Crew scheduling: Difference between revisions

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'''Crew scheduling''' is the process of assigning crews to operate transportation systems, such as rail lines or [[airlines]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pang |first1=Shinsiong |title=Optimize railway crew scheduling by using modified bacterial foraging algorithm |journal=Computers & Industrial Engineering |date=5 April 2023 |volume=180 |issue=180 |page=109218 |doi=10.1016/j.cie.2023.109218 |s2cid=257990456 }}</ref>

<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pang |first1=Shinsiong |title=Optimize railway crew scheduling by using modified bacterial foraging algorithm |journal=Computers & Industrial Engineering |date=5 April 2023 |volume=180 |issue=180 |page=109218 |doi=10.1016/j.cie.2023.109218 |s2cid=257990456 }}</ref>

== Complex ==

Most transportation systems use software to manage the crew scheduling process. Crew scheduling becomes more and more complex as you add variables to the problem. These variables can be as simple as 1 ___location, 1 skill requirement, 1 shift of work and 1 set roster of people. In the Transportation industries, such as Rail or mainly Air Travel, these variables become very complex. In Air Travel for instance, there are numerous rules or "constraints" that are introduced. These mainly deal with legalities relating to work shifts and time, and a crew member's qualifications for working on a particular aircraft. Add numerous locations to the equation and Collective Bargaining and Federal labor laws and these become new considerations for the problem solving method. Fuel is also a major consideration as aircraft and other vehicles require a lot of costly fuel to operate. Finding the most efficient route and staffing it with properly qualified personnel is a critical financial consideration. The same applies to rail travel. Crew scheduling involves assigning complementary crews for each scheduled trip based on the timetable for the next day or a short period.<ref>1Pang, S., & Chen, M. C. (2023). Optimize railway crew scheduling by using modified bacterial foraging algorithm. ''Computers & Industrial Engineering'', ''180'', 109218.</ref> In rail transportation, crew scheduling involves generating crew duties for conductors and train operators.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pang |first1=Shinsiong |last2=Chen |first2=Mu-Chen |date=June 2023 |title=Optimize railway crew scheduling by using modified bacterial foraging algorithm |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2023.109218 |journal=Computers & Industrial Engineering |volume=180 |pages=109218 |doi=10.1016/j.cie.2023.109218 |issn=0360-8352|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The problem is computationally difficult and there are competing mathematical methods of solving the problem. Although not easy to describe in one sentence, the goal is essentially the same for any method of attacking the problem:

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== Disruptions ==

Additional unplanned disruptions in schedules due to weather, maintenance, and [[air traffic control]] delays can disrupt schedules, so crew scheduling software remains an area for ongoing research.<ref>http://www.engr.pitt.edu/~schaefer/Papers/UncertainCrewSched.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070612154016/http://www.engr.pitt.edu/~schaefer/Papers/UncertainCrewSched.pdf |date=2007-06-12 }} "[[Airline crew]] Scheduling under Uncertainty"</ref>

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== See also ==