Embracing Mobility, Technology, and Resilience (MTR) after the Pandemic: Data-Informed Design, Planning, and Operations Management of Tomorrow’s Railway Systems

Professor Kuo, Yong Hong   (Principal Investigator (PI))

36

2024-09-01

1430795

Embracing Mobility, Technology, and Resilience (MTR) after the Pandemic: Data-Informed Design, Planning, and Operations Management of Tomorrow’s Railway Systems

Pandemic, Data-Informed Design, Planning, Operations Management, Railway Systems

EngineeringDatabase and data science

HKU-23002

MTR Research Funding Scheme

2023

On-going

At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Hong Kong, similar to many other cities, experienceda sharp decline in public transport ridership. This phenomenon was not unique to Hong Kong;other cities and regions around the world also faced similar challenges, especially those withstrict lockdown measures in place. As we navigate through the aftermath of the pandemic,many aspects of our lives have undergone significant changes, including habitation trends,work patterns, and travel behaviors. These changes have posed considerable challenges tothe design, planning, and operations of public transport systems.To tackle these challenges, our team of experts from multiple disciplines, including industrialengineering, computer science, and transport engineering, will leverage OR and DStechniques. Specifically, we will employ Machine Learning (ML) / Artificial Intelligence(AI), mathematical modeling, optimization, and systems simulation to develop solutions thatwill enable the attainment of excellence in railway transport services and operations oftomorrow.Our project aims to address the challenges faced by the public transport system in the postpandemicera, with a focus on railway transport systems.Our project has the following primary and secondary objectives:Primary objectives:1. To understand and identify infrastructure and operational bottlenecks of the MTRnetwork before, during, and after the Covid-19 pandemic;2. To project future public transport demands using historical data and advanced DSprediction models;3. To define key performance indices (KPIs) for future rail transport systemperformance, commuting experience, and social impacts;4. To develop necessary OR techniques to alleviate the bottlenecks identified andenhance the defined KPIs;5. To put forward quantitative solutions using the developed OR and DS techniques toimprove the railway system's efficiency and resilience in the future; and6. To propose and outline policies, strategies, and business models for the design of thefuture MTR system at the planning and operational levels.By accomplishing the above specific primary objectives, the project aims to achieve thefollowing (long-term) secondary objectives set by MTR:7. To initiate and lead forward-looking railway-oriented research in the academiccommunities and nurture research talents for the future;8. To establish MTR as a leading research driver and innovation advocator in thedomains of railway transport technologies, operations, and management;9. To support Hong Kong in becoming an International Innovation and TechnologyHub.