Multi-operator collaborative scheduling model for electric apron shuttle buses at hub airports

In response to high allocation cost, low scheduling efficiency, and long delays caused by the independent operation of electric ferry buses at hub airports, a scheduling method under a multi-operator collaborative scheduling mode was proposed for electric ferry buses at airports. An operation mechanism was designed for operators to dispatch buses collaboratively, allowing buses to serve flight requests from different operators. A mixed-integer programming model was constructed for both independent and collaborative modes, aiming to minimize bus operation cost and the total delay in flight support. Two parameters, namely, shared radius and number of shared vehicles, were introduced to quantify the degree of collaboration. An improved genetic algorithm (IGA)-based solution framework was designed. Through the collaborative scheduling strategy, the overall airport operating cost was reduced and flight delays were mitigated. Empirical validation was carried out with Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport as an example. According to the results, compared with the traditional independent scheduling mode, the proposed multi-operator collaborative model significantly improves bus utilization. Under complex operational scenarios, delays can be eliminated by 69.4%–100.0% and operating costs decease by 21.6%–75.7%. The improved genetic algorithm shortens computation time by 85.3% to 99.5% compared to traditional solvers. A high-quality solution can be acquired within a shorter time, while the gap with the objective function can be maintained within 1%. For busy hub airports, the proposed method provides an effective balance between reducing bus operating cost and minimizing flight delays.