Queuing Theory in the Public Sector

Discussion: Queuing Theory and Wait Times

For this Discussion, you dive deeper into the topic of queuing.

To prepare:
Review the Learning Resources for the week as they relate to the theory of queuing. To gain an understanding about the fundamentals of queuing theory, read Ferreira & Andrade's (2011) article.

Think about your everyday experiences that have used queuing or ones you might have experienced in your profession.

Review the video:

Morris, M., & Sylte, A. (2015, December 29). DIA still busy, security lines moving faster.

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 2 minutes.

Read the following scenario:

You are a unit supervisor in the public sector for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Your job is to oversee the facilitation of passenger screening at a major U.S. airport. You have heard of difficulties in proper staffing at some airports that have resulted in what is perceived by constituents to be unreasonable and unacceptable wait times to clear airport security. The job of the TSA agent is presumably more complex than simply processing passengers through screening, but this is the most public face of the TSA as part of the Department of Homeland Security. You have been tasked with improving the process of airport screening.

Post your response to the following:

What are the key things you consider in evaluating and using the process of queuing, and why are these elements important?

How might queuing improve processes in the public sector?

What benefits, if any, could queuing have in the public sector?

Use scholarly resources on queuing theory to support your response.

Article 1- Statistical Queuing Theory with Some Applications by Manuel Alberto M. Ferreira, Marina Andrade, José António Filipe, and Manuel Pacheco Coelho

Article 2 - A Queueing Model for Airport Capacity and Delay Analysis by H. B. Thiagaraj and C. V. Seshaiah