Emerging technologies and business models have contributed to the improvement of transportation systems and services towards a more sustainable approach to mobility. Shared mobility has become widespread as a viable solution to the increasing demand for transportation. Many cities worldwide have implemented shared mobility service and demonstrated that it could offer numerous environmental and operational benefits. However, their implementation in rural and suburban areas that feature lower population density and dispersed travel demand is not receiving the same attention. This research considers four suburban communities to evaluate the operation of a fleet of shared mobility as a potential substitute for the currently fix-route public transportation services. For each area, four scenarios were defined to consider different powertrain technologies. These scenarios include the Internal Combustion Engine, Battery Electric, and two Autonomous Electric Vehicles scenarios. While assessing the efficiency of the fleet composition system, four vehicle sizes are considered. Further, an optimized routing solution for serving the known travel demand is utilized to calculate the total cost of fleet ownership, which accounts for the purchase price, energy consumption, CO2, and driver labour costs. The results highlight potential benefits of adopting a fleet of shared Autonomous Electric Vehicles for the case studies and show approximately 67-68% and 69-70% savings compared to a shared fleet of conventional and Battery Electric vehicles, respectively, mainly due to the omission of the driver costs. In the absence of operationally safe Autonomous Electric Vehicles, the more conservative scenario of employing a fleet of shared Autonomous Electric Vehicles with the presence of safety attendants could result in 6-8% and 13-14% savings compared to a shared fleet of conventional and Battery Electric vehicles. Nevertheless, the results indicate low utilization rates for the fleet attributed to the inconsistency in demand throughout the day. The results provided in this research can inform policymakers and service providers and be used for further evaluations of such transportation services. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / In pursuit of more equitable, sustainable, and connected transportation services in rural and suburban areas, this research investigates the quantitative benefits and costs of operating a ride-sharing service for four suburban areas located in Hamilton, Ontario. The study considers and compares several options in vehicle sizes and technologies to provide a better ground of knowledge for service providers and policymakers.

abstract: This dissertation research contributes to the advancement of activity-based travel forecasting models along two lines of inquiry. First, the dissertation aims to introduce a continuous-time representation of activity participation in tour-based model systems in practice. Activity-based travel demand forecasting model systems in practice today are largely tour-based model systems that simulate individual daily activity-travel patterns through the prediction of day-level and tour-level activity agendas. These tour level activity-based models adopt a discrete time representation of activities and sequence the activities within tours using rule-based heuristics. An alternate stream of activity-based model systems mostly confined to the research arena are activity scheduling systems that adopt an evolutionary continuous-time approach to model activity participation subject to time-space prism constraints. In this research, a tour characterization framework capable of simulating and sequencing activities in tours along the continuous time dimension is developed and implemented using readily available travel survey data. The proposed framework includes components for modeling the multitude of secondary activities (stops) undertaken as part of the tour, the time allocated to various activities in a tour, and the sequence in which the activities are pursued. Second, the dissertation focuses on the implementation of a vehicle fleet composition model component that can be used not only to simulate the mix of vehicle types owned by households but also to identify the specific vehicle that will be used for a specific tour. Virtually all of the activity-based models in practice only model the choice of mode without due consideration of the type of vehicle used on a tour. In this research effort, a comprehensive vehicle fleet composition model system is developed and implemented. In addition, a primary driver allocation model and a tour-level vehicle type choice model are developed and estimated with a view to advancing the ability to track household vehicle usage through the course of a day within activity-based travel model systems. It is envisioned that these advances will enhance the fidelity of activity-based travel model systems in practice. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Civil and Environmental Engineering 2014

