Publications

Unless otherwise noted, research is conducted by CUTR under the National Center for Transit Research at the University of South Florida with funding provided by the Florida Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Transportation.

Testing the Impact of Personalized Feedback on Household Travel Behavior (TRAC-IT Phase 2)

When presented with their household’s travel patterns and practical ways to improve their trip planning or even eliminate trips, more travelers could find new opportunities to use transit, bicycling or walking, and do less solo driving. This three-phase study harnessed the exponential growth of personal mobile electronic devices integrated with increasingly accurate global positioning systems to develop a non-proprietary location aware information system (TRAC-IT). The conceptual phase used a personal digital assistant equipped with GPS and developed a rule-based expert system to collect travel data and generate travel suggestions. The second phase created a Personal Travel Coach consisting of an enhanced rule-based expert system and a real-time path prediction prototype. The third phase resulted in the first non-proprietary, intelligent software system on GPS-enabled mobile phones to successfully track person movements across all modes and also developed innovative analysis techniques such as purpose and mode detection algorithms. Path prediction allows TRAC-IT to detect potential incidents within the user’s probable travel route and provide real-time travel advice to the traveler before they reach the problem areas. The TRAC-IT system should advance the quality and quantity of household multimodal data collected in travel surveys. The TRAC-IT application’s Personal Travel Coach components; the Expert System and Path Prediction Prototype, give transportation professionals the next-generation location aware information system they need to understand, plan, and influence travel behavior. Technical and policy- based challenges, inherent with such innovative research, are also discussed in the final report at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/pdf/77609.pdf. For more information, contact Sean Barbeau at barbeau@cutr.usf.edu.

Smart Phone Application to Influence Travel Behavior (TRAC-IT Phase 3)

This three-phase research study focuses on using innovative technology to better understand and pattern household travel behavior for the purposes of educating, promoting, and encouraging households to utilize other alternatives to driving alone. Phase 1 called for preliminary development and testing of a portable unit consisting of a personal digital assistant (PDA), a global positioning system (GPS) device, and a wireless card, all-in-one unit nicknamed “TRAC-IT.” Phase 2 investigated the impact of the travel feedback advisory system on household travel behavior. The objective of Phase 3 was to determine the capabilities of GPS-enabled mobile phones in tracking person movements across modes (car, bike, bus, etc.) and over extended time periods (e.g., weekly versus daily). A basic requirement of the system was that the mobile device selected had to be a commercially available, low cost, off-the-shelf, and a widely used device. The device also had to be equipped with embedded GPS capabilities for highly accurate position data, able to communicate this information wirelessly back to a server, and able to receive user input allowing the manual entry of survey data by participants that cannot be extracted from GPS data. Wireless communication features of the mobile phone were envisioned to offer the user with real-time information that could influence their current travel behavior. The use of GPS-enabled mobile phones and an application such as TRAC-IT presents a unique opportunity to collect high-resolution individual travel behavior data that are instantly transferred to a server for analysis by transportation professionals. As more “indoor GPS” (high-sensitivity) chips become available in the mobile phone market, it is expected that GPS data from mobile phones that are more accurate will be collected and these should be able to obtain location fixes where current phones cannot. Based on the continuous research of new innovative approaches to travel data collection using location-based approaches, the TRAC-IT research team concluded that GPS-enabled mobile phones will continue to be a vital tool in travel behavior data collection. The final report is available at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/pdf/77709.pdf. For more information, contact Sean Barbeau at barbeau@cutr.usf.edu.

