Exponential Disutility Functions in Transportation Problems: A New Theoretical Justification

Authors

Ruey L. Cheu, The University of Texas at El PasoFollow
Vladik Kreinovich, The University of Texas at El PasoFollow

Publication Date

1-2007

Comments

Technical Report UTEP-CS-07-04

Abstract

In modeling drivers' route choice in stochastic networks, several researchers have successfully used exponential disutility functions. A usual justification for these functions is that they are consistent with common sense and that they lead to simpler computations than several other alternative disutility functions. In principle, such a justification leaves open a possibility that there is some other (yet un-tried) disutility function which is also consistent with common sense and for which the computations are even simpler than for the exponential function. In this paper, we prove that exponential disutility functions are the only ones that are consistent with the (appropriately formalized) common sense and the only ones for which computations can be simplified.