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: FoodBank South Africa is an non-profit organisation formed to establish a national network of community foodbanks in urban and rural areas of South Africa, with all participants working towards the common goal of eliminating hunger and food insecurity. FoodBank Cape Town was the first of these community foodbanks launched in South Africa on 2 March 2009. The operations of FoodBank Cape Town include sourcing food and redistributing it to agencies (social services organisations running feeding programmes). Currently the majority of the food is sourced from the retail sector and then redistributed to approximately two hundred agencies. The logistics involved in both sourcing and distributing food are vital to the efficient functioning of FoodBank Cape Town. Since the costs associated with these logistics operations are very high, streamlining these operations has been identified as a priority area for efficiency improvement. The focus in this thesis is on the distribution logistics involved, specifically focussing on a facility location problem according to which FoodBank Cape Town can establish local distribution depots to which it delivers food and from which the agencies collect food assigned to them. A mixed-integer programming model is formulated for the above facility location problem and small test instances of the problem are solved using different exact and approximate solution methods in order to identify a suitable solution methodology for the full (large-scale) FoodBank Cape Town facility location problem. The full facility location problem is solved approximately by means of a meta-heuristic solution method in the more highly constrained instances, while an exact method is selected for solving the lesser constrained instances. The problem is first solved based on the distances between the warehouse and the depots as well as the distances between the agencies and the depots, for the twenty four instances where 17 to 40 depots are located. The model is then developed further to incorporate the cost of distribution. This cost-based facility location model is solved with a view to minimise the cost of food distribution from the warehouse to the depots and the cost of food distribution incurred by each agency to collect food from its assigned depot. A basic vehicle routing technique is applied to the cost-based facility location solution and the associated costs of the distribution are updated. This cost-based solution updating process is performed iteratively until the solution converges. Since the cost of food distribution depends on the vehicle fleet composition used, a vehicle fleet composition comparison of possible FoodBank Cape Town vehicles is performed to determine the most desirable vehicle fleet composition to be used for the distribution of food to depots. The results of the FoodBank Cape Town facility location problem and vehicle fleet composition comparison are presented and recommendations are made to FoodBank Cape Town regarding the preferred number of depots, the location of these depots and the preferred vehicle fleet composition. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: FoodBank South Africa is ’n nie-winsgewende organisasie wat ten doel het om ’n nasionale netwerk van gemeenskapsvoedselbanke in stedelike en landelike gebiede van Suid-Afrika op die been te bring, waarin al die deelnemers die gemeenskaplike doel nastreef om honger en voedselonsekerheid te elimineer. Foodbank Cape Town was die eerste van hierdie gemeenskapsvoedselbanke in Suid-Afrika en is op 2 Maart 2009 gestig. Die take van Foodbank Cape Town sluit in die versameling van voedsel en die verspreiding daarvan aan agentskappe (gemeenskapsorganisasies wat voedingsprogramme bestuur). Die oorgrote meerderheid voedsel is tans uit die kleinhandelsektor afkomstig en word aan ongeveer tweehonderd agentskappe versprei. Die logistiek wat met hierdie versamelings- en verspreidingsprosesse gepaard gaan, is sentraal tot die doeltreffende funksionering van FoodBank Cape Town. Aangesien die kostes verbonde aan hierdie logistieke prosesse baie hoog is, is hierdie aktiwiteite as ’n prioriteitsarea vir verbetering geidentifiseer. Die fokus in hierdie tesis val op die logistiek verbonde aan die verspreiding van voedsel deur FoodBank Cape Town, en meer spesifiek op die probleem van die plasing van ’n aantal lokale verspreidingsdepots waar FoodBank Cape Town voedsel kan aflewer en waar die agentskappe dan voedsel wat aan hulle toegeken is, kan gaan afhaal. ’n Gemengde heeltallige-programmeringsmodel word vir die bogenoemde plasingsprobleem geformuleer en klein gevalle van die model word deur middel van beide eksakte en benadere oplossingstegnieke opgelos om sodoende ’n geskikte oplossingsmetode vir die volle (grootskaalse) Food- Bank Cape Town plasingsmodel te identifiseer. Die volle plasingsmodel word aan die hand van ’n metaheuristiese oplossingstegniek benaderd opgelos vir hoogsbeperkte gevalle van die model, terwyl minder beperkte gevalle van die model eksak opgelos word. Die plasingsmodel word eers met die oog op die minimering van afstande tussen die pakhuis en verspreidingsdepots sowel as tussen die verspreidingsdepots en agentskappe vir die vier-en-twintig gevalle van die plasing van 17 tot 40 verspreidingsdepots opgelos. Die model word dan verder ontwikkel om ook die koste van die verspreiding van voedsel in ag te neem. Die koste-gebaseerde plasingsmodel word opgelos met die doel om die voedselbankkoste van voedselverspreiding vanaf die pakhuis na die lokale verspreidingsdepots sowel as die agentskapkoste van die afhaal van voedsel vanaf verspreidingsdepots te minimeer. ’n Basiese voertuigroeteringstegniek word op die koste-gebaseerde plasingsmodel toegepas en die verspreidingskoste word dienooreenkomstig aangepas. Hierdie aanpassingsproses van die koste-gebaseerde oplossing word herhaal totdat die oplossing konvergeer. Aangesien die koste van voedselverspreiding afhang van die voertuigvlootsamestelling, word ’n vergelyking tussen moontlike vlootsamestellings vir FoodBank Cape Town getref om die mees geskikte samestelling van voertuie vir die verspreiding van voedsel te vind. Die resultate van die FoodBank Cape Town verspreidingsdepot-plasingsprobleem en vlootsamestellingsvergelyking word aangebied en ’n aanbeveling word aan FoodBank Cape Town gemaak in terme van ’n geskikte aantal verspreidingsdepots, waar hierdie depots geleë behoort te wees, en ’n geskikte voertuigvlootsamestelling vir die verspreiding van voedsel.