Travel Assistance Device

The goal of the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Act is to provide equal opportunity, full participation, and independence to persons with disabilities. The inability to travel, or the lack of knowledge in accessing the available transportation options, frequently translates into difficulty finding employment, seeking necessary medical services, and participating in educational or vocational training. Simple tasks such as knowing when to pull the cord to indicate the need to exit the bus can be challenging for people with cognitive disabilities. Travel trainers provide one-on-one instruction to develop the skills necessary for independent transit riding. The travel assistance device (TAD) developed for this project is a prototype software system that can be installed on off-the-shelf, GPS-enabled cell phones. The TAD software provides various informational prompts such as playing the recorded audio messages “Get ready” and “Pull the cord now!” and vibrating to alert the rider to pull the stop cord. These prompts are delivered to the rider in a just-in-time method. The real-time location of the rider can be viewed by the travel trainer or family member through a web page. TAD utilizes stop and route data provided by transit agencies in the de facto industry standard Google Transit Feed Specification format. TAD was designed for use by cognitively-disabled transit riders, but can be used by any transit user. Tools that reduce the time and cost of travel training by addressing one or more of the 23 skills necessary for a trainee to travel independently increase the mobility of the population, permit transit agencies to train individuals more efficiently, and reassure the families of these travelers. The field test results with cognitively-disabled young adults successfully demonstrated that TAD supports 3 of the 23 skills a trainee needs to possess to travel independently: watching for landmarks, recognizing a landmark near the desired bus stop, and signaling to exit at the proper time. TAD also provides confidence and security to individuals using the fixed-route transit system. Future research needs include additional testing through wider-scale deployment, integrating trip planning functionality, and combining TAD with automatic vehicle location (AVL) systems for increased reliability and approaching bus notifications. Finally, integrating the TAD into travel training curriculums makes it a tool that travel trainers can use to enhance transit rider independence and safety. The final report is available at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/pdf/77609.pdf. 77609-00For more information, contact Sean Barbeau at barbeau@cutr.usf.edu or Nevine Georggi at georggi@cutr.usf.edu

Economics of TDM - Comparative Cost Effectiveness and Public Investment

The 1993 FHWA report cited some analysis termed the “Economics of TDM.” It estimated that employers spend about $1.33 to reduce a one-way vehicle trip (SOV commute trip), while it would cost government $6.75 to accommodate each commute trip with new highway capacity. These findings were used in some urban areas to argue for increased public funding to support employer TDM programs and provide incentives for the use of alternative modes. Other analyses assess the return on the investment. For example, the Washington State Commute Trip Reduction program revealed that the state was getting $12 in private sector investment in employer trip reduction programs for every state dollar spent. While there are many ways to assess and present the results of benefit/cost analyses, experience in California with measuring the cost per unit of reduction (trip, mile and pollution) and comparing this to a range of experience has allowed local programs to benchmark the programs to assess their cost effectiveness and defend the program to policy-makers and other funders. Some of these comparisons formed the core of the cost effectiveness evaluation performed as part of TRB Special Report 264, whereby various trip and emission reduction strategies were compared on a cost per pound of pollutants reduced. That analysis revealed that disproportionate amount of funds were being spent on projects and strategies that were the least cost effective. Others are looking at the economics of TDM as a means of addressing capacity needs. Washington State DOT is experimenting with a market-based approach whereby WSDOT “pays for performance” by buying down capacity needs at $2 per daily trip reduced. This NCTR project would seek to develop a standardized methodology for calculating the costs and impacts. It would require a review of these comparative cost effectiveness assessments. This type of comparison can be very powerful in informing the decision-making process. The final report is available at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/pdf/77704.pdf and the TRIMMS model is available at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/spreadsheet/TRIMMS_1.0.xls For more information, contact Sisinnio Concas at concas@cutr.usf.edu.

Impact of Employer-based Programs on Transit System Ridership and Transportation System Performance

This document reports on a study that established a direct quantitative relationship between employer-based Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies and the performance of a transportation system. The study objectives were to develop a methodology for measuring the impacts of employer-based TDM programs on the performance of a traffic network using measures universal to traffic operations staff, transportation planners, and decision-makers. The study used a micro-simulation traffic model to simulate the effects of Washington State Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) programs implemented by 189 employers in an 8.6 miles segment of I-5 in the Seattle downtown area. The current performance of the selected network with the actual volumes provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation (Scenario With TDM) was compared to that of a scenario with vehicle trips actually reduced by CTR programs at the worksites added onto the network (Scenario Without TDM). Performance measures analyzed included the spatial and temporal extent of congestion, recurring delay, speed, and travel time. On the segment of I-5 in the study area, savings in AM peak delay due to CTR programs were 152,489 vehicle minutes and 17,297 vehicle miles of travel were reduced. Savings in PM peak delay were 169,486 vehicle minutes and 14,510 vehicle miles were reduced. Fuel saved in the AM and PM peak were 3,489 and 4,314 gallons, respectively. The study proved that TDM programs have a significant impact on the operation of the transportation network. Further sensitivity analysis proved that even a small reduction in vehicle trips at worksites (assuming as little as 4 percent with non-regulatory programs) had a significant impact on the performance of the transportation network decreasing delay in vehicle-minutes by as much as 21.9 and 32.3 percent during the AM and PM peak periods, respectively. The final report is available at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/pdf/77605.pdf A self-guided training PowerPoint presentation to evaluate TDM impacts using a methodology developed by this research project can be found http://www.nctr.usf.edu/training/77605-00.mht . For more information, contact Nevine Georggi at georggi@cutr.usf.edu.

