http://www.nctr.usf.edu RSS Feed for National Center for Transit Research at the University of South Florida with the information about recently released research reports, on-demand streaming presentations, and issues of the academic journal - Journal of Public Transportation http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/77911.htm CUTR\winters 03/14/2011 06:30:00 PM The objective of this body of work is the development of a program assessment instrument to assist the Transit Maintenance Analysis and Resource Center (TMAARC) in determining the value of the recently established Certified Transit Technician (CTT) program. The CTT program is designed to train employees toward certification, prepare current transit technicians for National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) testing and certification, and encourage the development of specialized skills necessary to foster retention and future advancement within Florida’s transit agencies. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/77803.htm CUTR\winters 03/14/2011 06:30:00 PM This document provides guidance for transit agencies to use data from their automatic passenger counters (APCs) for reporting to the National Transit Database (NTD). It first reviews both the traditional data requirements on the data items to be reported and the statistical criteria that the reported data must satisfy and the new APC requirements if APCs are used to obtain the data items. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/6402-1041-00.htm CUTR\winters 03/14/2011 06:30:00 PM Impacts on transit bus performance and air quality were investigated for a case study high-occupancy / toll (HOT) lane project on a corridor of I-95 near Miami. Trends in air pollutant concentration monitoring data in the study area first were analyzed. Traffic movement prior to and after implementation of the HOT lanes was simulated using corridor micro-simulation (CORSIM). Emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, hydrocarbons, and benzene were estimated using MOBILE6.2. Finally, changes in ambient pollutant concentrations were estimated using AERMOD dispersion simulations. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/77905.htm CUTR\winters 02/25/2011 05:30:00 PM The camera-based system has great potential to reduce transit bus side crashes. This study reviewed and compared mirror-based, sensor-based, and camera-based systems for side collision avoidance. It evaluated the effectiveness of camera-based systems to reduce transit bus side crashes through measuring the reduction of blind zones and analyzing the results of controlled driving tests and driver surveys using sideview video systems. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/jpt/journalfulltext.htm CUTR\winters 01/24/2011 12:00:00 PM The Journal of Public Transportation is a quarterly, international journal containing original research and case studies associated with various forms of public transportation and related transportation and policy issues. Topics are approached from a variety of academic disciplines, including economics, engineering, planning, and others, and include policy, methodological, technological, and financial aspects. Emphasis is placed on the identification of innovative solutions to transportation problems. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/77909.htm CUTR\winters 11/23/2010 04:00:00 PM The purpose of this research was to evaluate five transportation planning processes used in Florida to determine how greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions considerations can be incorporated into the processes. These included the federal metropolitan planning organization long range transportation planning process (MPO LRTP) and transportation improvement programming (TIP) with application of federal Clean Air Act (CAA) air quality conformity analysis; the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review process with application of CAA air quality conformity analysis; the Florida local government comprehensive planning process; and the Florida development of regional impact review process. The research included a review of GHG emissions calculation tools and their applicability to each planning process. The research also included four case studies from the states of New York, California, Washington and Massachusetts, featuring proposed transportation improvement projects and programming of varying scales and how GHG emissions were calculated and were figured into decision making. The study also included the development of a scenario of a public bus transit improvement project that was used in calculating an estimate of generated GHG emissions. The results of the study provided recommendations for the selection and use of GHG calculation tools as part of transportation planning processes, discussed the limitations and uncertainties of the tools, and provided recommendations for incorporating GHG emissions into planning processes. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/77910.htm CUTR\winters 10/13/2010 04:30:00 PM The difficulty experienced by transit buses in moving back into traffic safely from bus pullout bays has become a serious problem due to potential hazards between buses merging from the pullout bays and the surrounding traffic. Previous studies have determined the need to closely examine the engineering side of the Yield-to-Bus (YTB) program and develop effective countermeasures to address the issue. This study focused on the assessment of the safety and operational effects of the use of Yield-to-Bus Light Emitting Diode (YTB-LED) signs on the back of the buses. Two off-the-shelf YTB-LED signs were tested against the decal‐only treatment currently used on the majority of the buses. The signs were tested in different roadway conditions. It was found that the YTB-LED signs have a positive effect in the yielding behavior of motorists without posing traffic safety issues. In addition to the YTB-LED signs testing, two transit agencies outside Florida were interviewed to obtain details regarding their YTB programs and educational campaigns. It was found that the main strategy used in their campaigns was ads on the back of the buses. One of the agencies suggested that proper YTB campaign evaluation is a key factor to ensure its continuity. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/77904.htm CUTR\winters 08/27/2010 05:00:00 PM The ability to travel where and when one desires is a basic requirement for independent living that most people take for granted. To travel independently, a transit rider practices at least 23 skills including finding the route, arriving at the correct stop on time, and determining when to exit at destination. Travel trainers who provide one-on-one instruction on public transportation, report that recognizing a landmark near the desired bus stop, requesting a stop at the proper time, and exiting the bus at the destination stop are among the most challenging skills to master for individuals with cognitive disabilities. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/jpt/journalfulltext.htm CUTR\winters 07/07/2010 09:00:00 AM The Journal of Public Transportation is a quarterly, international journal containing original research and case studies associated with various forms of public transportation and related transportation and policy issues. Topics are approached from a variety of academic disciplines, including economics, engineering, planning, and others, and include policy, methodological, technological, and financial aspects. Emphasis is placed on the identification of innovative solutions to transportation problems. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/77903.htm CUTR\winters 07/02/2010 02:30:00 PM This research project frames the institutional constraints and opportunities for equity sharing that currently exist in the highway, transit and toll agency realms and identifies statutory, regulatory and/or policy changes that may be required. It also lays out the pros and cons of the pursuit of bus toll lanes. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/clearinghouse/netconference/netcww.htm CUTR\winters 06/30/2010 04:00:00 PM The National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) at the University of South Florida and the Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) have arranged for two presenters to share their organization’s experiences in introducing compressed work week programs for their employees so transportation and human resource professionals can learn from their successes and learning experiences: Green Friday at City of Avondale, AZ and The Working 4 Utah Initiative. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/jpt/journalfulltext.htm CUTR\winters 05/12/2010 06:30:00 PM The Journal of Public Transportation is a quarterly, international journal containing original research and case studies associated with various forms of public transportation and related transportation and policy issues. Topics are approached from a variety of academic disciplines, including economics, engineering, planning, and others, and include policy, methodological, technological, and financial aspects. Emphasis is placed on the identification of innovative solutions to transportation problems. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77705.htm CUTR\winters 04/07/2010 11:00:00 AM Changing demographics, land use, and social characteristics are prompting transit agencies to rethink the traditional business model of operating in a fairly independent manner within their jurisdictional boundaries. As a result, the planning and implementation of regional fare programs ranging from simple interagency agreements to allow for free transfers between systems to complex multi-agency programs with a technology focus have increased in recent years. The continued evolution and increasingly widespread usage of electronic payment technologies have facilitated fare integration efforts by making possible a greater range of payment options and offering a more efficient means of distributing fare media. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77802.htm CUTR\winters 03/30/2010 2:30:00 PM his document provides guidance for using the ACS Statistical Analyzer. It is an Excel-based template for users of estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS) to assess the precision of individual estimates and to compare pairs of estimates for their statistical differences. The implementation of the ACS Statistical Analyzer is expected to reduce the agency cost of, and to lessen the technical barriers to, dealing with the precision of ACS estimates when agencies use these estimates. These direct benefits in turn can lead to wider and more effective usage of ACS data. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/clearinghouse/netconference/netactcreativeexcellence.htm CUTR\winters 03/30/2010 12:00:00 PM On March 25, 2010, the Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) (www.actweb.org) and the National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) at the University of South Florida (www.nctr.usf.edu/clearinghouse) held a net conference on Creative Excellence for Successful Employer Programs http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77810.htm CUTR\winters 03/12/2010 01:30:00 PM The original objective of this study is to scan the internet and other information technology sources to identify innovative marketing techniques that have been attempted to date by, in and surrounding the public transportation industry, and to solicit ideas for more unconventional applications that transit agencies and TDM professionals can consider. The investigation led to the uses, applications, marketing and communications potential of social media for the public transportation and Transportation Demand Management industries. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77809.htm CUTR\winters 03/12/2010 01:30:00 PM Given declining resources, pressing problems, and environmental constraints, state departments of transportation (DOTs) are increasingly motivated to manage peak demand of vehicle trips as a way to mitigate congestion and improve overall performance of the highway system. Managing demand this way requires an ability to predict the magnitude and geographic distribution of potential changes in travel behavior resulting from steps taken at specific locations to manage transportation demand. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/flow/newsletter.htm CUTR\winters 03/05/2010 03:30:00 PM Information sharing is a vital activity of NCTR, and it is part of why we call our newsletter Flow.Our mission is not only to help all traffic on our transportation system flow more smoothly, but also to allow information from our research to flow freely to all who can benefit from it. On average, NCTR faculty have presented the findings of their research more than 40 times per year at state and national transportation conferences over the past 15 years. NCTR also manages over 20 professional listservs with more than 2,000 subscribers. These listservs provide for the free flow of ideas and information among practicing professionals and developing students. Flow is yet another example of how we are trying to share the information we generate through our research. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/jpt/journalfulltext.htm CUTR\winters 02/01/2010 11:00:00 AM The Journal of Public Transportation is a quarterly, international journal containing original research and case studies associated with various forms of public transportation and related transportation and policy issues. Topics are approached from a variety of academic disciplines, including economics, engineering, planning, and others, and include policy, methodological, technological, and financial aspects. Emphasis is placed on the identification of innovative solutions to transportation problems. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77808.htm CUTR\winters 09/16/2009 01:30:00 PM The objective of this research project was to evaluate the benefits that Event Data Recorders (EDRs) could provide to transit agencies in three areas: incident investigation, driver performance, and vehicle maintenance. This research report provides a description of the EDR systems currently in use by the Florida Transit Research Inspection Procurement Services (TRIPS) Program and other commercial products available, as well as experiences noted by agency representatives, maintenance technicians, and TRIPS staff related to deployment, vendor responsiveness and assistance, and data extraction and use; the potential for modifications to the way in which the technology is applied within the TRIPS program; and recommendations for improvements to the procurement, installation, and use of the technology by public transportation agencies. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77807.htm CUTR\winters 09/09/2009 03:00:00 PM Transit agencies are increasingly using video cameras to fight crime and terrorism. As the volume of video data increases, the existing digital video surveillance systems provide the infrastructure only to capture, store and distribute video, while leaving the task of threat detection exclusively to human operators. The objective of this research project was to study and develop an evaluation framework for commercial video analytics systems. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77721.htm CUTR\winters 07/10/2009 04:40:05 PM Due to the ever-increasing demand for complementary ADA paratransit trips, transit agencies have instituted a number of actions related to reducing the costs of this type of service, including steps to limit the demand through stricter and more complex ADA paratransit eligibility processes. The objective of this research was to document the changes the transit systems made to their ADA paratransit eligibility procedures and to determine the impacts these changes have had on riders with disabilities. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77720.htm CUTR\winters 03/27/2009 10:00:05 AM This research identifies existing best practices in transit service planning and develops a generic model approach that could be adapted and used by public transit agencies for fixed route bus transit service planning, specifically to include Service Design Standards, Service Performance Measurements, and a standard Service Evaluation Methodology. This research effort provides a summary of best practices and provides a "template" process tool that can be adapted and customized for use by all sizes of public transit agencies. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77714.htm CUTR\winters 02/09/2009 02:00:05 PM Public transportation systems are among the most open public facilities in the world and susceptible to breaches of security. Reconciling the need for workplace safety and security with budgetary pressures requires new approaches to increase the effectiveness of existing solutions while preserving flexibility and low costs. An inexpensive sensor-based intrusion detection system that remotely monitors and notifies on- and/or off-site personnel of any incidents can significantly multiply the observational effectiveness of a few onsite safety or security personnel monitoring a facility. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77723.htm CUTR\winters 02/02/2009 10:11:05 AM This document proposes The National Transit Database Sampling Manual that was developed for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to replace its current guidance (circulars 2710.1A and 2710.2A) to transit agencies on how they may estimate service consumed data through random sampling for the National Transit Database (NTD). Includes spreadsheet template for transit agencies to develop customized sampling plans with sample data from their own services. The best practices presented and the template are useful for transit agencies to reduce their reporting burdens while meeting FTA’s requirements. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77806.htm CUTR\winters 01/29/2009 06:00:05 PM The objective of this study is to compile and synthesize current and past research on the value of time (VOT) and the value of reliability (VOR). Findings are summarized into an application-oriented document to provide practitioners with applicable ranges of estimates that can be used in project evaluations. http://www.nctr.usf.edu RSS Feed for National Center for Transit Research at the University of South Florida with the information about recently released research reports, on-demand streaming presentations, and issues of the academic journal - Journal of Public Transportation http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77716.htm CUTR\winters 01/29/2009 06:00:05 PM This study develops an integrated behavioral model of transit patronage and urban form. Although herein focused on transit, the framework can be easily generalized to study other forms of travel. Although herein focused on transit, the framework can be easily generalized to study other forms of travel. Advanced economic models are used to test specific behavioral hypotheses developed in the theoretical models. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77715.htm CUTR\winters 01/27/2009 12:10:49 PM This project developed a spreadsheet template and related guidance to help providers of vanpool services better meet the requirements of the National Transit Database. It should save administrative costs of data processing and reporting, increase the quality of data on service provided and service consumed reported to the National Transit Database, and bring more federal funds. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/GISConf09.htm CUTR\winters 01/16/2009 2:45:49 PM URISA and the National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) are pleased to announce a new partnership to present the Fifth National GIS in Transit Conference, to be held in St. Petersburg, Florida, November 10-12, 2009. This biennial conference will focus on the growing role of GIS in supporting planning, service delivery, and decision making in public transit. http://www.nctr.usf.edu/abstracts/abs77717.htm CUTR\winters 01/09/2009 3:14:49 PM Seniors need adequate transportation, not only to maintain their health and vitality, but also to stay active in the community and fully participate in life. Transportation is the essential link to basic services needed by the aging population. The problem that this research project addresses is the documented general lack of transportation options suitable for seniors who are not longer able to drive, particuarly those who are too frail to use public transportation. A project of the National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) at the University of South Florida with funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Florida Department of Transportation.