Past practices for determining the routes of bus rapid transit (BRT) corridors in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada have largely relied upon comparisons of quantitative factors. This research recommends qualitative factors to be incorporated into the process in order to present a more complete evaluation of proposed transit routes. Key Winnipeg informants were interviewed from three groups: transit officials, planners, and developers. Each group has a vested interest in the establishment of new BRT corridors and the construction of transit-oriented development (TOD) around the stations. Informants from Ottawa were interviewed to provide insights from another city having long-standing rapid transit development. The research identified eleven factors that should be taken into consideration when evaluating and selecting the routes for BRT corridors in Winnipeg. A framework of recommendations was developed, with the two foundational factors of transportation value and long-term city-building providing a basis to expand on using transit, development, and planning factors. / May 2017

La photométrie des transits permet de détecter des planètes extrasolaires en mesurant leur rayon. Dans cet objectif, le télescope spatial CoRoT (Convection, Rotation et Transit planétaires), lancé en décembre 2006, est doté d'un photomètre de haute précision permettant à la fois l'étude de la structure interne des étoiles par astérosismologie et la détection de planètes par la méthode des transits. Pour cette thèse, j'ai développé différents outils informatiques permettant la détection, l'analyse détaillée de transits dans les courbes de lumière de CoRoT. J'ai appliqué ces outils aux quelques 12 000 étoiles observées durant chacune des dix premières campagnes d'observation. La collaboration des équipes de détection et de suivi au sol par d'autres méthodes d'observation a permis, à ce jour, la découverte de quinze planètes et deux naines brunes.Il est possible de contraindre les modèles de ces exoplanètes grâce à la connaissance des paramètres (masse, rayon): gazeuses, de glace, telluriques, ou d'autres types mixtes.La recherche de planètes rocheuses en particulier est un objectif motivé tant par la rareté des détections de ces objets jusqu'à présent (liée à leur faibles rayon et masse), que par la grande variété potentielle de leur nature.Ainsi, la découverte de CoRoT-7b, la première exoplanète compatible avec un modèle rocheux et dont le rayon (1,6 rayon terrestre) et la masse (environ 7 masses terrestres) ont pu être mesurés, a permis d'élaborer un modèle physique auquel j'ai contribué.J'ai étudié la possibilité d'observer cette planète très chaude en proche infrarouge avec le JWST, au cours de son orbite, afin d'estimer le contraste de température entre les faces jour et nuit. Ceci doit permettre de confirmer / invalider notre modèle qui suppose l'absence d'une atmosphère suffisamment dense pour redistribuer la chaleur à la surface de CoRoT-7b. / The transit photometry makes it possible to detect exoplanets by measuring their radii. Pursuing this goal, the space telescope CoRoT (Convection, Rotation and planetary Transits), launched in December 2006, is equiped with a high-precision photometer allowing both planet detection by transit photometry, and stellar physics studies (asteroseismology).For this PhD thesis, I have developed various computing tools for the detection and detailed analysis of the transits in CoRoT light curves. I have applied these tools to almost 12 000 stars observed during each of the first ten campaigns of observation. The collaboration between the detection and ground based follow-up teams led to the discovery, up to now, of fifteen planets and two brown dwarfs.It is possible to constrain the physical natures of these exoplanets thanks to the knowledge of the masses and radii: they can be gazeous, icy, rocky or with an mixed nature.The search for rocky planets in particular, is a goal motivated by their singular nature, and both by the paucity of detections of these objects (due to their low masses and radii), Thus, the discovery of CoRoT-7b -- the first exoplanet compatible with a rocky model and whith measured radius (1.6 Earth radius) and mass (around 7 Earth masses) -- allowed us to develope a physical model to which I contributed :I studied the possibility of observing this very hot planet in the near infrared range with JWST, during its orbit, to estimate the temperature contrast between the day and the night faces. This should allow to confirm / invalidate our model with atmosphere dense enough to redistribute heat at the surface of CoRoT-7b.

Accessibility is the most important concept in transportation planning because it describes the ease of travel to opportunities vital for everyday needs. Theoretically, people locate closer to transit corridors if accessibility improves. One desired benefit from light rail is denser land use patterns in the form of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) that captures population growth. In October 1994, the City of Denver, CO, joined the list of American cities that have implemented light rail within the last 33 years. Since then, five corridors have opened there, and planners are retooling their zoning codes to allow TOD near light rail. The hope is to mitigate road-centric policies that enabled sprawl during the second half of the 20th Century. This thesis investigates light rail in the Denver region in the context of accessibility. It asks the following research question: What land use and transportation conditions must exist to encourage the general population to locate near light rail? Five linear regression models test a range of accessibility variables. Evidence suggests that accessibility to jobs and housing near station areas is important for facilitating population growth near light rail. Specifically, land use policy needs to allow residential and non-residential mixed uses near station areas for population growth to occur. It is too early to draw any definitive conclusions for the Denver region. Anecdotal evidence indicates that planners are achieving land use goals of growth, even though many of the region's TOD-supportive policies were recently adopted.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-170). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.A. in Urban Planning)--University of California, Los Angeles. / Cover title. "UCTC No. 553." Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-99). Also available online.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1981.