Incorporating TDM into the Land Development Process

Unfamiliarity with the plans, processes and procedures of the local government land development process, transportation demand management (TDM) professionals can be frustrated in their efforts to improve mobility and reduce traffic congestion. Incorporating TDM into the Land Development Process provides detailed information to transportation professionals regarding how to incorporate TDM strategies into the land development process. The report documents efforts to secure TDM strategies as part of development approvals, summarizes the long range planning groundwork that frames the land development process, provides several case study examples from Florida and nationwide and also identifies several institutional barriers to the use of TDM as part of the land development process. A major finding is that transportation professionals interested in using TDM in land development must get involved long before development proposals are submitted. This report is available online at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/pdf/576-11.pdf. For more information, contact Sara Hendricks at hendricks@cutr.usf.edu.

Traveling Smart: Increasing Transit Ridership Through Automated Collection (TRAC) of Individual Travel Behavior Data and Personalized Feedback

Reducing vehicle trips and vehicle miles of travel (VMT) are part of a multifaceted approach that addresses the growing traffic congestion problems. Previous research analyzed household travel patterns and provided personalized advice to participants to encourage the reduction of vehicle trips and VMT. An analysis of covariance conducted on the average contributed VMT and vehicle trips used the post-advice period’s travel patterns as the dependent variable. The provision of suggestions had a statistically significant effect on VMT and trip numbers contributed. Overall, this experiment showed that the provision of feedback would reduce VMT. However, the labor and time-intensive post-processing costs hampered widespread application. This project sought to overcome this limitation by using the expanded capabilities and falling prices of Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) and cellular phones in combination with Global Positioning Systems (GPS). This system, “TRAC-IT” offers an opportunity to improve the quality of collected data while reducing associated collection and processing costs and errors. This report is available online at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/ pdf/576-16.pdf. For more information, contact Phil Winters at winters@cutr.usf.edu.

A Return on Investment Analysis of Bikes-on-Bus Programs

As bikes-on-bus (BOB) programs become popular and demand increases, the typical rack capacity of only two bicycles per bus can limit the integration of bicycles and transit. The purpose of this project was to conduct a return on investment analysis of BOB programs, and to develop recommendations on how transit agencies can overcome rack capacity limitations. Fifteen transit agencies and over 200 BOB users were surveyed. Missing data, specifically the number of BOB boardings, made a rigorous return on investment analysis impracticable. However, the findings showed that transit agencies generally view the initial investment and operational costs of BOB programs to be minimal compared to the return on the investment. The BOB user survey results showed that BOB programs attract new patrons, encourage increased use of transit, and expand the transit service area. When faced with rack capacity limitations, the transit agencies have added three-bike capacity racks or have experimented with allowing bicycles in the bus. While added rack capacity and an effective bikes-in- bus (BIB) policy can improve the integration of bicycles and transit, it is recommended that transit agencies invest in a bike-to-transit strategy. The survey results showed that BOB users tend to bicycle a greater distance from their residence to the bus stop than between the bus stop and the work site. Therefore, this strategy is centered on the provision of bicycle parking at bus stops and transfer centers to accommodate BOB users that need their bicycle on only one side of their transit trip. Bicycle parking at bus stops, specifically in residential areas, can ease the impact of rack capacity limitations and maximize the potential of the bicycle as a means to access transit. This report is available online at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/pdf/576-05.pdf.

Statewide Survey on Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

To improve the planning, implementation, and maintenance of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) needs to periodically assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of Florida residents in regard to bicycling and walking facilities. This survey and report were designed to provide statewide measurements on Florida residents’ satisfaction with bicycle and pedestrian facilities and collect data on bicycling behavior. The project was funded by Florida Department of Transportation Safety Office. This report is available online at http://www.cutr.usf.edu/tdm/pdf/71089-00.pdf.

