Farhana Yasmin | École Polytechnique de Montréal (original) (raw)

Papers by Farhana Yasmin

Research paper thumbnail of Macro-, meso-, and micro-level validation of an activity-based travel demand model

Transportmetrica A: Transport Science, 2016

ABSTRACT Validation is an essential part of the model development process for practical applicati... more ABSTRACT Validation is an essential part of the model development process for practical applications in the real world context. Spatial transferability has been recognized as a useful validation test for travel demand models. To date, however, transferability of activity-based models has not been frequently assessed. This paper focuses on how and at which level the validation of activity-based travel demand models has been performed. More specifically, it examines the spatial transferability of an activity-based model, TASHA (Travel Activity Scheduler for Household Agents), which has been developed for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Canada. It applies TASHA to the Island of Montreal, Canada, using the 2003 Origin-Destination (O-D) travel survey and the 2001 Canadian census, and validates the transfer by comparing modelled and observed activity attributes from the 2003 O-D survey for five different activities (work, school, shopping, other, and return to home) at three different levels of aggregation, macro-level (aggregation of the entire population), meso-level (aggregation by population segments by age group and gender, and by home location), and micro-level (individuals). In most of the cases, simulated results are significantly different than the observed activity travel patterns of the individuals of this region. The large variations found at different levels most likely indicate differences in behaviours between Montreal and Toronto. We conclude that re-estimation of model parameters and the use of local activity attribute distributions (frequency, start time and duration) is a desirable step in the transfer of the TASHA model from one context to another.

Research paper thumbnail of Trend analysis of activity generation attributes over time

Transportation, 2015

Activity generation models are relatively poorly developed in activity-based travel demand modell... more Activity generation models are relatively poorly developed in activity-based travel demand modelling frameworks. This research investigates whether observed distributions of activity attributes (activity frequency, start time and duration) used as inputs in the activity generation component of an activity-based travel demand model have changed over time. This research empirically examines changes in the distributions of activity generation attributes over time in the Greater Montreal area (GMA), Quebec, Canada. It also focuses on how these attributes vary with peoples’ socio-demographic characteristics. This research relies on the 1998, 2003 and 2008 origin–destination (O–D) household travel surveys of the GMA. The comparative analysis at three time points in a 10-year period clearly reveals that distributions of activity attributes are significantly changing over time. Work and school activities show similar trends; frequency “1” has increased and frequency “2+” has decreased over time. The occurrence of shopping activity on weekdays is decreasing over time. Start time and duration distributions for each activity have also changed significantly over time. The research allows preparing activity attributes for the application of an activity-based model, TASHA, such that they reflect temporal changes in travel behaviour of the GMA.

Research paper thumbnail of Enhancing the Modelling of Travel Demand Using an Activity-Based Approach

RESUME Cette these vise a enrichir le processus actuel de la modelisation de la demande de transp... more RESUME Cette these vise a enrichir le processus actuel de la modelisation de la demande de transport dans la Grande Region de Montreal (GRM) en utilisant une approche basee sur le modele d’activites TASHA (Travel Activity Scheduler for Household Agents). TASHA a ete developpe en se basant sur des donnees provenant des deplacements de l'enquete Transportation Tomorrow Survey (TTS) de 1996 pour la Grande Region de Toronto (GRT). Cette recherche vise a appliquer le modele TASHA dans le contexte montrealais en utilisant l’enquete de deplacements Origine-Destination (O-D) de 2003 et les donnees du recensement canadien de 2001. TASHA simule, pour un jour typique de la semaine, les horaires quotidiens d'activites (individuelle et combine) de l’ensemble des personnes dans la region. Cette etude vise a evaluer la transferabilite du modele TASHA a une autre region metropolitaine en comparant les caracteristiques des activites observees et simulees par TASHA (frequence d'activite, ...

Research paper thumbnail of Macro-, Meso-, and Microlevel Validation of an Activity-Based Travel Demand Model

ABSTRACT Validation is an essential part of the model development process for practical applicati... more ABSTRACT Validation is an essential part of the model development process for practical applications in the real world context. Spatial transferability has been recognized as a useful validation test for travel demand models. To date, however, transferability of activity-based models has not been frequently assessed. This paper focuses on how and at which level the validation of activity-based travel demand models has been performed. More specifically, it examines the spatial transferability of an activity-based model, TASHA (Travel Activity Scheduler for Household Agents), which has been developed for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Canada. It applies TASHA to the Island of Montreal, Canada, using the 2003 Origin-Destination (O-D) travel survey and the 2001 Canadian census, and validates the transfer by comparing modelled and observed activity attributes from the 2003 O-D survey for five different activities (work, school, shopping, other, and return to home) at three different levels of aggregation, macro-level (aggregation of the entire population), meso-level (aggregation by population segments by age group and gender, and by home location), and micro-level (individuals). In most of the cases, simulated results are significantly different than the observed activity travel patterns of the individuals of this region. The large variations found at different levels most likely indicate differences in behaviours between Montreal and Toronto. We conclude that re-estimation of model parameters and the use of local activity attribute distributions (frequency, start time and duration) is a desirable step in the transfer of the TASHA model from one context to another.

