Leveraging semi-flexible demand-responsive transport for efficient student commutes in underserved communities: a case study

Purpose This paper evaluates how a semi-flexible demand-responsive transport (DRT) design, combined with fixed-route school bus optimization, can improve high-school commute accessibility in low-density and underserved areas of El Paso, Texas, USA. Design/methodology/approach The analysis integrated Geographic Information Systems, the Google Maps Directions Application Programming Interface, General Transit Feed Specification datasets, school attendance zones, and school bus route information. The analysis first assessed existing public transit and school bus accessibility, then identified low-demand bus stops, formed DRT service zones, tested stop consolidation rules, and restructured affected fixed routes. Findings The results indicate that a school commute-oriented, semi-flexible DRT concept can reduce travel time for low-demand areas when paired with fixed-route restructuring. Five DRT zones were identified. The largest modeled benefits occurred where low-demand stops were spatially clustered and could be served by smaller vehicles without retaining long fixed-route deviations. The analysis also shows that some benefits arise from route optimization rather than demand responsiveness alone. Research limitations/implications The analysis is limited to planning-level modeling for the school district in El Paso and relies on available route, stop, and travel-time data. It does not include primary interviews with students, school staff, or transit operators; observed DRT ridership; or a full cost-benefit assessment. These issues are identified as priorities for pre-implementation testing and future research. Originality/value The study contributes to the DRT literature by examining a relatively underexplored application: semi-flexible DRT service design for high-school commutes in an underserved, low-density border-city setting. It evaluates how predefined low-demand zones, smaller vehicles, and fixed-route restructuring can be assessed collectively without treating the intervention as a fully dynamic DRT service.