Information on transit ridership and operations is a necessary condition as far as efficient management is considered. Transit managements on the acquisition of such a data base can confirm predictions about scheduling, receive warnings about potential dangers and plan future operations on a much broader and precise base. Data from passenger counts provide essential information to marketing and scheduling personnel by identifying peak load-points and the such. Using manual collection methods for such data is expensive and prone to human errors. Automatic Passenger Counting (APC) systems are viewed as an improved and economical technique for data collection. Such systems monitor the progress of a particular vehicle — its position, number of passengers getting on and off, times and distances between stops — and make this data available for processing. These are state of the art systems, mostly microprocessor based and often embracing a modular structure. The Red Pine system is such a system with different dedicated modules for each bank of tasks. Multitasking software is seen to be an powerful tool for such systems and simplify the architecture of the system hardware. A CHMOS hardware design, suited for multitasking softwares is provided. Interfacing software for the Red Pine system has been developed and is explained. Debugging testing and simulation of the Red Pine hardware is detailed. Modifications have been recorded and improvements suggested. / Master of Science

Automatic Passenger Counter (APC) systems can be very powerful tools for helping transit managers make important decisions about transit operations. Compared to the traditional method of manual data collection, they are a definite improvement. Not only can they collect data tirelessly for days at a time for far less cost, but they also provide very accurate information about the time and distance at which passenger activities occur. This information can be quickly processed into meaningful reports using specially developed software, reducing data turnaround time from months to minutes. This thesis describes the development and installation of an APC system for Valley Metro of Roanoke, Virginia. The research was carried out by the Departments of Civil and Electrical Engineering at Virginia Tech with funding provided by the Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation. The result is an integrated system of equipment, software, and operating techniques which will greatly improve the flow of information at Valley Metro, allowing management the time and resources to do more planning and less paperwork. The work is significant for the following reasons: The software is easy to learn and use and can be run on inexpensive personal computers. The project demonstrates that APC systems are feasible for small transit companies, and that accurate location referencing can be achieved without signposts. The system could be applied at other small transit companies with very little modification required. The following chapters describe the project, including the experiences (both good and bad) and insights gained along the way. / M.S.

Cheuk Man Yuen, Kitty. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves x-xxiii). / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abstract --- p.iii / List of Tables --- p.v / List of Figures --- p.viii / Preface --- p.ix / Chapter Chapter One --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter Two --- Conceptual Framework and Methodologies / Chapter 2.1 --- Literature Review --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2 --- Conceptual Framework --- p.30 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Selection of Variables --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3 --- Method of Data Collection --- p.36 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Scope of Samples --- p.37 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Design of Questionnaire --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Pilot Survey --- p.41 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Actual Field Work --- p.41 / Chapter 2.3.5 --- The Limitaion of This Study --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3.6 --- Screening Process --- p.43 / Chapter 2.4 --- Method of Data Analysis --- p.44 / Chapter Chapter Three --- Market Regulation and Institutions / Chapter 3.1 --- Evidences of Passenger Mode-Choices Influenced by Regulatory Authorities --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2 --- The Offical Attitude towards the Cross-Border Vehicular Traffic --- p.61 / Chapter 3.3 --- The Means of Regulatory Control on the Cross-Border Traffic --- p.67 / Chapter 3.4 --- The Regulation of Cross-Border Traffic -A Conclusive Summary --- p.79 / Chapter Chapter Four --- The Nature and Characteristics of The Passengers and Their Trips / Chapter 4.1 --- Socio-economic Characteristics of Passengers --- p.85 / Chapter 4.2 --- "Passengers' Trip Purposes, Origins and Destinations" --- p.91 / Chapter 4.3 --- The Characteristics of Cross-Border Trips / Chapter 4.3.1 --- "Number of Transfer, Station Accessibility and Fare" --- p.102 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- "Convenience, Time and Comfort" --- p.119 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Departure Frequency and Return Trips --- p.127 / Chapter 4.4 --- Immigration Procedures and Check In-Out Time --- p.132 / Chapter Chapter Five --- Trip Direction and Weekday/Weekend Varaiations --- p.135 / Chapter Chapter Six --- Summaries and Discussions / Chapter 6.1 --- Summary --- p.151 / Chapter 6.2 --- Areas for Further Study --- p.154 / Appendices / Appendix I Questionnaire Form --- p.i / Appendix II List of Abbreviations --- p.v / Appendix III List of Interviews Conducted --- p.vi / Appendix IV Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Accuracy --- p.vii / Appendix V Definitation of Some Terms Concerning Discriminant Analysis --- p.viii / Bibliography --- p.x

Thesis (MTech (Town and Regional Planning))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2005 / Inadequacies of the current public transport system cause an inconvenience for "normal able-bodied" passengers; however, it arguably isolates Special Needs Passengers (SNPs) from employment opportunities, recreational and educational opportunities. This research study focuses on what one might term mobility-handicapped persons who find it difficult to move around, or to hear and see. The term SNP or mobilityhandicapped persons encompasses more than just disabled persons. It includes customers laden with shopping bags, pregnant women, or someone with a broken leg, inter alia. The public transport system should enable persons with disabilities to experience the most optimal level of independence. It is crucial to have an accessible public transport system, because this is the first step in achieving independence for many SNP's. At present the system does not even satisfy the needs of able-bodied persons. How then is it supposed to respond to Special Needs Passengers? The public transport system can be divided into 4 categories namely, Infrastructure, Shared Road and Pedestrian Environment, Information and Vehicles. At present, these components of the system do not function efficiently. This research study was undertaken from three main perspectives in regard to the City of Cape Town: • The performance of the public transport system with reference to SNPs, • The performance of the city in terms of it's urban qualities and SNPs, and • The adequacy of the existing legal provisions and policy frameworks with reference to SNPs.

