The Freight on Transit Delphi Study was conducted to explore the concept of freight on transit – using public transit vehicles and infrastructure for transporting things other than people. Three rounds of web based surveys were conducted with a panel of 34 transportation experts to explore the main issues related to freight and transit integration and to build and evaluate potential freight on transit operations. Survey results were consistent with previous investigations and suggest that organizational disputes are a larger barrier to implementation than technical challenges. Traditional Delphi questions were used to determine the most important positive impacts, negative impacts, and challenges of moving freight on transit networks while survey responses combined with scenario building techniques were used to build and evaluate five potential freight on transit operating strategies using public transit networks in the GTHA.

The past literature suggest that transportation can impact quality of life (QOL) both directly and indirectly. The first part of this dissertation attempted to comprehensively evaluate the impact of transportation (specifically public transit, and walkability) along with physical built environment, and sociodemographic indicators on community QOL, and overall life satisfaction (OLS) of an individual living in his community. The study used an advanced technique of structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate the impact of these factors on community QOL and individual’s OLS. The study results revealed that physical built environment, public transit need for a community, perceived public transit importance for a community, quality of public transit services, quality of walkability conditions, ease of travel in a community (mobility indicator), and sociodemographic indicators significantly impact community QOL, and also individual’s OLS either directly or indirectly through community QOL mediating variable. The literature review suggests that accessibility to important non-work amenities improve people’s QOL. So, it is important to examine social equity in terms of individual’s ability to access non-work amenities that are important for their daily life interests. The second part of dissertation focused on equity analysis in terms of people’s ability to access non-work amenities through public transit, and walk in the US. The non-work amenities considered in this study are: 1) grocery store or supermarket, 2) personal services, 3) other retail shopping, (4) recreation and entertainment, and (5) health care facility. It is concluded that equity in terms of public transit access to non-work amenities is regressive for the older age people, people without driving license, individuals who are covered under Medicare/Medicaid program (elderly, low income, people with disabilities), and non-metro area residents disadvantaged groups. In terms of walk access to non-work amenities, it is concluded that older age people, people without driving license, physically disable people, unemployed and students, people living in non-metro areas, and females face injustice. These groups are already disadvantaged in society because of their financial, and physical health constraints and should be having sufficient and easy public transit and walk access to their daily needs.

In this research, I examine the mediating role of transit and the mobility needs and experience of individuals who are homeless in the suburban community of Surrey, BC. I have used Harvey’s (2005) conception of social spatial sorting as a means of understanding the suburbanization of poverty and Galtung’s structural violence (1969) as a means of understanding the experience of homeless transit access. I employed a multiple case study, using semi-structured interviews, with residents and staff of three homeless shelters, located in three distinct neighbourhoods in Surrey. A cross-case analysis of the interview data was undertaken, to draw conclusions and recommendations for policy development and research concerning the transit needs of people who are homeless. To provide a policy context, a review of existing transit access programs available for people who are homeless and/or low-income is presented demonstrating the range of criteria and best practices. Four dimensions of transit access were identified by residents and staff: physical, temporal, social and financial (Kenyon et al., 2003). Residents had the most constrained agency (Coe & Jordhus-Lier et al., 2010) in relation to the physical and temporal dimensions, so that these dimensions became the most problematic in this suburban context. The importance of considering and understanding the geographic context of shelters and potential impacts on mobility and social inclusion for shelter residents, exiting from homelessness, are demonstrated. / Graduate

This study looks at the demographic, urban form and transit service characteristics that influence ridership in a college community. It acknowledges both the internal (those that a transit operator has control over) and external (variables that the transit operator cannot control) factors that influence ridership. A literature review shows that income, unemployment levels, densities, age, urban form, headway and coverage correlated to ridership. The study area used is the Five-College community that is serviced by UMass Transit, the dominant operator in the area. To perform analysis census data is collated at the block and block group levels regarding income, unemployment, vehicle ownership, population, density, college age population and housing age. Additional data about urban form and transit service characteristics is obtained. Exploratory data for all variables support the literatures finding except unemployment and land use diversity. Modeling is done in three stages using different scales of census data. A final model, combining scales is created. The highest indicators of ridership are found to be direction of travel, level of service, the percent of college age students and population density.

No description available.

