Bringing Connected Vehicle Communications to Unlicensed Spectrum

69A3551747111This paper proposes an alternative strategy that could meet the needs of both connected vehicles and Wi-Fi 6 by allowing them to share spectrum under an appropriate set of coexistence rules. This could be achieved through changes in spectrum regulations, modest changes in technology for those C-V2X devices that operate in the shared band, and no changes to Wi-Fi. This would give C-V2X devices access to spectrum that is adjacent to the ITS band (which was part of the ITS band until recently), while giving Wi-Fi 6 devices the contiguous 160 MHz that they need, all without modification to devices that have already been deployed. For simplicity we talk of \u201cC-V2X\u201d in this paper, but our approach is likely to apply similarly to successors of C-V2X, starting with 5G NR-V2X [6]. Our approach also supports sharing between C-V2X and unlicensed devices other than Wi-Fi, although this may require some change in how those devices access spectrum

Predicting transit mode choice of New Jersey workers commuting to New York City from a stated preference survey

This study examines transit mode choice preferences of New Jersey commuters traveling to New York City (NYC) with the objective of assisting trans-Hudson ferry service planning on the basis of variables significantly affecting mode choice. A stated preference survey was conducted to collect data from a total of 2134 respondents who commute from northern New Jersey to NYC. A mixed multinomial logit model (MMLM) with random coefficients was used to analyze the data. The study considered the choice between four transit modes—ferry, PATH train, bus, and commuter rail—all of which can be used to cross the Hudson River to travel from New Jersey to NYC. Essential model results are presented for all four modes, but detailed results are discussed for only the ferry, PATH, and bus modes. Model results indicate that commuters\u27 choices are affected not only by travel time and cost for the segment of the journey that crosses the Hudson River, but also reliability and comfort during that segment, number of access modes required by the journey, and travel time and cost of trips from home to stations/terminals before crossing the river. The results also show that commuters\u27 attachment to the modes they currently use serves as a barrier to switching to other modes. The most important takeaway from this research for transit service planning is that there is a need to consider the attributes of both individual trip segments as well as entire journeys between commuters\u27 home and work when exploring changes to transit service characteristics

Panel Data Analysis to Identify Covariates of Longevity and Patronage of Community Shuttles in New Jersey

Shuttle services connecting passengers\u27 origins and destinations to transit stations and terminals can play a crucial role in enhancing system ridership. Partially because of federal funding through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, such services have become popular in parts of the country. However, studies on the success of community shuttles have been rare. Almost all past studies were stated-preference studies, or case studies without statistical analysis of actual performance of shuttle services. To provide researchers and practitioners with crucial information on the factors potentially influencing the success of shuttle services, this study examined the longevity, level of service, and passenger volumes of the shuttle services introduced in New Jersey between 2002 and 2004. By using panel data analysis, the authors examined how local financial condition, station lot parking, parking cost, bus connections, and socioeconomic and land use characteristics of service areas influence the performance of shuttle services. The study used different types of data, including quarterly panel data on 31 shuttle services for a 7-year period, data from stated-preference surveys of six New Jersey Transit commuter rail lines, and municipal finance data. Results indicated that local financial condition was important for the longevity and level of service of shuttles. Evidence was also found that ease of access to station by alternative modes—whether by walking, local buses, or driving—reduced the attractiveness of shuttle services. Results of the study showed that the success of shuttle services may depend on factors far beyond stated preferences of potential users

What Does It Take for Shuttles to Succeed? Comparison of Stated Preferences and Reality of Shuttle Success in New Jersey

In 1998, New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) conducted an onboard survey of passengers on three of its commuter rail lines on their preferences for new shuttle services. During the first half of the 2000s, community-based shuttle service was introduced in several New Jersey communities—many under the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program. Some of these services continue today, but others were discontinued. This study uses data from the onboard survey to identify the rider characteristics and spatial characteristics of communities that influence stated preferences for shuttle service to rail stations. Correlation analysis, factor analysis, and logistic regression are used to identify these characteristics. With the use of results from the stated preference analysis, the communities where shuttle service has continued were compared with communities where service has been discontinued, to identify the factors that may influence the shuttle\u27s success. The analysis of stated preferences and the comparison of communities suggest that concentration of immigrant populations, non-English speakers, and persons with moderate income may be important for the success of shuttles in the study area. Sporadic evidence was found that parking costs and availability of parking at stations may influence people\u27s decision to use shuttles. Similar evidence is found indicating that people with high incomes, people who live close to stations, and people who already use rail transit regularly may be indifferent to new shuttle service

Experiments with Desktop Mobile Manipulators

: This paper describes our work on Desktop Robotics. The main focus is two robots that locomote and manipulate paper on a desktop. One robot uses wheels for both manipulation and locomotion. The other robot uses wheels for locomotion and a sticky foot to lift and carry pieces of paper. We outline the goals of our work on desktop robotics, describe the design of the robots built so far, present experimental data, and outline some of the issues for future work. 1