Research paper thumbnail of Macro-, meso-, and micro-level validation of an activity-based travel demand model

Transportmetrica A: Transport Science, 2016

ABSTRACT Validation is an essential part of the model development process for practical applicati... more ABSTRACT Validation is an essential part of the model development process for practical applications in the real world context. Spatial transferability has been recognized as a useful validation test for travel demand models. To date, however, transferability of activity-based models has not been frequently assessed. This paper focuses on how and at which level the validation of activity-based travel demand models has been performed. More specifically, it examines the spatial transferability of an activity-based model, TASHA (Travel Activity Scheduler for Household Agents), which has been developed for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Canada. It applies TASHA to the Island of Montreal, Canada, using the 2003 Origin-Destination (O-D) travel survey and the 2001 Canadian census, and validates the transfer by comparing modelled and observed activity attributes from the 2003 O-D survey for five different activities (work, school, shopping, other, and return to home) at three different levels of aggregation, macro-level (aggregation of the entire population), meso-level (aggregation by population segments by age group and gender, and by home location), and micro-level (individuals). In most of the cases, simulated results are significantly different than the observed activity travel patterns of the individuals of this region. The large variations found at different levels most likely indicate differences in behaviours between Montreal and Toronto. We conclude that re-estimation of model parameters and the use of local activity attribute distributions (frequency, start time and duration) is a desirable step in the transfer of the TASHA model from one context to another.

Research paper thumbnail of Trend analysis of activity generation attributes over time

Transportation, 2015

Activity generation models are relatively poorly developed in activity-based travel demand modell... more Activity generation models are relatively poorly developed in activity-based travel demand modelling frameworks. This research investigates whether observed distributions of activity attributes (activity frequency, start time and duration) used as inputs in the activity generation component of an activity-based travel demand model have changed over time. This research empirically examines changes in the distributions of activity generation attributes over time in the Greater Montreal area (GMA), Quebec, Canada. It also focuses on how these attributes vary with peoples’ socio-demographic characteristics. This research relies on the 1998, 2003 and 2008 origin–destination (O–D) household travel surveys of the GMA. The comparative analysis at three time points in a 10-year period clearly reveals that distributions of activity attributes are significantly changing over time. Work and school activities show similar trends; frequency “1” has increased and frequency “2+” has decreased over time. The occurrence of shopping activity on weekdays is decreasing over time. Start time and duration distributions for each activity have also changed significantly over time. The research allows preparing activity attributes for the application of an activity-based model, TASHA, such that they reflect temporal changes in travel behaviour of the GMA.

Research paper thumbnail of Enhancing the Modelling of Travel Demand Using an Activity-Based Approach

RESUME Cette these vise a enrichir le processus actuel de la modelisation de la demande de transp... more RESUME Cette these vise a enrichir le processus actuel de la modelisation de la demande de transport dans la Grande Region de Montreal (GRM) en utilisant une approche basee sur le modele d’activites TASHA (Travel Activity Scheduler for Household Agents). TASHA a ete developpe en se basant sur des donnees provenant des deplacements de l'enquete Transportation Tomorrow Survey (TTS) de 1996 pour la Grande Region de Toronto (GRT). Cette recherche vise a appliquer le modele TASHA dans le contexte montrealais en utilisant l’enquete de deplacements Origine-Destination (O-D) de 2003 et les donnees du recensement canadien de 2001. TASHA simule, pour un jour typique de la semaine, les horaires quotidiens d'activites (individuelle et combine) de l’ensemble des personnes dans la region. Cette etude vise a evaluer la transferabilite du modele TASHA a une autre region metropolitaine en comparant les caracteristiques des activites observees et simulees par TASHA (frequence d'activite, ...

Research paper thumbnail of Macro-, Meso-, and Microlevel Validation of an Activity-Based Travel Demand Model

ABSTRACT Validation is an essential part of the model development process for practical applicati... more ABSTRACT Validation is an essential part of the model development process for practical applications in the real world context. Spatial transferability has been recognized as a useful validation test for travel demand models. To date, however, transferability of activity-based models has not been frequently assessed. This paper focuses on how and at which level the validation of activity-based travel demand models has been performed. More specifically, it examines the spatial transferability of an activity-based model, TASHA (Travel Activity Scheduler for Household Agents), which has been developed for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Canada. It applies TASHA to the Island of Montreal, Canada, using the 2003 Origin-Destination (O-D) travel survey and the 2001 Canadian census, and validates the transfer by comparing modelled and observed activity attributes from the 2003 O-D survey for five different activities (work, school, shopping, other, and return to home) at three different levels of aggregation, macro-level (aggregation of the entire population), meso-level (aggregation by population segments by age group and gender, and by home location), and micro-level (individuals). In most of the cases, simulated results are significantly different than the observed activity travel patterns of the individuals of this region. The large variations found at different levels most likely indicate differences in behaviours between Montreal and Toronto. We conclude that re-estimation of model parameters and the use of local activity attribute distributions (frequency, start time and duration) is a desirable step in the transfer of the TASHA model from one context to another.