Impact of Transit Oriented Development on Public Transportation Ridership

This was Phase I of a study to develop a research design to better establish the relationship between the effects of transit-oriented development and travel mode share. In order to shift mode share to transit, good quality transit is necessary but not sufficient. Transit oriented development is likely helpful and important but also not sufficient. While elements of urban form and development design are perhaps not the most important determiners of travel behavior, such as mode choice, the number of trips taken and length of trips, they can exert a positive influence. Better understanding of that relationship can inform policy initiatives to promote transit. Phase I proposes a study design for the development of a panel survey, using recently developed cell phone technology, to track the same individuals and households over time. Using a pre-test post-test design, the survey data collected for a region in Florida would be an investment for improved travel forecasting, modeling and specifying the relationship between transit oriented development and transit ridership. This report is available online at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/pdf/ 576-10.pdf. For further information, contact Sara Hendricks at hendricks@cutr.usf.edu.

Enhancing Transportation Safety and Security Via Scalable Location-based Wireless Applications

In a post 9/11 world, the government has emphasized the need for enhanced security in different locations serving many purposes; from protecting the transportation infrastructure of the country to making sure food and water reservoirs remain uncontaminated. In addition to government resources, private business and citizen support is needed to properly monitor the myriad of sensitive locations and materials. Modern technology allows an efficient approach to this concept through the use of portable personal electronic devices such as camera cell phones or Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). The overall approach of this project is use existing, readily available technologies and resources to develop a low-cost system that receives and delivers video, text, etc. based on geographic location.

This project developed a prototype system that can serve as a modern high-tech “Neighborhood Watch” enabling law enforcement officials access to the many “eyes and ears” of the public. Cell phones with embedded digital cameras allow the instant capture and remote submission of suspicious circumstances through pictures or video to authorities that may warrant further attention or action by law enforcement. Not only does this give the responding party a visual representation of the situation, but other information such as time, date, voice recordings, and physical location of the reporting party in Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates can also be automatically attached to the report. Upon submission, the picture or video and other information is automatically processed and displayed on a map-based web page to give the dispatcher a real-time “birds-eye” view of incoming alerts. The system intelligently filters and organizes submissions so they can be efficiently managed, therefore allowing the dispatcher to handle many more submissions simultaneously identifying trends and patterns that may not be immediately obvious to a human observer. Another aspect of the system is its “reverse 911” component for data-enabled mobile phones. When a threat to the public or individuals is identified, the dispatcher could instantly relay a message to individuals with cell phones or PDAs in a certain geographic area. Examples of such information could be the need to evacuate a particular area (e.g., hurricane) where the real-time control of when, where, and to whom such information is disseminated. Another example is distributing an Amber Alert photo of a missing child to the geographic area where the child was last seen. The project team has successfully implemented a prototype application that runs on a cell phone, reports the position of the phone to the server, and then, based on calculations against a Hillsborough County map, returns a text message to the phone with information on the hurricane evacuation zone that the individual is currently located in (i.e “You are in Evacuation Zone C, which is currently under a mandatory evacuation order”). For more information, contact Phil Winters at winters@cutr.usf.edu.

Baseline Survey of General Public in the TMOCG/BACS Service Area

This project was conducted for the Bay Area Commuter Services (BACS) and the Transportation Management Organizations’ Coordinating Group (TMOCG). The objectives are to survey the general public in their service area (FDOT District 7) to: (1) Examine the commuting behavior of the general public and impact of BACS and TMOCG programs and activities on commuting choices. (2) Measure awareness of the commuter assistance program, its activities, and advertising/marketing messages among the general public. (3) Measure the awareness of special programs implemented by BACS and/or the TMOCG, such as Commuter Choices Week, or the Tampa Bay Commuter, and other transportation-related programs such as 511. For more information, contact Phil Winters at winters@cutr.usf.edu .

Impact of Employer Based Programs on the Transit System Ridership and Transportation System Performance

