Exploring the potential for cross-nesting structures in airport-choice analysis: A case-study of the Greater London area

The analysis of air-passengers’ choices of departure airport in multi-airport regions is a crucial component of transportation planning in many large metropolitan areas, and has been the topic of an increasing number of studies over recent years. In this paper, we advance the state of the art of modelling in this area of research by making use of a Cross-Nested Logit (CNL) structure that allows for the joint representation of inter-alternative correlation along the three choice dimensions of airport, airline and access-mode. The analysis uses data collected in the Greater London area, which arguably has the highest levels of inter-airport competition of any multi-airport region; the authors of this paper are not aware of any previous effort to jointly analyse the choice of airport, airline and access-mode in this area. The results of the analysis reveal significant influences on passenger behaviour by access-time, access-cost, flight-frequency and flight-time. A structural comparison of the different models shows that the cross-nested structure offers significant improvements over simple Nested Logit (NL) models, which in turn outperform the Multinomial Logit (MNL) model used as the base model

Simulation of Congestion Phenomena and Strategic Passenger Behaviour on Transit Networks

Abstract This article focuses on the simulation of transit networks, including passengers' congestion phenomena and strategic behaviour, as a tool for planning and operation. Specifically, it describes a model of user equilibrium on large-scale transit networks considering on-board overcrowding, queuing at stops and dwelling delay, and representing in addition the effects of random events, such as the availability of seats and the waiting of vehicles, through hyperarcs. The assignment algorithm computes a strategy-based user equilibrium with implicit hyperpath enumeration by solving a fixed-point formulation, through a gradient projection method, which highly improves convergence performance. The model was implemented in .net as a dll that uses the software PTV Visum as I/O source. This article will focus on the model formulation and its capability of reproducing the target phenomena, while the results of model validation and testing will be described in a following paper

Psychosocial Influences on Young Australian University Students Decisions to Ride with a Drink Driver

Drink driving is a well established road safety risk factor, targeted through legislation, education, and an increasing array of technology-based initiatives in an effort to reduce the incidence and impact on Australian roads. However, evidence suggests that most drink drivers do not drive alone. This study examined the incidence of drink riding behaviour in a sample of 294 young Australian drivers (average age 20 years), as well as a number of social and psychological influences associated with the behaviour. Results indicated that 56% of participants reported ever having ridden as a passenger of a drink driver, with just over 36% having done so within the previous twelve months. With respect to the previous twelve month period, attitudes toward drink riding was moderately correlated with actual behaviour (r = .43), whereas subjective norms (r = .19), perceived behavioural control (r = -.27) and the personality construct of sensation seeking (r = .23) were weakly correlated. Drink riding was moderately correlated with self-reported drinking behaviour, including frequency of drinking occasions (r = .38) and particularly occasions where two or more drinks were consumed (r = .44). Drink riders were significantly more likely than non-drink riders to report having engaged in other drug and alcohol related driving and riding behaviours, yet were less likely to have reported risky driving practices generally, such as driving through a red light. These results suggest that alcohol consumption and attitudes play an important role in drink riding behaviour, whereas risky driving history appears to be less important. The implications and future directions are discussed

Towards sustainable transport: wireless detection of passenger trips on public transport buses

An important problem in creating efficient public transport is obtaining data about the set of trips that passengers make, usually referred to as an Origin/Destination (OD) matrix. Obtaining this data is problematic and expensive in general, especially in the case of buses because on-board ticketing systems do not record where and when passengers get off a bus. In this paper we describe a novel and inexpensive system that uses off-the-shelf Bluetooth hardware to accurately record passenger journeys. Here we show how our system can be used to derive passenger OD matrices, and additionally we show how our data can be used to further improve public transport services.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl

Analysing air-travel choice behaviour in the Greater London area

The analysis of air-passengers’ choices of departure airport in multi-airport regions is a crucial component of transportation planning in many large metropolitan areas, and has been the topic of an increasing number of studies over recent years. In this paper, we advance the state of the art of modelling in this area of research by making use of a Cross-Nested Logit (CNL) structure that allows for the joint representation of inter-alternative correlation along the three choice dimensions of airport, airline and access-mode. The analysis uses data collected in the greater London area, which arguably has the highest levels of inter-airport competition of any multi-airport region; the authors of this paper are not aware of any previous effort to jointly analyse the choice of airport, airline and access-mode in this area. The results of the analysis reveal significant influences on passenger behaviour by access-time, access-cost, flight-frequency and flight-time. A structural comparison of the different models shows that the cross-nested structure offers significant improvements over simple Nested Logit (NL) models, which in turn outperform the Multinomial Logit (MNL) model used as the base model.

It’s the Little Things that Count…

This paper will discuss the importance of detailed design decisions in the long term sustainability of any infrastructure system. It presents the concept of Universal Composition, first introduced by UCL’s new Universal Composition Laboratory (‘UCL-squared’) and emerging from the need to design in space and time for multiple senses towards the creation of more accessible, understandable and meaningful environments. It thus presents infrastructure design from the point of view of human perception, and argues the need to design for the senses in order to encourage sustainable behaviours concerning human mobility, transport and locational choice. After first explaining people-environment interactions, it discusses how the design of our urban infrastructure systems and environments can help stimulate our senses and thus behavioural change. Through two examples concerning bus stops implemented in London, it will explain how the role of both low and high tech technologies can help enhance interaction, improve accessibility and encourage usage. Thus, this paper aims to show that seemingly small details have a big role to play in the creation of infrastructure systems which enable, rather than inhibit, long term sustainable developmen

I can sit but I’d rather stand: Commuter’s experience of crowdedness and fellow passenger behaviour in carriages on Australian metropolitan trains

For many people in Australia, crowding is a major issue and an unavoidable aspect of their daily rail commute. Australian passenger experiences, perceptions of, and their reactions to crowding are not well understood. To gain an understanding of passenger perceptions and tolerance of railway crowding and the impact of passenger behaviour on the crowding experience, qualitative (Stage 1) and quantitative (Stage 2) fieldwork was undertaken between 2009 and 2010 across the five metropolitan railways in Australia. Some results from Stage 1, a two-part qualitative study are given. This involved ethnographic participant observations on trains in five States and 20 focus groups with a total of 179 Australian rail passengers. Focus group participants discussed their reactions to being in close proximity to others in a closed environment and these are examined. This paper will explore the ways in which passengers experience, tolerate and construct perceptions of crowdedness through both avoidance techniques and interactions with fellow passengers