IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/annopr/v348y2025i1d10.1007_s10479-022-05058-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Dockless bike-sharing systems with unusable bikes: removing, repair and redistribution under batch policies

Author

Listed:
  • Rui-Na Fan

    (Fudan University)

  • Quan-Lin Li

    (Beijing University of Technology)

  • Xiaole Wu

    (Fudan University)

  • Zhe George Zhang

    (Western Washington University
    Simon Fraser University)

Abstract

This paper discusses a large-scale dockless bike-sharing system (DBSS) with unusable bikes, which can be removed, repaired, redistributed and reused under two batch policies: one for removing the unusable bikes from each parking region to a maintenance shop, and the other for redistributing the repaired bikes from the maintenance shop to some suitable parking regions. For such a bike-sharing system, this paper proposes and develops a new computational method by applying the RG-factorizations of block-structured Markov processes to the closed queueing networks. Different from previous works in the literature of queueing networks, a key contribution of our computational method is to set up a new nonlinear matrix equation to determine the relative arrival rates, and to show that the nonlinearity comes from two different groups of processes: The failure and removing processes, and the repair and redistribution processes. Once the relative arrival rate is introduced to each node, these nodes are isolated from each other so that the Markov processes of all the nodes are independent of each other, and thus the Markov system of each node is described as an elegant block-structured Markov process whose stationary probabilities can be easily computed by the RG-factorizations. Based on this, the paper establishes a more general product-form solution of the closed queueing network, and provides performance analysis of the DBSS through a comprehensive discussion of the bikes’ failure, removing, repair, redistribution and reuse processes under two batch policies. We hope that our method opens a new avenue for quantitative evaluation of more general DBSSs with unusable bikes.

