Appraisal of University-Based Research in Urban Transportation

University-based research in transportation, particularly urban transportation is in disarray. This disarray stems from a major decline in research funding in real terms available to universities and from a lack of a consistent policy and practice with respect to research in transportation. As a result, university researchers are pursuing new options for both basic and applied research in transportation. This paper sets forth issues involved in developing university-based research programs in transportation. Particularly, it argues for a more open and peer review based process for a basic transportation research program. This paper provides a context for needed assessment of the university role in such research. The effort should also include u.s. DOT and TRB. There is also a need to distinguish among basic and policy research, training, and technology transfer and provide coherent programs for each

Examination of Process of Innovation at Transit Systems

A study of the innovation process in transit agencies had two major components. First, case studies of innovations adopted by transit agencies in Wisconsin were conducted. Second, transit agencies across the country were surveyed online to gain a sense of innovation and change. An analysis of the case studies showed that many had common themes and barriers to the various innovations studied. These barriers and themes were funding, the nature of the organization, persistence, the regional planning commission, user involvement, a problem-centered approach, and a champion. The innovations discussed in the case studies came about because there was a need to improve the transit systems, an internal champion, funding, and persistence to overcome barriers to change. Analysis of the survey results revealed that the primary institutional barrier to innovation or change was money, and the main reason for change was an internal leader or champion. Innovation is most likely to occur when there is a need to improve service, when there is a champion to lead and coordinate to bring about the change, and when there is a source of funds for the planning and implementation of the innovation

Transit User Perceptions of the Benefits of Automatic Vehicle Location

An attitudinal survey on transit riders\u27 perception of the importance transit users place on features of an automatic vehicle location (AVL) system is reported. Onboard surveys and on-time field checks were conducted in the cities of Manitowoc and Racine, Wisconsin, to determine how users in those cities perceive their transit systems and how well each transit system performs. The surveys indicate that transit riders put a great value on increased on-time performance and improved schedule reliability. Passengers value features that AVL technology could bring, such as improving on-time performance, knowing when the next bus will arrive, knowing how long the delay is in case of delay, and knowing that another bus could be dispatched in case of breakdown. The surveys indicate that AVL technology could improve transit services and add value to passengers. The survey also found the expected ridership increase resulting from the AVL technology to be moderate. On-time performance surveys conducted in each city indicate that transit services in these communities generally operate on time at the route level. Although there are bigger variations at the timepoint level, transit services are usually on time. The implementation of AVL could further improve on-time performance, but maybe only marginally

Use of market research in public transit. Final report.

Urban Mass Transportation Administration, Washington, D.C.Mode of access: Internet.Author corporate affiliation: Wisconsin University, Milwaukee, Center for Urban Transportation StudiesReport covers the period of May 1985Subject code: IJDSubject code: SDBLSubject code: WW*IJSubject code: WW

ACCESSIBILITY, CONNECTIVITY, AND CAPTIVITY: IMPACTS ON TRANSIT CHOICE

Travelers can be classified into two groups: choice users and captive users. Choice users select transit or automobile service when they view one option as superior, whereas captive users have only one travel option. Surprisingly, little is known about captivity effects on mode split models. This research examines the way transit service factors such as accessibility and connectivity relate to mode captivity and mode choice. Data for this investigation come from the Portland, Oregon, 1994 Household Activity and Travel Diary Survey, the Regional Land Information System for the Portland area, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy database, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Individual trip data were segmented into transit captive, automobile captive, and choice users based on information about private vehicle availability, transit connectivity, and distance from a transit stop. Traditional transit mode split models are compared with models that segment users into choice and captive groups. It was found that traditional models underestimate the variation in mode choice for captive users, while overestimating the attractiveness of transit for choice users. These results indicate that better transit forecasts can result if accessibility and connectivity are used to help identify captive users. Additionally, among choice transit users, differences in travel times between automobile and transit modes do little to influence mode selection, while walk access to transit has more effect than previously thought

Elements of Successful Universal Student Transit Pass Programs from Planning to Implementation: A Benchmark Study

Key elements in developing a successful universal college student transit pass program (U-Pass program) are investigated from the perspectives of three involved parties of interest: transit agencies, university administrations, and students. By collecting information from online surveys, case examples, literature, and other useful online resources, a generalized procedure of a U-Pass program is proposed, broken down into three phases: planning, launching, and implementation. In each phase, key elements and actions that lead to successful programs are investigated from the perspectives of the three involved parties. The roles of the three parties as well as how they interact with each other are also examined. Furthermore, some of the underlying factors that lead to program success are explored in the context of different built environment settings. As a benchmark study, this paper extends work from a Transit Cooperative Research Program synthesis to gain insight into how U-Pass programs have been planned, launched, and implemented. The research findings could assist responsible transit agencies and educational institutions in enhancing their current U-Pass programs or launching new programs in the future