National Center for Transit Research » Research
Estimating the Impacts of Transit Service on Roadway Congestion
Principal Investigator: Steven E. Polzin Director, Mobility Policy Research National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) at the Center for Urban Transportation Research University of South Florida 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, CUT 100 Tampa, Florida 33620-5375 813-974-9849 polzin@cutr.usf.edu Background Statement For the past several years the Urban Mobility Report, the preeminent research initiative to quantify trends in urban travel congestion, has included an analysis of the impact that the presence of public transportation has been reducing congestion relative to the levels that might exist in the absence of public transit service. This hypothetical scenario is intended to provide one measure of one of the benefits of public transportation service, i.e., reducing congestion in urban areas. The current methodology can be improved by using a more refined methodology and more specific urban area data in order to come up with a more robust … Read entire article »
Filed under: Research, Research in Progress
A Qualitative Analysis of Bus Simulator Training on Transit Incidents – A Case Study in Florida
(Center Identification Number: 77701) The purpose of this research was to track and observe three Florida public transit agencies as they incorporated and integrated computer-based transit bus simulators into their existing bus operator training programs. In addition to the three Florida case study agencies, four transit agencies outside Florida were contacted and interviewed on their experiences with the use of bus simulators in their operator training programs. The Research Team asked agencies to provide any relevant data they may have collected to track the performance of the simulator training to allow for a more robust discussion of safety improvements that may have resulted. The report also provides insight from the transit agencies’ perspectives on how their simulators are utilized, and offers important perspective on lessons learned and best and model practices. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Final Report Abstracts, FY 2007 Final Reports, Research
Evaluation of Rear-End Bus Collisions and Identification of Possible Solutions
(Center Identification Number: 77955-00) Principal Investigators: William P. Morris, Senior Research Associate National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) at the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) University of South Florida 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, CUT 100 Tampa, Florida 33620-5375 813-974-9787 Christopher P. DeAnnuntis, Senior Research Associate National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) at the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) University of South Florida 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, CUT 100 Tampa, Florida 33620-5375 813-974-9823 Project Manager: Robert Westbrook, Operations Administrator Office of Public Transportation Florida Department of Transportation 605 Suwannee Street, MS 26 Tallahassee, Florida 32399 850-414-4533 robert.westbrook@dot.state.fl.us Background Statement Safety of all transportation modes and systems is a priority and a major focus area for the Florida Department of Transportation. In public transportation, there are specific requirements transit agencies must follow to ensure the safety of their operations, most significant is the System Safety Program Plan (SSPP). FDOT monitors SSPPs on a regular basis … Read entire article »
Filed under: Project Scopes, Research in Progress
Investigation, Quantification and Recommendations – Performance of Alternatively Fueled Buses
(Center Identification Number: 77956-00) Principal Investigators: Stephen L. Reich, Transportation Program Evaluation & Economic Analysis (TPEEA) Program Director National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) at the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) University of South Florida 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, CUT 100 Tampa, Florida 33620-5375 813-974-6435 Alexander Kolpakov, Research Associate National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) at the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) University of South Florida 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, CUT 100 Tampa, Florida 33620-5375 813-974-4038 Project Manager: Robert Westbrook, Operations Administrator Office of Public Transportation Florida Department of Transportation 605 Suwannee Street, MS 49 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0450 850-414-4533 robert.westbrook@dot.state.fl.us Background Statement Florida transit agencies and funding entities continue to be under pressure to reduce operating costs and to run a more sustainable and environmentally friendly operation in the urban environment. Acquisition of alternatively-fueled urban buses has been a popular strategy to attempt to reach these goals. The pressures on the agencies to … Read entire article »
Filed under: Project Scopes, Research in Progress
National Alternative Fuel Bus Clearinghouse
(Center Identification Number: 79060-XX) Principal Investigators: Stephen L. Reich, Transportation Program Evaluation & Economic Analysis (TPEEA) Program Director National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) at the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) University of South Florida 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, CUT 100 Tampa, Florida 33620-5375 813-974-6435 Alexander Kolpakov, Research Associate National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) at the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) University of South Florida 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, CUT 100 Tampa, Florida 33620-5375 813-974-4038 Introduction and Purpose Transit agencies and funding entities around the country continue to be under pressure to reduce operating costs and to run a more sustainable and environmentally friendly operation in the urban environment. Acquisition of alternatively-fueled urban buses has been a popular strategy to attempt to reach these goals. The pressures on the agencies to procure alternatively fueled buses have only escalated with the push toward compressed natural … Read entire article »
Filed under: Project Scopes, Research in Progress
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