Cost analysis of different vehicle technologies for semi-flexible transit operations.

• • Cost efficiency analysis of vehicle technologies for semi-flexible transit. • • Total system cost estimated includes operator, user, and environmental costs. • • Diesel and battery-electric vehicle technology evaluated for three vehicle sizes. • • Optimal values of service headway and slack time are identified. • • Analysed sensitivity to charging speed, demand, and battery capacity. In low-demand areas, semi-flexible transit system (SFT) operated by battery electric vehicles (BEVs) can reduce operational costs and achieve zero emissions, allowing SFT to be used more widely, and transit agencies to benefit more significantly. This paper is aimed at analyzing the effect of the additional requirements of BEVs on the cost efficiency of SFT services while considering different headways and slack time to accommodate route-deviation. Analytical models are used for detailed estimation of the total cost, including operator, user, and environmental costs, allowing a comparison with internal combustion engine (ICEV) vehicle technology, and three vehicle sizes: minivans, standard vans, and minibuses. Study results can be used to evaluate budget requirements to upgrade an existing ICEV based standard bus service along an underperforming low demand route to a BEV based SFT service. The application of the proposed methodology is demonstrated for a low-demand bus route in Regina, Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]