Transportation Commons^™

Expanding Transmobilities: Understanding Genderdiverse And Transgender Travel Behavior Through An Art-Informed Methodology, Nicholas Michael Puczkowskyj

Dissertations and Theses

Transgender and genderdiverse people face discrimination and harassment in public when making trips in Portland, OR. People who identify as genderdiverse or transgender create unique travel behavior due to the influence of their internalized and expressed gender identity and through interactions in public. This dissertation examines how gender identity influences the travel behavior of genderdiverse and transgender people and how these experiences influence their subjective wellbeing when making trips in Portland, Oregon. Traditional one-on-one interviews were conducted in conjunction with allowing the interviewees to produce art as a non-verbal form of expression and communication of their experiences making trips in …

A Visualization-Supported, Hierarchical, Action-Learning Model For Driving Behavior In A V2x Environment, Xuantong Wang, Jing Li, Jecca Bowen

Geography and the Environment: Faculty Scholarship

Understanding human driving decisions is crucial for intelligent transportation research. Most existing studies focus on individual vehicles in limited contexts, which restricts broader applicability of results. Leveraging Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) infrastructure, this study introduces a machine learning framework to model driving actions and detect outliers across diverse environments. This approach features a semantically enabled clustering method that groups similar driving behaviors based on speed and actions. It also adds a time-series learning model to identify typical driving behaviors across various contexts, thereby enabling detection of abnormal driving actions. A suite of visual tools has been developed to help interpret driving patterns, …

Huburban America: New Haven And The Promise Of Mobility, Jhansiddh Setthachayanon

Library Map Prize

This project analyzes micromobility as the emerging solution to New Haven’s incomplete urban transportation project. It argues that micromobility’s legitimization through mobility hubs is key to the city’s modern connectivity. Finally, it proposes a version of new hubs for New Haven.

Identifying Mobility Hub Suitability In The Mid-Sized United States Urban Area Using Weighted Overlay And Percentile Based Local Peak Analysis, Eric Asplund

Theses and Dissertations

IDENTIFYING MOBILITY HUB SUITABILITY IN THE MID-SIZED UNITED STATES URBAN AREA USING WEIGHTED OVERLAY AND PERCENTILE‑BASED LOCAL PEAK ANALYSIS

By Eric Asplund

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Urban and Regional Planning at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2026.

Major Director: Dr. Ivan Suen, Ph. D., Associate Professor, Faculty of Urban and Regional Studies and Planning

Shared mobility hubs are increasingly posited in transportation planning as interventions supporting multimodality, sustainability, and equitable access, but guidance on evaluation of potential hub locations remains uneven, particularly in mid-sized United States cities where …

Constructing A State: Canals And The Transformation Of The Economy, Politics, And Finance In Nineteenth-Century New York, Youwei Xing

All Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three essays in economic history, unified by a focus on one of America's earliest transportation infrastructures, the canal system, in nineteenth-century New York. Each chapter explores a different aspect of the state's transformation: its economy, politics, and finance, each of which helped construct New York as the Empire State.

The first chapter studies the economic impact of canals on economic modernization from three aspects: sectoral transition, urbanization, and banking development. Contrary to much of the modern literature finds transportation infrastructure leads to decentralization, I find the opposite-evidence of centralization. Specially: (1) canal towns experienced a transition …

The Management Of The Bus Rapid Transit (Brt) System And Its Impact On Mobility In Lagos State, Nigeria, Olukayode Lasisi, Mayowa Paul Obembe, Leke Kayode Onabanjo, Tolulope Oluwatosin Bamiro, Oluwatobee Omowumi Iyiola

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

Lagos is famous for its high traffic congestion and insufficient road infrastructure. This study examined the effect of BRT management and its influence on mobility in Lagos State. The study adopted a cross-sectional design involving data gathering through the primary data collection method using a closed-ended questionnaire purposively administered to 100 commuters of BRT buses in Lagos. The findings revealed a high positive relationship between managing the BRT system and mobility in Lagos State. Additionally, the findings indicate a robust and positive causal relationship between Lagos State’s BRT system and transportation development. The BRT system contributes to improving transportation infrastructure …

Pedaling Toward Justice: Exploring The Role Of Community Advocacy In Shaping Bicycle Policy In Oakland., Claire Farrell Lowe

Master's Projects and Capstones

The way people move through a city fundamentally shapes their access to jobs, essential services, and economic and social opportunities. While Oakland’s bicycle infrastructure has improved over the past decade, vehicle-centric planning has historically sidelined cycling, creating mobility inequities. This thesis examines the role of community advocacy in advancing equitable bicycle planning and prioritizing cycling infrastructure as a core element of urban development. This thesis project follows the question: what role do advocacy groups play in addressing the gaps between the Oakland Bicycle Plan and its implementation? Through policy analysis, community engagement, and interviews with key informants from Bike East …

