Transportation Commons^™

Impact Of Intercity Tolls In Portugal – An Environmental Perspective, Jorge Bandeira, Margarida Coelho, Miguel Pimentel, Asad Khattak

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Alternative road pricing schemes are promising strategies to alleviate congestion and other environmental problems related to urban and regional road transportation. However, in practice, environmental issues are not often taken into account, especially at regional level. In 2010, due to the financial crisis in Portugal, several tolls were introduced in some motorways that were previously financed by the government. One of these cases was the A29 motorway, which connects the cities of Aveiro and Oporto. After the introduction of tolls about 50% of the Average Daily Traffic shifted to alternative routes or modes. This paper discusses the impact that tolls …

How Effective Is The International Fuel Tax Agreement As A Multistate Tax Administration Model? A View From The States, Juita-Elena Yusuf, Lenahan O'Connell

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

The International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) was established to reduce the complexities of reporting, allocating, and collecting diesel fuel taxes from interstate commercial carriers operating in multiple jurisdictions. This paper examines IFTA's effectiveness as a multistate tax administration model from the perspective of the states. We identify three criteria of effectiveness and use a survey of IFTA officials in the member states and provinces as well as additional data provided by IFTA, Inc to assess IFTA's effectiveness. We conclude that (1) IFTA promotes inter-jurisdictional cooperation and revenue transfers; (2) carriers do not locate disproportionately in low tax jurisdictions; and (3) …

Systematic Approach To Evaluate Potential Park And Ride Facilities, Lorenzo Emanuel Cornejo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Park and Ride (P&R) facilities promote transit ridership by providing an attractive option to car drivers. They enable potential users to drive to their locations where they can park their cars and take transit services to complete their destinations.

Although the concept of P&R has been implemented in many cities in the United States and integrated with different transportation modes such as mass rapid transit (MRT), light rail transit (LRT), high occupancy vehicle (HOV), Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), among others, no systematic approach has been developed to assess the feasibility of a potential P&R facility. This thesis proposes a systematic …

Analysis Of Isolated Traffic Signal Control Systems, Petr Malina

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are implemented for increase of efficiency and safety in transportation. This thesis focuses on the area of traffic signal timing operations which is one of ITS components. The first objective is to compare the Czech and the U.S. methods for isolated fixed time traffic signal control, using an intersection in El Paso, Texas, as the test site. The second objective of this thesis is to evaluate the U.S. actuated isolated timing plan and compare it against the Czech and U.S. fixed time controls. A microscopic traffic simulation model of the selected intersection is coded in VISSIM …

Condition Monitoring Of Truck-Drivers In The Eu And The Usa, Stefania Semanova

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Road accidents involving trucks cause far-reaching consequences for property as well as human lives in comparison with other accidents. Therefore, it is necessary to create an environment in which truck drivers can safely perform their work and find a way of keeping tired truck drivers off the roads. The goal of this research is to review the required policies and legislation for truck drivers in the EU and the U.S. Based on this review, a comparison analysis of both policies will be performed. A further step will involve the analysis of crash data from the EU and the U.S. A …

A Multimodal Freight Collaborative Hub Location And Network Design Problem, Jiri Tylich

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The study presents an analytical framework to explore the rail-road collaborative paradigm.

New collaborative technologies have been developed in recent years and they offer a potential solutions and opportunities for collaboration among all modes of transportation. The most progressive technologies that could fulfill the gap in rail-road collaborative paradigm are identified and presented in this research.

The research deals with current state and possible development of collaboration of rail and highway modes of transportation, referred to as rail-road collaboration. Multimodal transportation is the shipment of goods in a single transportation unit. The longest part of the route takes place by …

Development Of A Model Of Airline Consumer Satisfaction, Clay Wildt, Jennifer Kirschner

Airline Passenger Surveys

Historic research regarding the major commercial air carriers in the US have been based on subjective perceptions, satisfaction, and attitudes. Building upon 21 years of work with the National Airline Quality Rating, the present study attempts to move beyond basic descriptive information of air travelers to identify patterns and relationships in the way consumers view this risky, high technology environment. Development of such a model allows key players the ability to improve their understanding of the prime drivers and perceptions of passenger behavior. This quantitative model plays an important role in determining needs and priorities while outlining consequences of such …

Frequent Flier Perceptions And Air Travel Satisfaction: The Airline Passenger Survey 2012, Erin E. Bowen, Brent D. Bowen, Dean E. Headley

Airline Passenger Surveys

The Airline Passenger Survey is an annual survey of frequent fliers who visit the web site for the Airline Quality Rating. Since 2009, over 4,000 passengers have responded to researchers’ request to provide a consumer perspective on the quality of today’s air travel experience. Airline Quality Rating researchers at Purdue University and Wichita State University compare the consumer experience of air travel with the objective rankings of the Airline Quality Rating (www.airlinequalityrating.com). These detailed findings are provided publicly and periodically released to the media.

Green Transportation For A Green Earth, Petros J. Katsioloudis, Mildred V. Jones

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Transportation is one of the biggest contributors to the destruction of the environment. Results from environmental research and pursuant governmental regulations are changing the way companies do business and how transportation systems address the future. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been at the forefront in leading environmental research and instituting policies and regulations to fight the issues impacting the environment. The transportation industry and consumers alike are concerned about the environment, energy resources, efficiencies, and economics. In this article, the authors suggest that it is vital that people promote the protection of the environment and strengthen the laws that …

School Program Planning To Increase Active Transport To School, Brenda Aguilar

McNair Poster Presentations

Studies have shown that active transport is known to increase physical activity of children, decrease traffic congestion and the production of greenhouse gasses. This study examines active transport to school (ATS) [walking, biking, or other self-powered wheels to school] among elementary students. Through the Nevada Moves Day program an increase proportion of elementary students who use ATS was expected.

This study was done at two elementary schools, one being the intervention school that participated in the Nevada Moves Day, and a control school, which did not participate. Data was collected over a three week period. Students using active transport and …

Rail Security: Critical Insights And Applications, Mti

Mineta Transportation Institute

The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) presented a workshop at the request of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Committee. The half-day discussion was offered on a timely, relevant, and critical topic, given the revelations that Osama bin Laden and al Qaida may have been planning rail attacks in the United States. While these plans were not well developed, it did underscore that terrorists do plan to expand their attacks beyond Europe and Asia. MTI presented the forum because it strongly believes that passenger rail security must be given much greater attention, especially because of the open nature of the mode and …

Estimating The Impact Of Cell Phone Laws On Car Accident Fatalities, Odinakachi Anyanwu

Pepperdine Policy Review

No abstract provided.

Does Commuting Lead To Migration?, Xiaobing Shuai

School of Professional and Continuing Studies Faculty Publications

This paper investigates the interaction between commuting and migration within a local labor market, focusing especially on the question of whether commuting can lead to migration over time. Using Virginia data from 2000 to 2006, the study shows that the commuting flow between two locations has a positive and significant effect on the migration flow in the same direction in subsequent years. The underlying reasons are that increased commuting costs or reduced migration costs can induce commuters to become migrants. These results may have useful implications for urban communities in their revitalization efforts, as cities can explore ways of attracting …

Neighborhood Crime And Travel Behavior: An Investigation Of The Influence Of Neighborhood Crime Rates On Mode Choice – Phase Ii, Christopher Ferrell, Shishir Mathur

Faculty Publications, Urban and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

Evacuee Route Choice Decisions In A Dynamic Hurricane Evacuation Context, R. Michael Robinson, Asad Khattak

VMASC Publications

Very high traffic volumes may lead to extensive congestion during hurricane evacuations. Evacuation planners reduce this congestion by careful planning for multiple hurricane scenarios and assignment of evacuation routes and timing. This planning may be for naught if obstructions block key roadways. An advanced traveler information system (ATIS) may be used to guide evacuees to alternate routes, but how effective will that guidance be? Should the use of alternate routes be encouraged? How are drivers likely to respond to delays and information? Will information shorten or improve the reliability of travel times in emergency conditions? Integration of a dynamic evacuation …

Understanding Transit Ridership Demand For A Multi-Destination, Multimodal Transit Network In An American Metropolitan Area, Research Report 11-06, Gregory Thompson, Jeffrey Brown, Torsha Bhattacharya, Michal Jaroszynski

Mineta Transportation Institute

This study examines the factors underlying transit demand in the multi-destination, integrated bus and rail transit network for Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta provides an opportunity to explore the consequences of a multi-destination transit network for bus patrons (largely transit-dependent riders) and rail patrons (who disproportionately illustrate choice rider characteristics). Using data obtained from the 2000 Census, coupled with data obtained from local and regional organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area, we estimate several statistical models that explain the pattern of transit commute trips across the Atlanta metropolitan area. The models show that bus riders and rail riders are different, with bus …

Neighborhood Crime And Travel Behavior: An Investigation Of The Influence Of Neighborhood Crime Rates On Mode Choice – Phase Ii, Mti Report 11-04, Christopher Ferrell, Shishir Mathur, Justin Meek, Matthew Piven

Mineta Transportation Institute

There are considerable environmental and public health benefits if people choose to walk, bicycle, or ride transit, instead of drive. However, little work has been done on the effects of neighborhood crimes on mode choice. Instinctively, we understand that the threats posed by possible criminal activity in one’s neighborhood can play a major role in the decision to drive, take transit, walk or ride a bicycle, but so far little empirical evidence supports this notion, let alone guides public infrastructure investments, land use planning, or the allocation of police services. This report--describing Phase 2 of a research study conducted for …

A New One-Level Convex Optimization Approach For Estimating Origin-Destination Demand, Wei Shen, Laura Wynter

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Accurately estimating Origin–Destination (OD) trip tables based on traffic data has become crucial in many real-time traffic applications. The problem of OD estimation is traditionally modeled as a bilevel network design problem (NDP), which is challenging to solve in large-scale networks. In this paper, we propose a new one-level convex optimization formulation to reasonably approximate the bilevel structure, thus allowing the development of more efficient solution algorithms. This one-level approach is consistent with user equilibrium conditions, and improves previous one-level relaxed OD estimation formulations in the literature by ‘equilibrating’ path flows using external path cost parameters. Our new formulation can, …

Investigating Hydrogen Enhanced Combustion In A Sustainability Context, Glenn Zammit

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Since their invention, internal combustion engines have played a major role in the social and economic development of many countries by allowing people and goods to move from one place to another for longer distances and in shorter times. However, the negative environmental impacts of the widespread use of internal combustion engines in private and commercial vehicles have reached alarming values, with future prospects being much worse. In addition, fuel consumption and the dependency on oil imports of many countries have increased sharply in the past years as vehicle populations and use increased. The current trends are clearly unsustainable and …

Spatial Analysis Of Fatal Automobile Crashes In Kentucky, William Nathan Oris

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Fatal automobile crashes have claimed the lives of over 33,000 people each year in the United States since 1995. As in any point event, fatal crash events do not occur randomly in time or space. The objectives of this study were to identify spatial patterns and hot spots in FARS (Fatal Analysis Reporting System) fatal crash events based on temporal and demographic characteristics. The methods employed included 1) rate calculation using FARS points and average daily traffic flow; 2) planar kernel density estimation of FARS crash events based on temporal and demographic attributes within the data; and 3) two case …