Question

Consider a taxi station where taxis and customers arrive in accordance with Poisson processes with respective rates of one and three per minute. A taxi will wait no matter how many other taxis are present. However, an arriving customer that does not find a taxi waiting leaves. Find the proportion of arriving customers that get taxis.

Answer 1

The proportion of arriving customers that get taxis is:

= 33%.

Explanation:

Rate of arrival of taxis = 1 per minute

In one hour, the number of taxis arriving = 60 (60/1)

Rate of arrival of customers = 3 per minute

In one hour, the number of customers arriving = 180 (60 * 3)

The proportion of arriving customers that get taxis = 60/180

= 0.333

= 33%

b) Since the taxis wait until they get a customer, it means that they will likely transport one out of 3 customers who arrive. Therefore, the proportion of arriving customers that get taxis is equal to 1/3 or 60/180, which is equal to 33%.