Transportation optimization and effective logistics control outline concept. By VectorMine for AdobeStock
How Novel Modeling, AI, and Scheduling Improve Safety, Efficiency and Accessibility
At the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, a team led by Florida State University professor Yanshuo Sun in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing is redefining how transportation systems function by applying advanced operations research techniques. The Transportation System Optimization (TSO) lab uses mathematical modeling and data analysis to turn complex transportation problems into actionable solutions, on projects supported by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Transportation, Florida Department of Transportation, and other partners.
Optimizing Airline Maintenance: Cutting Costs and Downtime
Aircraft maintenance represents a major cost—airlines spent over $76 billion on it in 2022, around 11% of their operating budgets. The challenge: Scheduling hundreds of aircraft for different types of maintenance while balancing hangar space and regulatory requirements. Poor scheduling can mean grounded planes and lost revenue.
FAMU-FSU researchers, collaborating with a major U.S. airline, developed the first large-scale integrated optimization model for maintenance. Their method streamlines planning, reducing scheduled downtime and boosting efficiency. According to their findings, planning time was cut by up to 80%, and the new approach created more effective schedules. The research was led by doctoral candidate JohnPaul Adimonyemma and Sun, and published in Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review.
“This method helps airlines reduce costs and keep more aircraft in the air while ensuring safety compliance,” Adimonyemma said. Sun added, “Working directly with an airline allowed us to validate our model and demonstrate the power of optimization in aviation.”
AI Logistics in the Preowned Car Market
The booming preowned car market has created new challenges for auto logistics. Deliveries now involve many unique destinations and require carriers to optimize routing and loading simultaneously—tasks that have traditionally been handled separately.
A study led by Sajeeb Kirtonia, Zhi-Long Chen, and Sun, published in Transportation Science, introduced a pioneering, data-driven solution that merges routing and loading decisions for auto carriers. When implemented by a Southeastern U.S. transport company, the method reportedly increased profits by 14% while sharply reducing planning time.
“This integration of AI and optimization lets providers make better decisions faster, at the scale their businesses require,” Sun said.
Smarter Paratransit Scheduling: A Win for Accessibility
For millions of Americans with disabilities, paratransit services provide essential mobility, yet they are expensive—costing up to ten times more than a standard bus trip—and often unreliable.
Recognizing the need for better solutions, FAMU-FSU researchers, including Shijie Chen, Sun, Nikola Marković and industry partners from IT Curves, led a study in the INFORMS Journal on Applied Analytics that directly addressed these challenges. They developed an innovative scheduling system that integrates vans, taxis, and rideshares within a unified framework. This system was deployed in Washington, D.C.’s MetroAccess program and demonstrated a 15% reduction in operating costs as well as improved on-time performance.
“This project showcases how smart scheduling can enhance both efficiency and mobility for vulnerable communities,” said Chen. Sun added, “While paratransit is crucial, it can be costly. Our findings offer a practical path toward more sustainable and responsive services.”
Bridging Theory With Real-World Engineering Impact
Through partnerships and applied research projects, the group’s work is demonstrating measurable benefits for airline operations, logistics carriers, and community transportation systems.
As Sun concluded: “These innovations show how data-driven optimization can make transportation systems more sustainable, more profitable, and more equitable,” Sun said. “As industrial engineers, our mission is to bridge theory and practice. Working with airlines, trucking companies, and transit agencies allows us to validate our models at scale and deliver real impact.”
Editor’s Note: This article was edited with a custom prompt for Claude Sonnet 4, an AI assistant created by Anthropic. The AI optimized the article for SEO discoverability, improved clarity, structure and readability while preserving the original reporting and factual content. All information and viewpoints remain those of the author and publication. This article was edited and fact-checked by college staff before being published. This disclosure is part of our commitment to transparency in our editorial process. Last edited: November 5, 2025.
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