A Comprehensive Study Of Impacts Of “Q” Bus Rapid Transit System On Blackstone Avenue, Yertai Tanai, Kamil Ciftci

Mineta Transportation Institute

This study examines the dual impact of the Fresno Area Express (FAX) Q Line, a 15.7-mile Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system launched in 2018, on the Fresno housing market and passenger satisfaction. The Q Line, designed to modernize public transit, features eco-friendly compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, real-time passenger information, and improved service efficiency. Housing market analysis focused on residential properties sold between 2012 and 2024, utilizing Geographic Information System(GIS) mapping to segment properties into three regions: the Q Line corridor, an outer buffer zone, and the rest of Fresno. Results indicate no statistically significant increase in property values within …

Smart Highway Construction Site Monitoring Using Artificial Intelligence, Mehran Mazari, Yahaira Nava-Gonzalez, Ly Jacky N. Nhiayi, Mohamad H. Saleh

Mineta Transportation Institute

Construction is a large sector of the economy and plays a significant role in creating economic growth and national development,and construction of transportation infrastructure is critical. This project developed a method to detect, classify, monitor, and track objects during the construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation of transportation infrastructure by using artificial intelligence and a deep learning approach. This study evaluated the performance of AI and deep learning algorithms to compare their performance in detecting and classifying the equipment in various construction scenes. Our goal was to find the optimized balance between the model capabilities in object detection and memory processing requirements. …

Shared Tracks, Divided Rule: The Role Of Polycentrism In Shaping Public Transportation In U.S. Metropolises, Dev Purohit

Honors Theses

American public transportation is notably less comprehensive and efficient relative to peer nations. The reliance on private automobiles and commercial air travel for routes that can be served by high-speed rail is a uniquely American phenomenon. This inefficiency is deeply rooted in governance structures, where centralized decision-making has often failed to address the complexities of metropolitan transit systems spanning multiple jurisdictions. This project explores polycentric governance as a potential mechanism to address these shortcomings by fostering competition, enhancing collaboration, and promoting localized responsiveness within metropolitan transit systems. By developing an empirical inventory to measure governance polycentricity and comparing transit outcomes …

Global Green Shipping Development Report, Shanghai International Shipping Institute (Sisi), World Maritime University

Reports

The report "Global Green Shipping Development Report (2024-2025)" co-developed by the Shanghai International Shipping Institute and the World Maritime University, aims at tracking the latest progress of global green shipping policies and emission reduction technology development, providing reference for port and shipping enterprises to adjust their business strategies and choose appropriate emission reduction paths in a timely manner, while enhancing public awareness of the green transformation of the port and shipping industry, promoting more stakeholders to pay attention to, explore, and invest in practical actions for green port and shipping transformation. This report mainly reflects the development of global green …

Construction Contracting In The Zero Emission Transportation Sector: Evidence From Underrepresented Businesses, Gökçe Soydemir, Orestis P. Panagopoulos

Mineta Transportation Institute

This study investigates the degree to which underrepresented construction contractors face challenges in California's zero-emission transportation sector to devise a simpler and more efficient bonding structure. Using a survey dispersed over underrepresented businesses across the state, the study provides several suggestions for a statewide bonding program that caters to the needs of contractors. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are used in the study. The survey data are evaluated using econometric tools to analyze whether there are any statistically significant associations between contractors' characteristics and their industry experiences. Focus groups and focused interviews are conducted to identify those perspectives the survey …

Scooting Through Urban Shared Micromobility Transformations: A Comprehensive Study Of Shared E-Scooter Usage Patterns, Pandemic Effects, And Equity Challenges, Farzana Mehzabin Tuli

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The rise of shared e-scooters has sparked a paradigm shift in urban transportation, offering a flexible mode of micromobility for short-distance travel. Since their US debut in September 2017, these electric scooters have gained popularity, surpassing traditional bikesharing services in many cities. This dissertation presents four studies that delve into various aspects of e-scooter adoption, from user behavior and pandemic effects to gender disparities and equitable access, providing comprehensive insights for urban mobility planning. The first study aims to determine (i) who uses shared e-scooters and why they use them, and (ii) what effects e-scooters have on the usage of …

Segac: Sample Efficient Generalized Actor Critic For The Stochastic On-Time Arrival Problem, Honglian Guo, Zhi He, Wenda Sheng, Zhiguang Cao, Yingjie Zhou, Weinan Gao

