Modeling driver lane selection decisions in a toll plaza

A toll plaza consists of several parallel counters and an incoming driver selects a lane that minimizes waiting time. This lane selection decision is often based on intelligent on-the-spot analysis of the physical length and the number of vehicles in each counter. Capturing such a lane selection behavior is important while designing a toll plaza as conventional queue selection rules do not mimic the reality. A simulation model of a toll plaza with identical counters is developed and various lane selection rules are analyzed. The goal is to identify a rule that minimizes the waiting time of arriving vehicles. The insights gained from the study could be used for regulating the incoming vehicles to the correct lane as well as for designing a toll plaza to provide a required level of service.