Case Study: NIH improves shuttle bus planning with Simio simulation

NIH optimizes shuttle bus performance with Simio for 75+ buildings and 300-acre campus

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) faced the challenge of adapting its campus shuttle bus system to unpredictable passenger demand patterns caused by the shift to remote and staggered work schedules during the COVID-19 pandemic. NIH needed to evaluate how bus schedules and reduced vehicle capacities would perform under these new conditions to ensure safe and efficient transportation for employees returning to its Bethesda campus. To address this, NIH partnered with MOSIMTEC, who utilized the Simio simulation software to build a model for analysis.

MOSIMTEC implemented a detailed discrete event simulation model using Simio, which included a 3D animation of the campus and intelligent passenger logic. This configurable model allowed NIH to perform extensive what-if analysis on shuttle strategies under various demand scenarios. The solution provided key metrics on passenger wait times and bus fill rates, enabling NIH to proactively plan for a safe return to campus by understanding the system's performance under a wide range of potential conditions.

National Institutes of Health (NIH)