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper studies the problem in transportation networks and introduces a novel reinforcement learning-based algorithm, namely. Different from almost all canonical sota solutions, which are usually computationally expensive and lack generalizability to unforeseen destination nodes, segac offers the following appealing characteristics. segac updates the ego vehicle’s navigation policy in a sample efficient manner, reduces the variance of both value network and policy network during training, and is automatically adaptive to new destinations. Furthermore, the pre-trained segac policy network enables its real-time decision-making ability within seconds, outperforming state-of-the-art sota algorithms in simulations across various transportation networks. We also successfully deploy segac …

Transportation, Healthcare Seeking, And Outcomes, Xiao Lin Ong

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Advancements in engineering and transportation technology have integrated commuting into modern living. Most studies on transportation infrastructure, such as roads and railways, focus on economic outcomes. This paper examines an overlooked outcome of transportation connectivity: access to medical care. We study the role transportation networks play in determining patients’ treatment location choices. Specifically, we aim to study 1) why patients travel to begin with, 2) how do patients choose where to go for treatment, and 3) how travel times can affect patients’ travel decisions. To do so, we develop a dynamic discrete choice, spatial model and provide empirical estimates. We …

Traffic Sign Extraction From Mobile Lidar Point Cloud, Yushin Ahn, Riadh Munjy, Ziyuan Li

Mineta Transportation Institute

The extraction of traffic signs from Mobile Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) point cloud data has become a focal point in transportation research due to the increasing integration of LiDAR technologies. LiDAR, a remote sensing technology, captures detailed three-dimensional point cloud data, offering a comprehensive view of the surrounding environment. Mobile LiDAR systems mounted on vehicles enable efficient data collection, particularly for large-scale road networks. This study aims to develop and refine techniques for extracting traffic signs from Mobile LiDAR point cloud data, essential for enhancing road safety, navigation systems, and intelligent transportation solutions. By leveraging LiDAR technology, new possibilities …

Essays On Urban Transportation And Health Economics, Alexander P. Tsiukes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The first chapter analyzes how Premier League games in London impact demand for the city’s bike-sharing system. Bike-sharing systems affect mode choice for within-city transportation. Using bike rental data from Transport for London, this chapter exploits the plausibly-exogenous timing of Premier League games to identify how proximity to stadiums affects demand for London’s bike-sharing system. Results indicate games at Stamford Bridge (stadium) cause a 24.36% increase in the number of bike trips arriving within 0.5km of the stadium, with effects diminishing as distance increases. In contrast, games at London Stadium decrease nearby bike-sharing use and may actually crowd out would-be …

The Rise Of Multi-Homing In Asia's Ride-Hailing Industry, Hai Wang

Asian Management Insights

Getting it right secures environmental and economic wins for the present and future.

Sex In The Cities: A Comparative Analysis Of Vienna And The United States’ Efforts In Gender Mainstreaming Transportation, Sarah Miller

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The paper focuses on the differences in transportation systems between the United States and Vienna, Austria. Research shows that women have been an overlooked group of people within cities. Due to this, cities have not been designed for them and an example of this is transportation. Some cities like Vienna, Austria have made it their mission to create gender-equitable cities. To better understand this problem women were interviewed who had experience in the Viennese and American systems to analyze the differences. Also, certain government agencies were contacted to understand this problem from a governance standpoint. All of the interviews supported …

Grabbing The Paycheck: A Glimpse Into The Modern Economic Livelihoods Of Xe Máy Grab Drivers In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Maddie Davis

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Woven into the very fabric of urban life in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam is commuting via motorcycle (Vietnamese: xe máy). The versatility of xe máy can be witnessed in the surge of rush hour traffic, the shipment of a great variety and quantity of goods, and the crunch of people in order to get the whole family atop a single bike. Due to xe máy as the primary way much of the population gets around, Ho Chi Minh City’s transportation infrastructure and traffic patterns are highly conducive to this method of transit. Resulting from these favorable conditions, a multitude …

Attention-Based Data Analytic Models For Traffic Flow Predictions, Kaushal Kumar, Yupeng Wei

Mineta Transportation Institute

Traffic congestion causes Americans to lose millions of hours and dollars each year. In fact, 1.9 billion gallons of fuel are wasted each year due to traffic congestion, and each hour stuck in traffic costs about $21 in wasted time and fuel. The traffic congestion can be caused by various factors, such as bottlenecks, traffic incidents, bad weather, work zones, poor traffic signal timing, and special events. One key step to addressing traffic congestion and identifying its root cause is an accurate prediction of traffic flow. Accurate traffic flow prediction is also important for the successful deployment of smart transportation …

Lewisburg Bikeability Report 2022, Morgan Powell, Shaunna Barnhart, Taylor Lightman

Student Project Reports

No abstract provided.

Transport 2040 : Impact Of Technology On Seafarers : The Future Of Work, World Maritime University

Reports

No abstract provided.