In addition to standard measurement of roadway performance such as level of service (LOS), evaluation of the transportation system performance should include such factors as mobility, accessibility, reliability, cost-effectiveness, economic well- being, sustainability, environmental quality, safety, equity, and customer satisfaction. At the local level, for example, universal transit passes, where all employees are given the form of a flash pass for a free or discounted ride on transit, have significantly reduced the need to build additional parking and have shifted more travelers to modes other than driving alone. Widespread adoption of alternative work schedules programs are another type of employer work/life policy that is likely to influence travel behavior, at a corridor or regional level. The project’s hypothesis is that a wide scale adoption of employer-based strategies is likely to have a noticeable difference on the transportation system at the local, corridor and regional levels, including the public transportation system. This project will seek to identify the key performance measures, methods, and results in use today. Documentation of these impacts for the transportation community may influence the support for such programs as a systems management strategy. This project will develop a methodology for measuring the impacts of employer-based transportation demand management (TDM) programs on transit system ridership and transportation system performance, in particular from the management and operations perspective. These programs could significantly affect system performance at a local, corridor or regional levels. The project’s products should facilitate multimodal, performance based planning for use by transportation planners and decision makers. The linkage to public transportation system performance is likely to come through the impact of these employer-based programs on ridership and mobility. For example, FDOT focused on ‘‘mobility’’ as the key system performance measure for ‘‘supporting investment decisions and policy analysis.’’ Mobility—defined as the ease with which people and goods move throughout the community, state, and world—is measured as the quantity of travel served, quality of travel, accessibility, and use of transportation systems. The research team will make use of available CUTR resources and expertise including the corridor micro-simulation software CORSIM and the Commuter Trip Reduction database of Washington State. This project will seek to establish the relationship between employer-based strategies and transportation system performance. The ultimate goal will be the development of some methods or indices that measure the impacts of such programs on the overall transportation system and clearly communicate these impacts to policy makers and transportation decision makers. For more information, contact Nevine Georggi at georggi@cutr.usf.edu.

National Smart Transportation Archive Researcher (NSTAR) Program

The NSTAR program is an online, easily searchable, updatable database that provides case studies reflecting the effectiveness of TDM strategies and a source of reference to nationwide practitioners for solving transportation problems. Using the RightNow™ customer relationship management tool and user interface, staff is developing the database to be available through accessing the online “HELPDESK” service, provided by the National TDM and Telework Clearinghouse. The user will be able to browse, conduct detailed keyword searches to pinpoint specific information within categories or subcategories, be notified of updates to the case studies, ask questions and submit feedback regarding the quality and usefulness of a case study. While the addition of case studies to NSTAR will be an ongoing process long after NSTAR is up and running, staff is initially concentrating attention upon the comprehensive and highly reliable longitudinal data collected by the Washington State Department of Transportation pursuant to the state’s Commute Trip Reduction law. The goal is to develop the NSTAR case studies so that they provide performance measures before and after TDM program implementation as well as context that sheds light upon the true effects of the TDM strategies. For more information, contact Sara Hendricks at hendricks @cutr.usf.edu.

NetConferences:

New North Transportation Alliance

The New North Transportation Alliance (NNTA) is a transportation management initiative (TMI) in Northeast Tampa, Florida, that provides a forum for businesses, local governments, residents, and commuters to address the transportation needs of the New North area. Its mission is to improve transportation to the highest level for all travelers in the New North area. With funding from the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida Department of Transportation, and support of numerous businesses and institutions like the University of South Florida, NNTA functions as a multi-project, a “continual” public involvement effort. Activities include promoting commute options such as carpooling, vanpooling, and transit. NNTA conducts employer outreach to reduce traffic congestion. Helps market UPASS program to students at the University of South Florida. NTTA advocates for improved connectivity for sidewalks and bike paths. NNTA facilitates communications with businesses and residents about construction via websites and listserv. For more information, contact Julie Bond at bond@cutr.usf.edu or visit NNTA’s website at http://www.newnorthalliance.org/

2004 Evaluation of South Florida Commuter Services

South Florida Commuter Services is a regional commuter assistance program that serves Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties in South Florida. Funded by the Florida Department of Transportation, the program is dedicated to improving South Florida's traffic congestion through many services that promote alternatives to single occupancy vehicle travel. During 2004, South Florida Commuter Services (SFCS) has continued to improve its programs and services as measured by the required and optional performance measures of the Florida Department of Transportation's Commuter Assistance Program evaluation criteria. For more information, contact Chris Hagelin at hagelin@cutr.usf.edu | Final Report in PDF format

Statewide Survey on Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

To improve the planning, implementation, and maintenance of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) needs to periodically assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of Florida residents in regard to bicycling and walking facilities. This survey and report were designed to provide statewide measurements on Florida residents’ satisfaction with bicycle and pedestrian facilities and collect data on bicycling behavior. The project was funded by Florida Department of Transportation Safety Office. For more information, contact Chris Hagelin at hagelin@cutr.usf.edu | Final Report in PDF format

Price Elasticity of Rideshare: Commuter Fringe Benefits & Parking Cash-Out (527-14)

