Abstract
Nowadays, transportation vehicles are equipped with intelligent sensors. Together, they form collaborative networks that broadcast real-time data about mobility patterns in urban areas. Online intelligent transportation systems for taxi dispatching, time-saving route finding or automatic vehicle location are already exploring such information in the taxi/buses transport industries. In this PhD spotlight paper, the authors present two ML applications focused on improving the operation of Public Transportation (PT) systems: 1) Bus Bunching (BB) Online Detection and 2) Taxi-Passenger Demand Prediction. By doing so, we intend to give a brief overview of the type of approaches applicable to these type of problems. Our frameworks are straightforward. By employing online learning frameworks we are able to use both historical and real-time data to update the inference models. The results are promising.

Abstract
This work proposes a hybrid genetic algorithm (GA) to address the unit commitment (UC) problem. In the UC problem, the goal is to schedule a subset of a given group of electrical power generating units and also to determine their production output in order to meet energy demands at minimum cost. In addition, the solution must satisfy a set of technological and operational constraints. The algorithm developed is a hybrid biased random key genetic algorithm (HBRKGA). It uses random keys to encode the solutions and introduces bias both in the parent selection procedure and in the crossover strategy. To intensify the search close to good solutions, the GA is hybridized with local search. Tests have been performed on benchmark large-scale power systems. The computational results demonstrate that the HBRKGA is effective and efficient. In addition, it is also shown that it improves the solutions obtained by current state-of-the-art methodologies.

Abstract
The unit commitment (UC) problem is a well-known combinatorial optimization problem arising in operations planning of power systems. It involves deciding both the scheduling of power units, when each unit should be turned on or off, and the economic dispatch problem, how much power each of the on units should produce, in order to meet power demand at minimum cost while satisfying a set of operational and technological constraints. This problem is typically formulated as nonlinear mixed-integer programming problem and has been solved in the literature by a huge variety of optimization methods, ranging from exact methods (such as dynamic programming and branch-and-bound) to heuristic methods (genetic algorithms, simulated annealing, and particle swarm). Here, we discuss how the UC problem can be formulated with an optimal control model, describe previous discrete-time optimal control models, and propose a continuous-time optimal control model. The continuous-time optimal control formulation proposed has the advantage of involving only real-valued decision variables (controls) and enables extra degrees of freedom as well as more accuracy, since it allows to consider sets of demand data that are not sampled hourly.

Abstract
This research aims to help in establishing new legislative directives by testing their impact both on the company profits and on the life of city residents. A case study is developed and conducted in collaboration with the city hall and with eight companies (four freight transport companies and four retailer companies). The impacts are computed by simulating the companies operation under the new legislation and the new routes are used to analyze the impacts on the city traffic, noise, and congestion.

Abstract
Hop constraints are used to limit the number of links between two given points in a network, this way improving the quality of service by increasing the availability and reliability of the network. They have been applied to a limited number of problems, although their application can be of the greatest importance both from the academical and practical points-of-view. In this work, we survey relevant and recent works on hop-constrained problems focusing on problems with free shaped solutions.

Abstract