Public Opinion Concerning The Siting Of Vertiports, David C. Ison

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This study sought a better understanding of public opinion about the siting of vertiports to support Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). An online survey was used to collect the necessary data. The survey was divided into seven sections: personal impacts, community impacts, acceptable proximity, benefits and concerns, flight operations, open-ended comments, and demographics. The findings for personal impacts suggested a slightly positive outlook. Community impacts were assessed, and data also indicated a marginally positive outlook. The survey revealed that a tolerable average distance between the home of the respondent and a vertiport was between one to two miles. Opinions about the …

Incorporating Public Health Into Transportation Decision Making, Bruce Appleyard, Tim Garrett

Mineta Transportation Institute

Investments in transportation have the potential to significantly affect public health outcomes. Decisions to build highways, transit, or bikeways, for example, influence how residents and visitors move around a metropolitan area. Personal travel habits and proximity to transportation infrastructure play a role in how likely people are to be physically active or be exposed to dangerous traffic and toxic pollution. For this study, the research team reviewed the literature that links transportation infrastructure, the surrounding built environment context, and public health outcomes such as chronic heart and lung diseases, obesity, and death. The team then researched publicly available data that …

Transportation Asset Management For The Electric Road System, Kamalen Maria Santos Diaz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Electric road systems (ERS) have been presented as a new solution towards a sustainable transportation future, fueling the widespread adoption of electric vehicles by eliminating range anxiety, reducing battery size, and being regional friendly. These systems consist of four components: electric power supply, roads, vehicles, and operations. Much of the early research conducted on ERS has been on how to initially construct these systems by focusing on the first three components, however, there is limited knowledge on how ERS will impact traditional road operations after the systems are in place. Transportation Asset Management (TAM), a major focus within the transportation …

Transit Equity: Trends In Commuting Among The Employed Population In New York City, 1990-2019, Beiyi Hu

Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies

Introduction:

This report examines key trends in commuting among the employed population in New York City between 1990 and 2019.

Methods:

This report uses the American Community Survey PUMS (Public Use Microdata Series) data for all years released by the Census Bureau and reorganized for public use by the Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota, IPUMSusa, (https://usa.ipums.org/usa/index.shtml). See Public Use Microdata Series Steven Ruggles, J. Trent Alexander, Katie Genadek, Ronald Goeken, Matthew B. Schroeder, and Matthew Sobek. Integrated Public Use Microdata Series: Version 5.0 [Machine-readable database]. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 2021.

Discussion:

Between 1990 and 2019, most of the employed …

Commuting Times To Work In The United States, 1990 - 2018, Sebastián Villamizar-Santamaría

Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies

Introduction:

This report documents the evolution of commuting times in the United States between 1990 and 2018, focusing on disparities with respect to race and ethnicity, sex, marital status, income, and poverty status

Methods:

This report uses the American Community Survey PUMS (Public Use Microdata Series) data for all years released by the Census Bureau and reorganized for public use by the Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota, IPUMSusa, (https://usa.ipums.org/usa/index.shtml). See Public Use Microdata Series Steven Ruggles, J. Trent Alexander, Katie Genadek, Ronald Goeken, Matthew B. Schroeder, and Matthew Sobek. Integrated Public Use Microdata Series: Version 5.0 [Machine-readable database]. Minneapolis: …

Means Of Transportation To Work In The United States, 1990-2018, Sebastián Villamizar-Santamaría

Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies

Introduction:

This report examines how people commuted to work in the United States between 1990 and 2018, focusing on disparities with respect to race and ethnicity, sex, marital status, income, and poverty status

Methods:

This report uses the American Community Survey PUMS (Public Use Microdata Series) data for all years released by the Census Bureau and reorganized for public use by the Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota, IPUMSusa, (https://usa.ipums.org/usa/index.shtml). See Public Use Microdata Series Steven Ruggles, J. Trent Alexander, Katie Genadek, Ronald Goeken, Matthew B. Schroeder, and Matthew Sobek. Integrated Public Use Microdata Series: Version 5.0 [Machine-readable database]. Minneapolis: …

The Commuting Patterns Of Older Adults, Yen Cong Wong, Yan Er Tan, Grace Cheong

ROSA Research Briefs

This research brief uses data from the Singapore Life Panel (SLP) and provides a general description of the commuting patterns of older adults in November 2021. By outlining the latter, we aim to provide some indication of whether Singapore’s transport infrastructure adequately supports the commute needs of older adults and how older adults’ commute fares against the Land Transport Authority (LTA) of Singapore’s Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP). Key findings: 1. Self-owned car (32.8%) was the most preferred mode of transport, followed by the public bus (25.3%), MRT (24.4%) and walking (8.3%). 2. In terms of utilization, public bus (50.3%), …