BRAIN. Broad Research in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience-Using the Genetic Algorithm for the Optimization of Dynamic School Bus Routing Problem

Vehicle routing problems (VRP) are complicated problems, which can be encountered in a
variety of different fields and are not possible to solve using conventional methods. Thanks to the
technological advancements in areas such as the global positioning system (GPS), geographical
information systems (GIS), mobile communication networks, and traffic sensors, it is now possible
to solve the VRP in a dynamic and real-time manner. In this study, the school bus routing problem
(SBRP), which is a sub-branch of VRPs, was optimized by means of an application developed using
Genetic Algorithms(GA), which is one of the heuristic methods. By using the application developed
based on mobile communication and GPS, the instantaneous locations of stops and the school bus
were determined and the shortest and most convenient route for the vehicle to follow was
dynamically identified. The experimental results obtained at the end of this study showed that the
existing school bus routes can be optimized using GA and therefore the costs associated with the
routing can be reduced.