Existing literature on the relationship between ridehailing (RH) and transit services is limited to empirical studies that rely on self-reported answers and lack spatial and temporal contexts. To fill this gap, the research takes a novel approach that uses real-time geospatial analyzes. Using this approach, we estimate the extent to which ride-hailing services have contributed to the recent decline in public transit ridership. With source data on ridehailing trips in Chicago, Illinois, we computed the real-time transit-equivalent trip for the 7,949,902 ridehailing trips in June 2019; the sheer size of this sample is incomparable to the samples studied in existing literature. An existing Multinomial Nested Logit Model was used to determine the probability of a ridehailer selecting a transit alternative to serve the specific origin-destination pair, P(Transit|CTA) . The study found that 31% of RH trips are replaceable, 61% are not replaceable, and 8% lie within the buffer zone. We measured the robustness of this probability using a parametric sensitivity analysis, and performed a two-tailed t-test, with a 95% confidence interval. In combination with a Summation of Probabilities, the results indicate that the total travel time for a transit trip has the greatest influence on the probability of using transit, whereas the airport pass price has the least influence. Further, the walk time, number of stops in the origin and destination census tracts, and household income also have significant impacts on the probability of using transit. Lastly, we performed a Time Value Analysis to explore the cost and trip duration difference between RH trips and their transit-equivalent trips on the probability of switching to transit. The findings demonstrated that approximately 90% of RH trips taken had a transit-equivalent trip that was less expensive, but slower. The main contribution of this study is its thorough approach and fine-tuned series of real-time spatial analyzes that investigate the replaceability of RH trips for public transit. The results and discussion intend to provide perspective derived from real trips and encourage public transit agencies to look into possible opportunities to collaborate with ridehailing companies. Moreover, the methodologies introduced can be used by transit agencies to internally evaluate opportunities and redundancies in services. Lastly, we hope that this effort provides proof of the research benefits associated with the recording and release of ridehailing data. / Master of Science / Existing literature on the relationship between ridehailing (RH) and transit services is limited to empirical studies that rely on self-reported answers and lack spatial and temporal contexts. To fill this gap, the research takes a novel approach that uses real-time geospatial analyzes. Using this approach, we estimated the extent to which ride-hailing services have contributed to the recent decline in public transit ridership. With source data on ridehailing trips in Chicago, Illinois, we computed the real-time transit-equivalent trip for the 7,949,902 ridehailing trips in June 2019; the sheer size of this sample is incomparable to the samples studied in existing literature. An existing Multinomial Nested Logit Model was used to determine the probability of a ridehailer selecting a transit alternative to serve the specific origin-destination pair, P(Transit|CTA) . The study found that 31% of RH trips are replaceable, 61% are not replaceable, and 8% lie within the buffer zone. We measured the robustness of this probability using a parametric sensitivity analysis, and performed a two-tailed t-test, with a 95% confidence interval. In combination with a Summation of Probabilities, the results indicate that the total travel time for a transit trip has the greatest influence on the probability of using transit, whereas the airport pass price has the least influence. Further, the walk time, number of stops in the origin and destination census tracts, and household income also have significant impacts on the probability of using transit. Lastly, we performed a Time Value Analysis to explore the cost and trip duration difference between RH trips and their transit-equivalent trips on the probability of switching to transit. The findings demonstrated that approximately 90% of RH trips taken had a transit-equivalent trip that was less expensive, but slower. The main contribution of this study is its thorough approach and fine-tuned series of real-time spatial analyzes that investigate the replaceability of RH trips for public transit. The results and discussion intend to provide perspective derived from real trips and encourage public transit agencies to look into possible opportunities to collaborate with ridehailing companies. Moreover, the methodologies introduced can be used by transit agencies to internally evaluate opportunities and redundancies in services. Lastly, we hope that this effort provides proof of the research benefits associated with the recording and release of ridehailing data.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Mary C. Kingery-Page / People often move through public transit space only recognizing the functional qualities. In such an environment we become faceless bodies moving through the landscape. As our environments become increasingly functional, so do humans—we cycle anonymously between work and home with little spontaneous interaction occurring in between. The daily routine is executed in nonplace: “Where once there were places we now find nonplaces. In real places the human being is a person. He or she is an individual, unique and possessing a character. In nonplaces, individuality disappears. In nonplaces, character is irrelevant and one is only the customer or shopper, client or patients, a body to be seated, and address to be billed, a car to be parked” (Oldenburg 1989, 205). The Maplewood light rail station in St. Louis County, Missouri is an example of nonplace. Although functional, the landscape lacks character. In order to combat nonplace sociologist Ray Oldenburg suggests that we cultivate third places—liminal spheres between home and work that facilitate informal social interaction. A major component of third place is user accessibility. Therefore, the ability to physically and mentally access public transit space will be investigated as a design dilemma. Through the reframing of physical and mental accessibility the Maplewood MetroLink station will evolve into a third place capable of supporting informal social interaction. In order to understand the factors influencing social interaction in public transit space, five precedents were examined using the Project for Public Spaces definition of “place.” Characteristics found to promote social activity include linkages, flexibility, imageability and social infrastructure. The factors were further defined as ‘mental’ or ‘physical’ accessibility which were then used to analyze the Maplewood MetroLink station. After examining physical and mental accessibility at the Maplewood MetroLink station, a design solution was proposed. The design encourages users to pause and interact with each other and the landscape in a highly mobile environment.

