framework was developed by researchers from Tel Aviv University (TAU) and has been implemented in the Jerusalem Living Lab, in order to find promising New Shared Modes (NSM) designs. It incorporates three special-purpose modules. The modules permit (1) estimating traveler mode split in an existing transportation system with a new (hypothetical) NSM option, (2) evaluate NSM performance via simulation, and (3) optimizing the NSM to meet user-definable criteria. The base version of the framework relies on Biogeme, a discrete choice modeling package, FleetPy, the simulation framework developed by the Technical University of Munich and a new optimizer from TAU.

Two main Python scripts, outer_loop.py and inner_loop.py, call upon these modules. The outer loop is the optimization layer. It designs a NSM and calls the inner loop for evaluation. The inner loop is the simulation layer. It determines how many travelers choose each travel mode and how well the NSM performs, returning its evaluation to the outer loop. Then, the process starts again. The outer loop uses the previous evaluations to intelligently determine the details of the next NSM to try. This continues until the outer loop’s stopping rule triggers.