Queuing theory

In many real world applications such as bank counters, public

service providers, incoming customers have become part of their
respective queuing system. In fact waiting for a service has become
an integral part of our daily life at a considerable cost most of the
times.
The adverse impact of the queuing up phenomenon can be brought
down to a minimum by applying various queuing models.
In general the queuing system consists of:
One or more queues
One or more servers
Procedures under which the system operates.

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A queuing scenario
Consider a counter at ZESA where customers around Harare arrive
and wait to be served. Depending on the server status, the incoming
customers either wait at the queue or get the turn to be served if
the counter is free at the time of arrival of the customer, the
customer can directly enter into the counter to get service and then
leave the system. In such a scenario the system may experience
“customer waiting” or “server idle time”
In any system involving queuing, the main objective is to design the
system in such a manner that the average waiting time of the
customer is minimized and the percentage utilization of the server is
maintained above a desired level.

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Application areas of queuing theory
Example Members of queue Server(s)
Bank counter Account holders Counter clerk
Tollgate vehicles Toll collectors
Library students Counter clerk
Hospital Patients Doctor/nurse
Maintenance shop Breakdown machine Mechanics

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A queuing system
The diagrammatic representation of a simple queuing system
consists of a queue and a service station.
Draw here.
Customers who come to the system to get the required service will
directly enter the service station without waiting in the queue if the
server is free at that point of time. Otherwise they will wait in the
queue till the server becomes free.
In practice, the queuing system may have many variations.
1.The number of queues may be more than one. If there is a queue
for males as well as female customers, then an alternate mode of
selecting customers from each queue is followed.
2. The number of servers may be more than one.
3. The service may be provided in multi-stage in a sequential order
e.g. balance enquiry and then paying.

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Terms used in Queuing
1. Bulk arrival- this when customers arrive in groups although it is
assumed customers arrive into the system one by one.
2. Jockeying- the behaviour of a customer who is tempted to join
another queue because of its smaller size.
3. Balking- when the customer fails to join the queue because it is
too long.
4. Reneging-when a customer who is already in the queue leaves
the queue in anticipation of longer waiting time.

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Variables used in queuing models
 n- number of customers in a system.
 C- number of servers in the system
 Pn(t) –probability of having n customers in the system at time t
 Pn - steady state probability of having n customers in the system.
 P0- probability of having zero customers in the system.
 Lq – Average number of customers waiting in the queue.
 Ls – average number of customers waiting in the system (queue and service
station)
 Wq – average waiting time of customers in the queue
 Ws – average waiting time of customers in the system (in queue and
service station.
 σ – arrival rate of customers
 μ – service rate of customers
 Φ – utilization factor of the server.

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Variables –cont-
• σeff=effective arrival rate of customers
• M- Poisson distribution
• N- maximum number of customers permitted in the system.
• GD- general discipline for service. Discipline can be First in First serve
(FIFS), Last in, first serve (LIFS) or random order (R.O)

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Queuing models
• Formulas
• 1. Utilization of server (Φ)

• Where σ-arrival rate of customers, μ- service rate of the server.

• The higher the Φ, the more effective the server is.
•

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Formulae

• 2. Pn = (1-Φ) Φn, where Pn is the steady state probability of having n

customers in the system.
• 3. P0 = (1-Φ)Φ0
• = 1-Φ, where P0 is the probability of having 0 customers in the
system.

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-cont-

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-cont-

• 6. The average waiting time of customers in the system (queue and

service) (Ws):

• 7. The average waiting time of customers in the queue is given by:

(Wq)

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Exercises
• 1.The arrival rate of customers at a banking counter follows a Poisson
distribution with a mean of 30 per hour. The service rate of the counter
clerk also follows a Poisson distribution with mean of 45 per hour.
• (i) What is the probability of having 0 customers in the system (Po)?
• (ii) What is the probability of having 8 customers in the system (P8)?
• (iii) What is the probability of having 12 customers in the system? (P12)
• (iv) Find Ls, Lq, Ws and Wq.

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-cont-

2. The arrival rate of vehicles at a toll gate follows a Poisson

distribution with an average of 30 vehicles per hour. The service rate
of the toll collector also follows a Poisson distribution with a mean of 9
vehicles for every 12 minutes.
•Compute the following:
•i) Utilization of the toll gate
•ii) Average number of waiting vehicles in the queue. iii) Average
number of waiting vehicles in the system.
•iv) Average waiting time per vehicle in the queue.
•v) Average waiting time vehicle in the system.

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