Anticipating changes to public transportation ridership demand is important to planning for and meeting service goals and maintaining system viability. These changes may occur in the short- or long-term; extensive academic work has focused on bettering long-term forecasting procedures while improvements to short-term forecasting techniques have not received significant academic attention. This dissertation combines traditional forecasting approaches with multivariate regression to develop a transferable short-term public transportation ridership forecasting model that incorporates fuel price as a prediction parameter. The research herein addresses 254 US transit systems from bus, light rail, heavy rail, and commuter rail modes, and uses complementary methods to account for seasonal and non-seasonal ridership fluctuations. Models were built and calibrated using monthly data from 2002 to 2007 and validated using a six-month dataset from early 2008. Using variable transformations, classical data decomposition techniques, multivariate regression, and a variety of forecasting model validation measures, this work establishes a benchmark for future research into transferable transit ridership forecasting model improvements that may aid public transportation system planners in an era when, due to fuel price concerns, global warming and green initiatives, and other impetuses, transit use is seeing a resurgence in popularity. / text

As society finds it itself on the brink of new social, economic and political upheavals, a reconsideration of the make-up of regions is necessary. From time to time, these changes manifest as migrations from one line of thought to another. Moreover, these changes were predicted and observed by notable historic figures in planning and regional theory. It is the intent of this report is to note and link the connections between historic figureheads and contemporary proponents of regional form and its interconnectedness to transportation infrastructure. This report goes on to provide examples of barriers to modern implementation of regional transit-oriented development and also to provide case studies where positive interaction between local governments has resulted in regional forms and transportation networks that embody new solutions in a changing socio-economic and environmental constructs. / text

The rapid expansion of low-density suburban areas in North America has led to new travel patterns that require transit services to be more flexible. Flex-Route transit service, which combines fixed-route transit service with elements of demand-responsive transit service, has emerged as a viable transit option to address the travel needs of the residents of these areas. Existing literature in this field, however, is limited and lacks any comprehensive analysis of Flex-Route planning, design and scheduling. This research aims at exploring Flex-Route transit service to provide detailed guidelines for the planning and design of the service, as well as developing a new scheduling system for this type of unique service. Accordingly, the objectives of this research are: assessing the practicality of Flex-Route transit service in serving low-density suburban areas; identifying essential Flex-Route planning steps and design parameters; determining the feasibility and cost of replacing fixed-route transit with Flex-Route service; and developing a Flex-Route-specific dynamic scheduling system that relies on recent developments in computer and communication technologies. In this regard, we develop an analytical model that addresses several design parameters and provide a detailed analysis that includes, among other parameters, finding optimal values for Flex-Route service area and slack time. Furthermore, the analytical model includes a feasibility and cost analysis that estimates the cost incurred by several stakeholders if Flex-Route service is chosen to replace fixed-route service. The core of the scheduling system is a new developed algorithm – the Constrained-Insertion Algorithm- that exploits the powerful search techniques of Constraint Programming. The scheduling system can handle the daily operations of Flex-Route transit services; it accepts daily (or dynamic) inputs and, in minimal time, produces very cost-effective and reliable schedules. Moreover, the scheduling system has the ability to be used as simulation tool to allow transit operators to assess the feasibility and performance of proposed Flex-Route transit services before implementation. The applicability of the analytical model as well as the performance of the scheduling system were subsequently evaluated and validated through process that included testing on a case study in the City of Oakville, Canada.

The Regional Municipality of York introduced a new bus service known as VIVA in 2005. Although it has been deemed a success by many, it remains to be seen to what degree transit use was affected by its introduction. This study shows that transit ridership in York jumped substantially immediately after the implementation of VIVA. Furthermore, it is determined that the majority of new transit users in York are making home-based work or post-secondary school trips. To evaluate this, home-based work and post-secondary school generalized extreme value discrete choice models are estimated. Improvements in transit service are found to have a greater impact on transit mode share than increases in congestion for both work and post-secondary school trips. It is also, however, concluded that transit improvements played a relatively small role in the considerable shift to transit amongst post-secondary students.