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CAPITULO 1 â Perfil dos carpinteiros artesanais de embarcaÃÃes a vela do litoral do estado do Cearà No contexto mundial, durante o sÃculo XV, a construÃÃo naval das embarcaÃÃes veleiras passaram por evoluÃÃes que propiciaram o empreendimento de grandes viagens. Chegando ao Brasil iniciou-se um longo processo de interaÃÃo construtiva das embarcaÃÃes locais com o conhecimento europeu. As jangadas inicialmente construÃdas sem velas evoluÃram e se propagaram por todo o nordeste e, principalmente no Cearà como embarcaÃÃo de pesca artesanal, evoluindo das jangadas de troncos Ãs atuais de tÃbuas, assim como ocorreu evoluÃÃo construtiva artesanal das canoas e botes. O litoral cearense foi percorrido no perÃodo de setembro de 2010 a maio de 2012, identificando-se in loco os tipos de embarcaÃÃes construÃdas, e localizando e entrevistando construtores artesanais de embarcaÃÃes a vela, foco principal deste trabalho. Foram entrevistados 36 carpinteiros de comprovado reconhecimento local, que responderam questionÃrio estruturado com perguntas direcionadas diretamente à identificaÃÃo do construtor artesanal, seu perfil profissional e da sua arte construtiva, permitindo registros fotogrÃficos, filmagens e gravaÃÃes. Os dados de cada questionÃrio foram transcritos para planilhas eletrÃnicas e analisadas, combinando com as gravaÃÃes de entrevistas transcritas e das filmagens. A pesquisa constatou a baixa escolaridade dos carpinteiros artesanais entrevistados, com 44% de alfabetizados e 42% de analfabetos; a inexistÃncia de qualquer registro construtivo empregado; mÃdia de idade; media de tempo de trabalho e frequÃncia da distribuiÃÃo do tempo de trabalho entre os carpinteiros entrevistados; influÃncia e origem do aprendizado e ausÃncia de enquadramento funcional destes jà que nÃo se aposentam como construtores artesanais. Resultados importantes foram obtidos sobre o perfil do carpinteiro artesanal cearense, considerados importantes para a manutenÃÃo da tradiÃÃo cultural de suas tÃcnicas aplicadas à construÃÃo de embarcaÃÃes a vela, e que compÃem o patrimÃnio histÃrico e socioeconÃmico do estado. CAPITULO 2 â A construÃÃo dos diferentes tipos de embarcaÃÃes a vela do litoral do estado do Cearà As embarcaÃÃes a vela sÃo usadas na pesca desde a Idade MÃdia e foram introduzidas no Brasil no inÃcio do descobrimento. No CearÃ, a frota veleira à constituÃda por jangadas, paquetes, canoas e botes, e este estudo objetivou descrever os aspectos e processo construtivos destas embarcaÃÃes, e verificar a existÃncia de diferenciaÃÃo entre localidades quanto aos custos, tempo de construÃÃo, materiais, ferramentas manuais, posicionamento dos mastros com os tipos e tamanhos de vela e elaboraÃÃo de planos de linhas. A metodologia constou de levantamentos de dados in loco, no perÃodo de maio 2010 a dezembro de 2012, com entrevistas com 36 carpinteiros artesanais em 25 localidades de praia de dezoito municÃpios, e aplicaÃÃo de questionÃrios e registros por gravaÃÃo, fotografia e filmagem. O mÃtodo construtivo adotado pelos construtores à o do âesqueleto primeiroâ, ao qual os diversos componentes sÃo acrescentados. O principio para a construÃÃo dos botes triÃngulo e bastardo à o mesmo adotado por toda a forÃa de trabalho, que sÃo idÃnticos no aspecto construtivo e de estrutura de casco, diferem no tipo de mastro e vela, tendo o bastardo um mastro fixo com vela latina bastarda e o bote triÃngulo vela latina triangular. Os custos de construÃÃo variam em ordem decrescente para botes, jangadas, canoas e paquetes, determinados pelo comprimento da embarcaÃÃo e tipo de madeira. Pontualmente, registrou-se em Bitupità a existÃncia da vela quadrangular latina, denominada de âvela quatro punhosâ, envergada em mastro bastardo nas canoas de curral. CAPITULO 3 â A navegaÃÃo praticada por mestres