The goal of this research project was to determine the price elasticity of rideshare with specific objectives of helping to assess what the effect on ridership would be if the effective price paid by the traveler was substantially reduced (i.e., increase in employer co-pay) or increased (i.e., decrease in employer co-pay). While there are multiple modes for providing rideshare, this research was limited to the study of vanpools. The quantitative analysis used the Puget Sound data set and applied the regression and Logit models to analyze the impact of fares and other factors on mode choice. Further qualitative analysis was done using simple elasticity and tabular analyses using data sets from several Florida agencies and others from other states to provide an overview of vanpool elasticities and operations in general. While the study found only a limited interpretation of the elasticity, it generated a significant interest in the role of employer subsidies

Telecommunications and Its Future Role in the Public Transportation Arena (416-01)

The objective of this report is to investigate current conditions in the application of telecommunications to TDM programs that support public transportation statewide. The report provides the results of a survey of transit agencies nationwide to ascertain whether transit agencies are currently using or plan to use telecommuting and telecommunications in their program of services in the future. The research also identifies trends in the telecommunications industry that may have a bearing on travel behavior and subsequent public transit planning. The report provides recommendations on how transit and other transportation agencies can respond to changing conditions.

Land Developer Participation in Providing for Bus Transit Facilities/Operations (416-06)

This report provides an overview of the various non-regulatory and regulatory approaches for engaging private sector land developer participation in contributing toward the provision of public bus transit capital facilities and the cost of operations. The focusing elements of this report include involvement by land developers regarding cases of new land development or redevelopment, in which there was provided funding or other contributions to public bus capital facilities or operations, under circumstances applicable to Florida localities. This report provides examples of the provision of both on-site and off-site bus facility improvements. This investigation included a review of case studies nationwide, and it is believed that most of the information in this report would be of value to readers nationwide. Case studies feature 16 examples from eight Florida counties or municipalities and 15 additional examples from nine other states.

Expanding Commuter Choice Tax Benefit Options (473-08)

There are three primary goals associated with this project. The first goal is to evaluate the current level of use of Commuter Choice among employers. The evaluation will begin with a review of previous studies focused on Commuter Choice programs in order to gain a historical perspective. Following a review of previous projects, CUTR will examine how and if tax data can be used determine the current level of participation in Commuter Choice programs, and specifically the use of the Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefit (IRS Code Section 132(f). If current use cannot be determined though tax data, CUTR will distribute a survey to employers in order to determine current usage rates. The second goal of the project is to explore how Commuter Choice Programs can be expanded to provide maximum utility to employers beyond what is currently offered to employees. CUTR will conduct interviews with employers to determine methods for expanding Commuter Choice benefits. From these interviews and the data collected in previous steps, CUTR’s final goal is to develop a set of recommendations for expanding the benefits of Commuter Choice programs.

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Evaluation of Shared Use Park & Ride Impact on Properties (527-10)

The purpose of this study is to document the economic benefit of shared use park and ride facilities located at retail centers. Transit agencies usually perceive shared use park and ride as mutually beneficial to both the transit agency through savings in land and development costs and to park and ride providers through an increase in customer base and sales. In contrast, park and ride providers may hold negative perceptions about shared use park and ride and often feel that allowing a shared use park and ride on their property will bring problems such as increased liability, vandalism, and litter, and will occupy spaces that potential shoppers might have used. This study attempts to document whether the presence of a “Shared Use Park & Ride” has influence on shopping behavior patterns, whether it generates revenues for park and ride providers, and whether it generates ridership for transit service providers.

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Quantifying the Business Benefits of TDM

The objective of this research was to assess research that has been conducted and current practices in quantifying the business benefits of public transportation and transportation demand management, and to review the various tools and procedures that have been used to measure business benefits. The transportation literature was largely void of rigorous studies that document the link between the TDM strategies and tangible business benefits such as reducing the need to build parking. The review of the efforts to quantify business benefits by employers and agencies points to several clear conclusions and recommendations: (1) Increase public sector research and technical assistance efforts to evaluate employer TDM programs for the impacts on business, not only transportation and emission impacts (2) Expand the tracking of employer-provided commute benefits to include parking by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and (3) integrate, update, and aggressively distribute the tools. (A National Center for Transit Research project)