Suggested Citation

  • Rui-Na Fan & Quan-Lin Li & Xiaole Wu & Zhe George Zhang, 2025. "Dockless bike-sharing systems with unusable bikes: removing, repair and redistribution under batch policies," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 348(1), pages 181-219, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:annopr:v:348:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10479-022-05058-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10479-022-05058-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10479-022-05058-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10479-022-05058-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Saif Benjaafar & Daniel Jiang & Xiang Li & Xiaobo Li, 2022. "Dynamic Inventory Repositioning in On-Demand Rental Networks," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(11), pages 7861-7878, November.
    2. Saif Benjaafar & Shining Wu & Hanlin Liu & Einar Bjarki Gunnarsson, 2022. "Dimensioning On-Demand Vehicle Sharing Systems," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(2), pages 1218-1232, February.
    3. Junhong Chu & Yige Duan & Xianling Yang & Li Wang, 2021. "The Last Mile Matters: Impact of Dockless Bike Sharing on Subway Housing Price Premium," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(1), pages 297-316, January.
    4. William J. Gordon & Gordon F. Newell, 1967. "Cyclic Queuing Systems with Restricted Length Queues," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 15(2), pages 266-277, April.
    5. Daniel Adelman, 2007. "Price-Directed Control of a Closed Logistics Queueing Network," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 55(6), pages 1022-1038, December.
    6. George, David K. & Xia, Cathy H., 2011. "Fleet-sizing and service availability for a vehicle rental system via closed queueing networks," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 211(1), pages 198-207, May.
    7. Zhi Pei & Xu Dai & Tianzong Yu & Lu Zhao & Qiao-Chu He, 2022. "Dynamic Rebalancing Strategy in Free-Float Bicycle Sharing Systems: Orbit Queues and Two-Sided Matching," Service Science, INFORMS, vol. 14(1), pages 35-59, March.
    8. Bacem Samet & Florent Couffin & Marc Zolghadri & Maher Barkallah & Mohamed Haddar, 2018. "Performance Analysis and Improvement of the Bike Sharing System Using Closed Queuing Networks with Blocking Mechanism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-26, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mohamed Amjath & Laoucine Kerbache & James MacGregor Smith, 2024. "A Closed Queueing Networks Approach for an Optimal Heterogeneous Fleet Size of an Inter-Facility Bulk Material Transfer System," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-38, March.
    2. Li, Yang & Sun, Hao & Sun, Panfei & Hou, Dongshuang, 2023. "Inhibit violations in business-to-peer product sharing via heterogeneous punishment, firm decisions and subsidies," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 311(3), pages 1173-1187.
    3. Santiago R. Balseiro & David B. Brown & Chen Chen, 2021. "Dynamic Pricing of Relocating Resources in Large Networks," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(7), pages 4075-4094, July.
    4. Van der Heide, G. & Roodbergen, K.J., 2013. "Transshipment and rebalancing policies for library books," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 228(2), pages 447-456.
    5. Quan-Lin Li & Rui-Na Fan, 2022. "A mean-field matrix-analytic method for bike sharing systems under Markovian environment," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 309(2), pages 517-551, February.
    6. Anton Braverman & J. G. Dai & Xin Liu & Lei Ying, 2019. "Empty-Car Routing in Ridesharing Systems," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 67(5), pages 1437-1452, September.
    7. William A. Massey & Emmanuel Ekwedike & Robert C. Hampshire & Jamol J. Pender, 2023. "A transient symmetry analysis for the M/M/1/k queue," Queueing Systems: Theory and Applications, Springer, vol. 103(1), pages 1-43, February.
    8. Long He & Guangrui Ma & Wei Qi & Xin Wang, 2021. "Charging an Electric Vehicle-Sharing Fleet," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 23(2), pages 471-487, March.
    9. Wang, Tao & Guo, Jia & Zhang, Wei & Wang, Kai & Qu, Xiaobo, 2024. "On the planning of zone-based electric on-demand minibus," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    10. Hai Long Duong & Junhong Chu & Dai Yao, 2023. "Taxi Drivers’ Response to Cancellations and No-Shows: New Evidence for Reference-Dependent Preferences," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(1), pages 179-199, January.
    11. Ariel Waserhole & Vincent Jost, 2016. "Pricing in vehicle sharing systems: optimization in queuing networks with product forms," EURO Journal on Transportation and Logistics, Springer;EURO - The Association of European Operational Research Societies, vol. 5(3), pages 293-320, August.
    12. Stokkink, Patrick & Geroliminis, Nikolas, 2021. "Predictive user-based relocation through incentives in one-way car-sharing systems," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 230-249.
    13. Lan, Hao & Moreira, Fernando & Zhao, Sheng, 2023. "Can a house resale restriction policy curb speculation? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 841-859.
    14. Belleh Fontem, 2022. "An optimal stopping policy for car rental businesses with purchasing customers," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 317(1), pages 47-76, October.
    15. Foschi, Rachele, 2023. "A Point Processes approach to bicycle sharing systems’ design and management," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PB).
    16. Nie, Rong & Song, Jinbo & Carneiro, Juliana, 2024. "Does emissions data disclosure of Waste-to-Energy incineration plants mitigate NIMBYism concerns? Evidence from the housing market," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1527, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    17. Christine Fricker & Nicolas Gast, 2016. "Incentives and redistribution in homogeneous bike-sharing systems with stations of finite capacity," EURO Journal on Transportation and Logistics, Springer;EURO - The Association of European Operational Research Societies, vol. 5(3), pages 261-291, August.
    18. Saif Benjaafar & Ming Hu, 2020. "Operations Management in the Age of the Sharing Economy: What Is Old and What Is New?," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 22(1), pages 93-101, January.
    19. Nourinejad, Mehdi & Zhu, Sirui & Bahrami, Sina & Roorda, Matthew J., 2015. "Vehicle relocation and staff rebalancing in one-way carsharing systems," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 98-113.
    20. Leon Yang Chu & Zhixi Wan & Dongyuan Zhan, 2018. "Harnessing the Double-edged Sword via Routing: Information Provision on Ride-hailing Platforms," Working Papers 18-04, NET Institute.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:annopr:v:348:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10479-022-05058-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.