The Morning Commute for Nonidentical Travelers

In previous theories of the morning rush hour, travelers with different work starting times are assumed to attach certain values to queueing delay and schedule delay (deviations from their work starting times), the same values for all travelers. The goal was to establish and evaluate a stable assignment of trip starting times such that no individual traveler can find a more desirable time than the one assigned. This theory is extended here to situations in which different travelers may attach different values to these delays. For a certain class of cost models it is shown that there is still a stable assignment but it is dictated by only a certain fraction of travelers who are most willing to be early or late for work. Other travelers will choose to be at work on time. The queueing pattern is significantly different from that of the previous theories.