Modeling taxi drivers’ decisions at airport based on queueing theory

Taxi is one important component of ground transportation at airports. Taxi drivers face two options after dropping off passengers: waiting to pick up passengers at the airport or ditching the airport and searching elsewhere for their next trips. Understanding how taxi drivers make decisions will not only benefit themselves but also benefit passengers. In addition, policies can be made to balance the taxi supply and demand at airports. In this research, a M/M/1/∞/N model was developed to investigate taxi drivers' decision-making mechanism based on queueing theory. By comparing the net income of these two options in the same time period, a better strategy could be selected. The model was then validated by a case study conducted at Yaoqiang International Airport in Jinan, China. With the model established, drivers' decisions in different time periods could be determined. By analyzing the model results, it was found that the results obtained by the model were consistent with the real-world situations. Furthermore, it was also discovered that taxi drivers' decisions were strongly influenced by the number of flights taking off and landing in a certain period.