This thesis describes the work done on the first phase of the implementation of an Automatic Passenger Counting (APC) system at the Roanoke Valley-Metro transit property. The primary objective of the first phase of this project was to create a software program to decode, edit, analyze and store the data from the APC. The second phase of the project will make reports by aggregating data from the work done in the first phase. The basis for efficient management of operations in transit properties is having accurate and reliable information on transit ridership, fare revenue, and schedule adherence for individual routes and for the transit system as a whole. Data from passenger counts are used to identify peak load points and quantify service demands. Fare revenue data are needed to analyze the systems productivity, and the time checks are essential to monitor and control the scheduling activities. The actual data collection efforts at Valley-Metro have proven to be obsolete, unreliable and very expensive. The new APC system offers the management at Valley-Metro with a new and powerful tool that will enhance their capability to make better decisions when allocating the service needs. / M.S.

abstract / toc / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning

Feng, Xiaofei. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-168). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in Chinese.

After decades of standstill in intercity passenger rail in the United States, the Obama administration recently started major initiatives to implement high-speed ground transportation projects that are expected to improve the nation's transportation system significantly, addressing most prevailing issues like congestion and energy prices while having positive effects on the economy. This study evaluates and compares two high-speed ground transportation systems that have the potential to improve intercity passenger transportation in the United States significantly: the wheel-on-rail high-speed system and the high-speed maglev system. Both high-speed ground transportation systems were evaluated with respect to 58 characteristics organized into 7 categories associated with technology, environmental impacts, economic considerations, user-friendliness, operations, political factors, and safety. Based on the performance of each system in each of the 58 characteristics, benefit values were assigned. In order to weight the relative importance of the different characteristics, a survey was conducted with transportation departments and transportation professionals. The survey produced weighting factors scoring each of the 58 characteristics and the 7 categories. Applying a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) approach, the overall utility values for either system were calculated based on the benefit values from the systems comparison and the weighting factors from the survey. It was shown that the high-speed maglev system is generally slightly superior over the wheel-on-rail high-speed system. Because the magnitude of the difference in the overall performance of both transportation systems is not very big, it is recommended that every project in the high-speed intercity passenger transportation market consider both HSGT systems equally.

Changes in climate caused by changes in anthropogenic (i.e. "man-made") greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have become a major public policy issue in countries all over the world. With an estimated 28.4% of these emissions attributed to the transportation sector, attention is being focused on strategies aimed at reducing transportation GHG emissions. Quantifying the change in GHG emissions due to such strategies is one of the most challenging aspects of integrating GHG emissions and climate change into transportation planning and policy analysis; the inventory techniques and methods for estimating the impact of different strategies and policies are still relatively unsophisticated. This research developed a method for estimating intercity passenger transportation energy and carbon footprints and applied this method to three US DOT-designated high speed rail (HSR) corridors in the U.S.-- San Francisco/Los Angeles/San Diego; Seattle/Portland/Eugene, and Philadelphia/Harrisburg/Pittsburg. The methodology consists of estimating the number of trips by mode, estimating the direct CO₂ emissions, and estimating indirect CO₂ emissions. For each study corridor the impacts of different strategies and policies on carbon dioxide emissions were estimated as an illustration of the policy application of the developed methodology. The largest gain in CO₂ savings can be achieved by strategies aiming at automobile emissions, due to its sizeable share as main mode and access/egress mode to and from airports and bus and train stations: an average fuel economy of 35.5 mpg would result in a 38-42% savings of total CO₂ emissions; replacing 25% of gasoline use with cellulosic ethanol can have a positive impact on CO₂ emissions of about 13.4-14.5%; and a 10% market share for electric vehicles would result in potential CO₂ savings of 3.4-7.8%. The impact of a 20% or 35% improvement in aircraft efficiency on CO₂ savings is much lower (0.88-3.65%) than the potential impacts of the policies targeting automobile emissions. Three HSR options were analyzed using Volpe's long-distance demand model: HSR125, HSR150, and HSR200. Only the HSR150 and HSR200 would result in CO₂ savings, and then just for two of the three corridors: the Pacific Northwest (1.5%) and California (0.8-0.9%). With increased frequency and load factors, a HSR150 system could result in CO₂ savings of 5.2% and 1.8% for the Pacific Northwest and California, respectively. This would require a mode shift from auto of 5-6%. This shift in auto mode share would mainly have to be a result of pricing strategies. From these results, HSR may not be such an obvious choice, however, with increased ridership and diversions from other modes, CO₂ savings increase significantly due to the lower emissions per passenger mile for HSR. The framework developed in this study has the ability to determine the GHG emissions for such HSR options and increased diversions.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning