Transportation Commons^™

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.

Nonstatistical Factors Influencing Predictions Of Financial Distress And Managerial Implications In The All-Cargo Airline Industry, Robert O. Walton

Publications

All-cargo airlines carry over 50% of global airfreight, yet they are prone to bankruptcy. Many financial models are designed to predict a firms' financial health, but they do not assess many nonstatistical factors that influence the prediction capability of these models. In this study, qualitative grounded theory design was used to identify nonstatistical factors and explore how they influence bankruptcy prediction models in the all-cargo airline industry. In the first phase of the study, financial data from 2005 to 2009 for 17 all-cargo U.S. airlines were used to determine the bankruptcy prediction ability of the Kroeze financial bankruptcy model. A …

Distribution Analysis Of Freight Transportation With Gravity Model And Genetic Algorithm, Jun Duanmu, Peter Foytik, Asad Khattak, R. Michael Robinson

VMASC Publications

The application of a gravity model in freight modeling work on both short-haul and long-haul trips is discussed. A commodity-based gravity model was developed to assess the distribution of freight by long-haul trucks in southeastern Virginia. Although gravity models have been used extensively in transportation studies, little work has been done to address the special characteristics of freight transportation, such as the definition of friction factors and the differences between long-haul and short-haul trips. Results of a recent study of these and similar problems provide valuable insight into freight distribution modeling. A new calibration method that used a genetic algorithm …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Transport Manager Responsibilities And Risk Based Insurance Analysis, Ivana Simkova

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis addresses the issue of the responsibility of the transport manager. The transport manager´s conditions which have to be respected during his/ her work are analyzed. The transport manager is responsible for the decisions made during the whole transportation process. Individual decisions are evaluated and a probabilistic estimate of their importance is determined. A methodology for insurance for the transport manager is proposed.

Project-Risk Management And Decision Analysis In Maritime Maintenance And Repair, Michael C. Plumb, C. Ariel Pinto, Rafael Landaeta, Resit Unal, Thomas Murphy

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

The purpose of this paper is to provide insights regarding the implementation of using Project Risk Management (PRM) and Decision Analysis (DA) in managing projects for complex systems such as maritime vessels. The PRM approach apprehends many forms of risk both internal and external within a given project and assists the manager in determining the level of importance of each individual project phase and component to optimize project success. Ship Maintenance and Repair project decision-making requires that risk management and risk analysis techniques be applied in order to guide management in making better decisions to meet ship service life perspective. …

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 …

One Year Performance Of Longitudinal Waterborne Paint Pavement Markings Used On Primary And Secondary Roads Of South Carolina, Sudhakar Pandurangan

All Theses

Pavement markings are made retroreflective so that roads are more visible. But retroreflectivity degrades over time due to a number of factors. Although the Federal Highway Administration has yet to finalize minimum standards for retroreflectivity, the degradation of pavement marking retroreflectivity can be detrimental to safety. The primary objective of this thesis was to use statistics to develop and validate regression models to predict the degradation of water borne pavement marking retroreflectivity. This will provide the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) a systematic means to determine when markings should be replaced.
To achieve this objective an LTL-X handheld retroreflectometer …

Lane Transit District Integrated Functional Transportation Assessment Project: Findings From A Case Study And Developmental Evaluation, Margaret B. Neal, Susan Eliot, Mark Person, Jost Lottes

Institute on Aging Publications

This report describes the results of a case study and developmental evaluation of Lane Transit District's innovative project to develop an integrated functional assessment for transportation services, referred to here simply as the Transportation Assessment Project (TAP).

The TAP is unique in that it is a collaborative effort between a public transit agency and local human service agencies to blend traditionally separate assessments for eligibility for transportation services. Specifically, in the TAP, Lane Transit District subcontracts with human services agencies to conduct personalized in-home assessments with individuals with special transportation needs and who are requesting paratransit rides. While in the …

Development Of A Simulation Tool For Analysis Of Freeway Crashes Due To Cell Phone Usage, Sourabh Sriom

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research shows that drivers are susceptible to numerous distractions while driving which can be held responsible as the reason of a crash. Usage of cell phones, i.e. talking or texting while driving is considered one of the prominent distractions which causes a crash. This dissertation aims to study the number of crashes occurring on the freeways and their relation with the drivers of these cars using cell phones while they are driving. Since crashes occur relatively less frequently, the study of crashes is done using what is called the "rare event" theory. Java based simulations are done to model a …

The Nature Of Context-Sensitive Solutions, Stakeholder Involvement And Critical Issues In The Urban Context, Marta Panero, Jan Botha

Mineta Transportation Institute

Over the last several decades many transportation and planning agencies have experienced conflicting demands emerging from the need to develop projects in an expeditious manner while at the same time involving stakeholders in the decision-making process, which sometimes is perceived as slowing project delivery and/or increasing costs. Given this tension between apparently conflicting demands, it is important to understand how the stakeholder involvement is being carried out and what best practices may be recommended. This study examines the issue in the context of a relatively new policy framework – Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) – which supports the early integration of …

Have We Become A Template Nation?, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In his commentary, SMU assistant professor of law Eugene Tan observed that last week's three MRT service breakdowns have raised concerns over whether our public transport system is able to cope with the increased commuter load and public expectations. While the road and rail infrastructure has grown significantly in the last few years, doubts now fester as to whether the relevant organisations, the people who run them and the systems and policies, have kept pace.

Design Of A Dynamic Activity Travel Modeling System For Metro, John Gliebe

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Trip-based models are no longer adequate for some of the more complex questions. They fail to account for time of day sensitivity, dynamic congestion effects, variable pricing and tolls, and the reliability of both highways and transit. Existing activity/tour-based models lack the enhanced temporal element provided by a more dynamic, activity-based microsimulation. DASH is the next-generation model being developed by the Metro Research Center.

A Capping Case Study: Integrating Freight Rail Into A Community Setting, Jeff Schnabel, Tristan Brasseur

TREC Final Reports

This investigation seeks to explore specific design solutions that could potentially enhance the capabilities of heavy rail facilities while increasing their safety and reducing their environmental and community impacts.

Using Portland's Brooklyn Rail Yard as the study site, this case study explored the potential of structural platforms (caps) built above the existing rail yards to provide development space for expanding rail capacity and rail related activities. The potential for capping to reduce /eliminate conflicts between rail and non-rail uses will also be investigated. Finally, the various designs were presented for caps at the rail yard.

Capping projects (the development of …

Tls Newsletter. Volume 6, Edition 3. November, 2011, Unf Transportation And Logistics Society

Transportation & Logistics Society Newsletter

Inside the Newsletter: TLS Trivia Night, Wednesday November 9th. TLS President's Corner Tom Branning. TLS Community--Hubbard House and Propeller Club. TLS Tidbits: Business/Networking cards. Get to Know TLS Secretary Paula Nelson. TLS on Tour: Anheuser-Busch Brewmaster. Life after Graduation with Claudia Gorham.

Establishing New Orleans As A Leader In Active Transportation: Solidifying Progress, Moving Towards An Active Transportation Culture, Billy Fields

UNOTI Publications

Research in this brief by the Pedestrian Bicycle Resource Initiative (PBRI) at the University of New Orleans highlights the growing use of active transportation in New Orleans and the potential to solidify these gains through a process of culture change that makes active transportation an integral element in the overall transportation system. New Orleans is currently a regional leader in active transportation with a high national ranking in active transportation commute mode shares. While these rankings are promising, New Orleans lacks a clear, institutionalized system for integrating active transportation into the overall transportation decision-making structure. The process of solidifying and …

A Pomdp Model For Guiding Taxi Cruising In A Congested Urban City, Lucas Agussurja, Hoong Chuin Lau

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

We consider a partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) model for improving a taxi agent cruising decision in a congested urban city. Using real-world data provided by a large taxi company in Singapore as a guide, we derive the state transition function of the POMDP. Specifically, we model the cruising behavior of the drivers as continuous-time Markov chains. We then apply dynamic programming algorithm for finding the optimal policy of the driver agent. Using a simulation, we show that this policy is significantly better than a greedy policy in congested road network.