Over the last 40 years, there has been a dramatic increase nationwide in the rate of children being driven to school in a private vehicle in the U.S., exacerbating problems from traffic congestion to childhood obesity. While many studies have focused on walking and cycling for the trip to school, few explore parental decision making and the interaction between all travel modes. This study conducts a survey of parents of children attending six elementary schools in San Luis Obispo regarding their children’s travel to school. It explores factors in mode choice, establishes local travel patterns for children, and describes parents’ decision making and the interaction between driving and alternative modes: walking, cycling, school bus, and public transit. An association is found between child gender and parental permission for walking/cycling and riding public transit without adult supervision. An association is also found between parents’ own activity, walking/cycling and riding public transit, and their likelihood to encourage their children to use these modes. Based on survey findings, the study outlines strategy alternatives and recommends implementing free transit days for families, organizing a community safety audit for transit settings, forming a partnership between San Luis Coastal Unified School District and the City of San Luis Obispo to divert demand for school bus transportation to other alternative modes, and organizing a walking school bus.

Wayfinding Design for Randomly Developed Areas: The Beltline Case Study proposes a wayfinding signage program for the new public transit project in Atlanta known as the Beltline. This program unites the Beltline with other transit options within Atlanta, such as MARTA, to form a comprehensive transit system. This program will be known as The Atlanta Unified Transit Program. My proposed signage program includes map kiosks, information posts and signs promoting the various levels of transit offered in Atlanta as well as information about the areas surrounded by public transit. The signage examples created for my thesis are prototypes that could later be applied to any location within the area serviced by public transit.

Coordination of health and human service transportation programs in rural communities provides a source of sustainable funding for public transit. Significant funding is available for non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) for Medicaid-eligible clients. In 2009, 21 of the 39 rural transit districts in Texas received NEMT funds under the Texas Medical Transportation Program (MTP). The benefits of MTP funds to rural transit districts are an additional funding source, a consistent cash flow through regular reimbursement for MTP services, and the opportunity to maximize resources (vehicles, miles, hours) by combining MTP passenger trips with general public transit. However, MTP may also increase resources required (miles, hours) to deliver transportation due to program service requirements, resulting in a higher cost per passenger trip and reduced productivity due to longer trip lengths and time. The purpose of this research is to develop a resource-based cost allocation methodology to accurately reflect cost and resources by MTP and general public passenger trip and apply the methodology to five case studies to analyze the impact of MTP trips on general public transit service. Results of the case study analysis reveal that in four of the five case studies, MTP is more resource intensive than general public transportation. MTP passenger trips have longer trip lengths than general public trips ranging from additional mileage per passenger trip of 13 to 40 miles. Using a resource-based cost allocation methodology, in four of the five case studies, MTP trips have higher operating cost per boarding as compared to general public service ranging from a difference of $12 to as much as a $32 per passenger trip. Four of the five case study rural transit districts do not cover the full cost of providing MTP service with MTP revenues with a shortfall ranging from approximately $6.00 per passenger trip to $19.00 per passenger trip. The cumulative impact of MTP on the Texas Performance Funding Formula was found to be positive resulting from the significant positive impact on the local investment indicator. However, the additional funding generated by MTP in the funding formula is still not sufficient to compensate fully for the deficits found.