Value Pricing - HOT Lanes in South Florida

The purpose of this project was to evaluate commuter acceptance and equity impacts of the potential programs to convert High-Occupancy-Vehicle (HOV) lanes into High-Occupancy-Toll (HOT) Lanes. Specifically, the project in question was the HOV lane on I-95 in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties The project was conducted in the following stages: (1)Literature Review (2) Equity Analysis and (3) General Public Attitude Survey Implementation and Analysis. To conduct the equity analysis of the potential for development of the HOT Lane, CUTR followed the process outlined in the Community Impact Assessment Manual developed by CUTR for FDOT. There appear to be potential effects from the HOT Lane that could have inequitable impacts, particularly related to race. The main finding from the survey was that the general public does not believe that implementation of a HOT Lane on the HOV corridor in South Florida would be a particularly good idea. On a scale of 1 to 10, over 50% of respondents gave the lowest possible rating, a ‘1’. Breakdowns by demographic and use characteristics provided groups that varied somewhat in their opposition to the idea but did not identify specific groups that were strongly in favor of the idea. Potential strategies for communicating how funding would be used might increase support somewhat, but much of the increase would come among people who already support the idea.

Proximate Commuting

Transportation Demand Management strategies are those methods of reducing demand on the transportation system through behavioral change: either by reducing the distance traveled by the commuter, or by adjusting the time of travel outside peak hours of congestion. These techniques are distinguished from supply-side tactics that seek to increase the transportation system capacity by building new roads, widening existing roads, or constructing new parking facilities. There are various strategies aimed at reducing transportation demand, whether redistributing traffic across peak hours of travel, or shifting mode away from single-occupant vehicle (SOV) trip making. By spreading the demand for transportation across peak hours and across days, the time and distance commuters spend in the system can be minimized. Telecommuting, for example, enables an employee who works from home to minimize both time and distance required to commute to work. Alternately, ridesharing maximizes the capacity of vehicles – increasing the number of riders in a private vehicle or increasing bus or rail ridership – resulting in fewer individual vehicles on the road at a given moment.

While these methods for reducing traffic congestion frequently are the primary focus of local transportation management organizations or regional commuter assistance programs, they often conflict with the common American affinity for driving alone in one’s personal vehicle. A proximate commuting program is an alternate TDM strategy that enables commuters to retain use of their private automobile, while still reducing the demand on the transportation system. An employer-sponsored proximate commuting program seeks to match eligible employees with the job-site location closest to their home, thereby reducing the time and distance spent commuting to work.

This project explores the potential benefits and potential obstacles to implementation of a proximate commuting program within a multi-site employer. By securing the participation of a selected employer in Hillsborough County, Florida, the project sought to utilize real-time data to explore this strategy and assess the impacts of the program on transportation behavior. If the research and early feasibility assessment proved positive, the further intention of the research was to provide operational and marketing recommendations on how to develop and implement a proximate commuting program.

Hillsborough County Long Range TDM Plan and the Pinellas County Long Range TDM Plan

Under contract to Bay Area Commuter Services, Inc., CUTR analyzed several scenarios of transportation demand management (TDM) strategies to provide assessment of each scenario in the Year 2025. This information provided input on the role and needs of TDM programs to be addressed in each MPO's Long Range Transportation Plan for the Year 2025. The project identified the key measures of effectiveness (i.e., vehicle miles of travel, vehicle trips, mode split, and emissions) for assessing the impact of TDM in each county; reviewed each county's 2020 Long Range Transportation and Comprehensive Plans; reviewed similar plans from five peer communities to identify approaches used by those communities; identified strategies for analysis at several levels: countywide, activity centers and employer site level. An analysis was conducted using the Environmental Protection Agency’s COMMUTER Model to assess effects of different combinations of TDM strategies on the key measures of effectiveness. These strategies were identified by the Advisory Committee and grouped into four scenarios. The potential policies and/or program changes related to, but were not limited to, a comprehensive employer outreach program, the provision of transit and vanpool benefits by employers, planned improvements to transit system, and growth in the adoption of compressed work week and telecommuting programs by employers. Analyses for several major activity centers within each county also were conducted. Report includes impacts on performance measures and estimated costs for various programs.

Statewide Commuter Assistance Program Evaluation Project

The Statewide Commuter Assistance Program (CAP) Evaluation Research Project was commissioned and funded by the Florida Department of Transportation's Research Ideas Program. The purpose of this research project was to provide a systematic evaluation of the performance of Florida's commuter assistance programs from two perspectives:

