An integrated approach based on system dynamics and ANP for evaluating sustainable transportation policies

ABSTRACT

Transportation systems are growing and complex systems. The presence of multiple, correlated, dynamically changing elements in this system with dependence and feedback add further complexity to the problem. In this paper, we present an integrated approach based on system dynamics (SD) simulation and analytic network process (ANP) for evaluating sustainable transport policies. Five policies namely trip sharing (TRS), trip rate reduction (TRR), reducing the length of the road network (LRN), car ownership (CAO), and average kilometres travelled (AKT) are evaluated against three criteria namely congestion level (CONG), fuel consumption (FULC), and emission (EMIS). The data for the policies is generated via system dynamics simulation. ANP is used to rank the evaluation criteria and the alternatives (sustainable transportation policies). A numerical study is provided. The results of our study reveal that trip sharing based policies perform better in comparison to the other policies for achieving sustainability in a transportation system.

KEYWORDS:

• Sustainable transportation
• policy evaluation
• multi criteria decision analysis
• simulation
• system dynamics
• analytic network process

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Reza Sayyadi

Reza Sayyadi completed his master's (MASc) in Quality Systems Engineering at Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering (CIISE), in Concordia University, Montreal. His thesis addressed the subject of sustainable transportation policy planning. He is the author of one journal and one conference paper in the area.

Anjali Awasthi

Anjali Awasthi is an associate professor at Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering (CIISE), in Concordia University, Montreal. She received a Ph.D. in industrial engineering and automation from INRIA Rocquencourt & University of Metz, France. Awasthi has several years of industry and research experience in areas of automated transportation, sustainable mobility solutions, city logistics, and applied operations research. She is the author of several journal and conference papers on these topics.