Computerized Management Information Systems for Transit Services in Small Urban and Rural Areas (original) (raw)
Transportation Needs Assessment for Rural Communities: A Case of Pickens County, Alabama
arXiv (Cornell University), 2022
The lack of transportation options and limited public transit service in rural areas of the U.S. may negatively affect residents' quality of life by limiting the opportunities for employment, community engagement, education, and quality healthcare. This study used a mixed-method approach combining quantitative and qualitative research methods to conduct the transportation needs assessment in Pickens County, Alabama that examined the access to healthcare, jobs, and other relevant resources across all population categories in the area, including vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens, people with disabilities, and low-income households. Additionally, this study investigated public perceptions of, and opinions about H.E.L.P. Inc., an origin-to-destination demand-response bus service for Pickens County residents. The study's findings may be useful to stakeholders, policymakers, and transportation services providers in the rural communities of the U.S. working develop new approaches that would help meet the transportation needs of local communities.
Performance Measures for the Analysis of Rural Public Transit in Alabama
Journal of Public Transportation, 2014
As rural public transit systems are vital to the livelihood of rural Americans, improving the operations of these systems is the focus of this work. The use of performance measures to evaluate operation is essential to maintain growth and avoid becoming stagnant. The main goal of this study was to examine existing performance measures (PM) and modify them to allow for comparison of performance among rural transit agencies in Alabama. The tasks presented in this paper are a review of performance measures, data collection, and data analysis for agencies in Alabama. The report concludes that performance measures can be developed that balance external factors in the analysis and allow for a fair comparison of agencies.
Techniques for Rural Transit Service Design
The authors would like to thank the staff of the Transit Section of the Minnesota Department of Transportation for making available the data needed for this study. Thanks is also extended to the staff of the Center for Transportation Studies, Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Minnesota, for their kind assistance. We also thank Dick Braun whose efforts made this project possible. Disclaimer The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the information presented herein. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the
Data Needs Assessment for Making Transportation Decisions in Virginia
2015
To better plan, operate, and maintain the transportation system in Virginia, this study identifies Virginia transportation professionals' planning-related data needs, obstacles to fulfilling those needs, and potential solutions for overcoming those obstacles. Based on interviews with practitioners, a survey of 182 professionals, and a review of data management practices in the literature, the study finds that needs vary by organizational type: whereas only 41% of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) survey respondents have at least one unmet data need, this percentage climbs to 70% for metropolitan planning organization and local respondents. When all respondents were asked to name, out of 51 databases, those that were needed but not available, almost one-fifth of all respondents cited three databases relating to infrastructure, safety, and operations; in Virginia these databases are known as roadway network system (RNS), Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), and data maintained by the Traffic Operations Center (TOC), respectively. A primary obstacle to meeting data needs is data availability: some proprietary data owned by VDOT cannot legally be shared with external agencies, some datasets are restricted in how they can be shared due to security concerns, and some datasets can be shared but are not known to external partners. Other obstacles include data quality, time required to access datasets, and database diversity as the survey suggested that planners need access to a wider variety of databases than do other types of transportation professionals. Potential solutions documented in the report are to increase user awareness through seminars or the creation of a transportation data map, improve ease of access for select users through the use of virtual private networks, improve ease of use through providing a single location as a starting point for acquiring some publicly available existing data, and integrate databases in instances where common data elements allow such integration. In the short term, two recommended courses of action appear feasible: (1) conduct a workshop to make external partners and VDOT staff aware of some of these diverse databases, and (2) conduct periodic meetings of planning, information technology, and research staff to identify ways to enhance data sharing.
2006
The economic benefits of rural transit rider characteristics can be examined from two main perspectives; that is, the riders themselves, and important consideration concerning the trip purpose and the characteristics of rural dependant riders. Although the rural elderly riders may be fewer than there urban counterparts, the economic benefits for these groups of rural dependant riders are important. Transit alternatives
2005
This paper proposes a conceptual framework for evaluating the impact of rural transit-dependent riders (RTDR) benefits in Alabama counties based on detailed review of the existing literature. The conceptual framework consists of three components: rural public transportation services; economic benefits of rural transit riders; and elderly route choice behaviour. It is envisaged that this theoretical models will reveal the association between rural transit-dependent riders and counties local economy; as well as contribute to broadening the methodology by which links between public expenditures and economic development can be established. The paper concludes that the communities should not overlook the economic influence of the RTDR.
Measuring Unmet Needs of Intercity Bus Transportation
Transportation Research Record, 2003
Federal funding for intercity bus programs is available to states under Section 5311 (f) of the Federal Transit Act. The act requires that 15% of all federal funding for public transportation in nonurbanized areas be expended for intercity bus transportation, unless the state governor certifies that the intercity bus service needs are adequately met. A demand-supply-deficiency analysis was undertaken to assess whether intercity bus needs are being met in Illinois. The analysis indicates that some larger city-to-city routes could use additional service. In addition, many smaller urban places have no access to rail or bus service, especially in southern Illinois, and many of these have no Section 5311(f) recipients. Without state support for intercity bus programs, it is unlikely that people in these places will have access to such service in the foreseeable future.
Needs Assessment for Transit Its: A Structured Approach
With more capital funding available for transit systems in the U.S., many agencies are considering the implementation of technology to increase the efficiency of operations and to better serve customers. However, funding to perform a comprehensive technology needs assessment is not always available. Further, transit agency resources are often limited, and in smaller agencies, technical expertise may be lacking. Thus, a technology needs assessment is often not performed, resulting in the implementation of unnecessary or non-integrated technology, or taking the "do nothing" approach.
Systematic, well-designed research provides the most effective approach to the solution of many problems facing highway administrators and engineers. Often, highway problems are of local interest and can best be studied by highway departments individually or in cooperation with their state universities and others. However, the accelerating growth of highway transportation develops increasingly complex problems of wide interest to highway authorities. These problems are best studied through a coordinated program of cooperative research. In recognition of these needs, the highway administrators of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials initiated in 1962 an objective national highway research program employing modern scientific techniques. This program is supported on a continuing basis by funds from participating member states of the Association and it receives the full cooperation and support of the Federal Highway Administration, United States Department of Transportation. The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies was requested by the Association to administer the research program because of the Board's recognized objectivity and understanding of modern research practices. The Board is uniquely suited for this purpose as it maintains an extensive committee structure from which authorities on any highway transportation subject may be drawn; it possesses avenues of communications and cooperation with federal, state and local governmental agencies, universities, and industry; its relationship to the National Research Council is an insurance of objectivity; it maintains a full-time research correlation staff of specialists in highway transportation matters to bring the findings of research directly to those who are in a position to use them. The program is developed on the basis of research needs identified by chief administrators of the highway and transportation departments and by committees of AASHTO. Each year, specific areas of research needs to be included in the program are proposed to the National Research Council and the Board by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Research projects to fulfill these needs are defined by the Board, and qualified research agencies are selected from those that have submitted proposals. Administration and surveillance of research contracts are the responsibilities of the National Research Council and the Transportation Research Board. The needs for highway research are many, and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program can make significant contributions to the solution of highway transportation problems of mutual concern to many responsible groups. The program, however, is intended to complement rather than to substitute for or duplicate other highway research programs.