Dynamic Parking Pricing Project

Traffic congestion is an increasing problem in many metropolitan areas that support large commuter populations. Dynamic Parking Pricing is one proposed strategy to control traffic congestion in these types of areas by providing commuters with financial incentives to change their traffic habits. This method, would vary parking pricing by times of day and provide incentives for drivers to commute in off-peak, shoulder times to better spread the peak of congestion. This project is replicable for other areas; however, a study should be completed to ensure that your planned location would benefit from a Dynamic Parking Program. For areas considering implementing a similar program, this manual explains the various steps and procedures involved in the proposed methodology by using the example of the “Dynamic Pricing Parking Project” in Tampa, FL.
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Reducing Vehicle Trips and Vehicle Miles of Travel Through Customized Travel Options

2. Provide experimental group with customized travel suggestions, while not providing this information to control group

A total of 75 individuals in 39 households participated in the research. An analysis of covariance was conducted on the average contributed vehicle miles of travel and contributed vehicle trips, using the second week’s results as the dependent variable. The provision of suggestions had a statistically significant effect on vehicle miles and trips contributed. Overall, this experiment showed that the provision of travel information will r educe vehicle miles of travel. Further research should be conducted to indicate the extent to which such information needs to be customized.
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A Market-Based Approach to Cost-Effective Trip Reduction Program Design

The purpose of this Florida Department of Transportation Research Center-funded project was to quantitatively estimate the impacts of various mixes of TDM strategies and incentives on ridesharing tendencies. A major component of this project was to develop estimates of impacts under different conditions using identical methodologies and to test whether projected impacts were the same across all situations tested. This project was designed to accomplish the following three objectives:

1. To determine if the impacts of selected TDM strategies are similar in different areas within Florida itself;

2. If so, to determine if these impacts are also similar to impacts measured in other areas of the nation from other SP discrete choice studies

3. To provide a mechanism for the development of effective TDM strategies for the areas surveyed, which included Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, and Tampa-St. Petersburg.
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Vanpool Pricing and Financing Guide

This guide was funded by the Florida Department of Transportation Research Center and developed by the TDM Team at CUTR to help transit agencies and others starting a vanpool program understand the process of building value in vanpooling as well as develop effective financing and pricing strategies. More precisely, the guide shows how various vanpool operators are not in the "vanpool business" but the "people business."
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1999 Commuter Assistance Program Evaluation Manual (pdf)

This manual was developed to assist Florida’s Commuter Assistance Programs (CAP) in their efforts to measure and evaluate their performance. As such, this manual focuses on providing the information necessary for a CAP to devise and conduct their own evaluation program. It will also provide guidance on how to report the results of that evaluation so that key CAP funders, elected officials, and the general public can understand and appreciate the efforts of the CAP in addressing traffic congestion, air quality, and mobility concerns. (Source: Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida)

An Evaluation Toolkit for Florida’s Commuter Assistance Programs (CAP): A Companion to the 1999 CAP Evaluation Manual (pdf)

This manual is a companion piece to the Commuter Assistance Program Evaluation Manual that was developed to assist Florida’s Commuter Assistance Programs (CAP) in their efforts to measure and evaluate their performance. While the CAP Evaluation Manual provides a detailed description of how to devise conduct, analyze, and report an evaluation, this manual is intended to provide a basic understanding of how a CAP can meet the minimum evaluation requirements of the Florida Department of Transportation. The first part describes the performance measures that are required and/or available to evaluate CAP program efforts, including how to obtain the data necessary to measure CAP performance. Where appropriate, guidance is provided on how to calculate performance. The second part provides the basics on how to evaluate, including how to select performance measures, and how to conduct the evaluation. The appendix includes a sample survey the CAP program can use to obtain all necessary survey data to address the FDOT required and optional performance measures.

Florida's TMA Evaluation Criteria

A comprehensive approach to the planning, operation, and evaluation of transportation management associations and organizations. The criteria are built around the principles of the Malcolm Baldridge Award for Quality. Background information contains information about the purpose behind the criteria, the key characteristics for the criteria and the instructions/advice for using the criteria. A detailed description of the criteria is also provided.

Commute Alternatives Systems Handbook (pdf)

TMA Clearinghouse Quarterly newsletter

Various articles from this quarterly publication on Transportation Management Associations and TDM. This newsletter is no longer published.

Special Presentations

Analysis of Florida TMAs from 2003 TMA Survey, presented by Sara Hendricks, CUTR.

HTML HTML			TDM in Europe: A Synthesis of Research Findings (473-133) Annotated Bibliography of TDM in Europe (473-133biblio)
HTML			Commuter Choice Managers and Parking Managers Coordination: Public Transportation Synthesis Series (473-134)
HTML			Building Transit Oriented Development in Established Communities: Public Transportation Synthesis Series (473-135)