The effects of sprawl on private-vehicle commuting distances and times

Sprawl is a well-known consequence of the suburbanization of the United States population. However, only recently have scholars shown interest in the effects of sprawl on transportation outcomes. For example, little research on how sprawl affects private-vehicle commuting distances and times is evident in the literature. To explore further the relationship between sprawl and private-vehicle commuting distances and times, a multilevel approach is adopted. Using microdata for households and macrodata for Metropolitan Statistical Areas, multilevel models of the effects of four dimensions of sprawl on commuting distances and times are estimated for private-vehicle commuters. Results show that shorter-distance, private-vehicle commutes are associated with lower density, more centeredness, and better accessibility, while shorter-time, private-vehicle commutes are associated with more centeredness. Overall, results point toward centralizing employment as the urban planning policy most likely to reduce private-vehicle commuting times, if only modestly.

The effect of sprawl on private-vehicle commuting outcomes

Amongst the hypothesized beneficial impacts of sprawl on urban quality of life is a decrease in commuting times. Unfortunately, empirical evidence to substantiate the commuting time benefits of sprawl is scant. To address this void in the urban planning literature, a multilevel approach is adopted to study how sprawl affects the duration and length of private-vehicle commutes. Using microdata from the 2001 National Household Transportation Survey for individuals and microdata on various measures of sprawl for metropolitan areas, multilevel models of commuting times and distances are estimated for a subsample of private-vehicle commuters. Results somewhat support the hypothesis that sprawl decreases commuting times for private-vehicle commuters—employment decentralization is associated with shorter commuting times. However, this finding is based on the statistical significance of one of the sprawl measures; not on its practical significance in explaining commuting times which is, in fact, negligible. Coupling this with the finding that the multilevel model only explained about 5% of the variance in private-vehicle commuting times suggests that there is considerable room available for improving the model specification.

Transit-Oriented Development and Household Transportation Costs. Household-level analysis

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a comprehensive approach to sustainable community and regional planning that integrates critical environmental, economic, and social issues. This study focuses on a fundamental question for end users, that is, travelers: Can TOD, as a planning concept, serve people\u27s needs and expectations as well as translate into tangible savings in expenditures on transportation? The role of TOD as a distinct planning strategy in affecting household transportation costs is specified within a sample selection regression model that controls for residential self-selection bias. With a sample of 6,526 households in the San Francisco, California, Bay Area in 2000, the regression results indicate that TOD has a dominant influence on household transportation costs. However, it makes only a moderately positive contribution to reductions in household expenditures on transportation. The regression results also indicate that the self-selection effect accounts for about 21% of the total influence of TOD

Eliminating Bus Stops: Evaluating Changes in Operations, Emissions and Coverage

Bus systems in the United States are unattractive to many potential riders because of their lack of efficiency, especially with regard to travel time. One of the reasons services are not more efficient has to do with the spacing of bus stops. After using a nearest facility algorithm with an 800 m walking distance threshold to identify eligible bus stops in the current bus system in the city of Fairfax, Virginia, the impacts of their elimination on operations, emissions, and coverage are estimated. Results indicate that eliminating some bus stops (about 40% of current stops) could improve travel times and reduce operating costs by the same percentage (23%). In addition, bus-related emissions such as CO (34%), VOC (18%), and NO x (10%) could all be substantially lower. Surprisingly, the loss in coverage due to eliminating stops would not be large (10% of the total population of the city of Fairfax)

Who benefits from bus rapid transit? Evidence from the Metro Bus System (MBS) in Lahore

Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a popular mode for government investment in public infrastructure, particularly in developing countries where capital resources are scarce. Enthusiastic evaluations of BRT systems worldwide are perhaps premature given that most such systems have been operational for only a short time. Further, little research on BRT systems from the user perspective is evident in the literature. The latter is problematic because one justification for government investment in BRT is the social benefit such systems bestow on groups who are traditionally without access to private modes of transportation. In order to explore the purported social benefits of a BRT system two series of multiple logistic regression models are fit. The first uses disaggregate data from inside a BRT service area and the second uses disaggregate data from inside and from outside a BRT service area. The rider and the commuter data sources, respectively, help to understand who benefits from the new Metro Bus System (MBS) in Lahore and how. To that end, descriptive results show that women are less representative of riders and of commuters, but inferential results show that females are more likely to commute via the MBS. In addition, usage patterns show that females are more habitual users and that they benefit greatly from the fare subsidy. Finally, efforts to further integrate the MBS with the greater public transportation network in Lahore will help to mitigate the monetary and the temporal costs of MBS usage which more so affect females