marcadores nas embarcaÃÃes a vela no estado do Cearà A orientaÃÃo praticada a bordo de embarcaÃÃes veleiras para navegaÃÃo e pesca utiliza referÃncias de terra para compor as linhas de posiÃÃo denominadas caminho e assento que, ao se cruzarem, determinam o local desejado. Esta atividade vem acontecendo desde a existÃncia da jangada de piÃba e se perpetua por transmissÃo entre geraÃÃes. O estudo foi desenvolvido com mestres marcadores de trÃs localidades, Baleia, Fortaleza e Redonda, onde predominam canoas, jangadas e botes, respectivamente. A prÃtica desta modalidade de navegaÃÃo à idÃntica para os diferentes tipos de embarcaÃÃo e diferem pouco entre as localidades estudadas. O exercÃcio da orientaÃÃo exige que o mestre marcador tenha boa visÃo e memÃria para encontrar caminho e assento, alÃm de sofrer restriÃÃes na ausÃncia da luz solar. Essa atividade à iniciada pelos marcadores ainda na juventude, e esses conhecimentos sÃo adquiridos independentes do grau de instruÃÃo e se consolidam tanto pelo exercÃcio da pesca quando pela experiÃncia adquirida. A observaÃÃo de estrelas e planetas revela a direÃÃo do caminho de volta ao porto de origem tendo a estrela do porto vÃrias denominaÃÃes no litoral cearense. A falta de visibilidade do litoral, ocasionada por chuva, cerraÃÃo ou outros fatores, interfere negativamente na identificaÃÃo de pontos de referÃncia existentes no litoral. A marcaÃÃo terrestre vem sendo gradativamente substituÃda pelo uso do GPS na localizaÃÃo dos pesqueiros mais produtivos, com grande aceitaÃÃo pelos mais jovens. O baixo preÃo e eficiÃncia comprovada desse equipamento tÃm justificado sua difusÃo ao longo de todo o litoral do CearÃ. CAPITULO 4 â EmbarcaÃÃes a vela do litoral do estado do CearÃ, distribuiÃÃo espacial da frota e da produÃÃo pesqueira O Cearà possui 573 km de litoral, distribuÃdo por 20 municÃpios costeiros e conta com 113 localidades de pesca estuarina e marinha. Este estudo se baseia nos seguintes dados estatÃsticos do Programa ESTATPESCA a- composiÃÃo da frota por tipo de barco e municÃpio; b- produÃÃo de pescado por tipo de barco e municÃpio; c- produÃÃo das principais espÃcies de peixe por tipo de embarcaÃÃo. Foi feita a descriÃÃo das caracterÃsticas das embarcaÃÃes a vela do Cearà de uma forma mais detalhada que as dividiu em jangadas ocada e de isopor; paquetes ocado e de isopor; canoa de Paracuru; canoa de Moitas-Baleia; canoa de Camocim (bianas); Canoa de Acarau-PreÃ-BitupitÃ; canoas de currais de BitupitÃ; canoa-paquete de Fleixeiras-Guagiru e botes triangulo e bastardo. Os resultados mostram que os paquetes sÃo maioria numÃrica e com maior distribuiÃÃo geogrÃfica, destacam-se pela versatilidade, por serem leves para encalhe e movimentaÃÃo na faixa de praia, pela necessidade de pequena tripulaÃÃo e baixo custo de construÃÃo e manutenÃÃo. Os botes tÃm a menor abrangÃncia territorial, com o bastardo bem concentrados em Camocim e o triÃngulo com maior concentraÃÃo em IcapuÃ. A canoa tem predominÃncia exclusiva no litoral oeste e a jangada, no litoral leste. Em termos relativos, as embarcaÃÃes participaram da captura nas seguintes proporÃÃes: canoas = 45,3 %; paquete = 22,3 %; botes = 22,4%, destacando-se os municÃpios de Camocim, Itarema, Icapuà e AcaraÃ. Estes tÃm produÃÃo mais seleta, capturando espÃcies de maior valor comercial, a saber guaiÃba, cavala, pargo, sirigado, carapitanga e dourado. As jangadas vÃm perdendo importÃncia relativa na captura do pescado, mas ainda com destaque para os municÃpios de Fortaleza, Aquiraz, Beberibe Cascavel e Aracati. / CHAPTER 1 â Profile of the artisanal carpenters of sail crafts in Cearà State In a worldwide scenario, during the XV Century, the naval building of sail craft underwent an evolutionary development that enabled the undertaking of long-length voyages across the oceans. By arriving at Brazil, an intensive interaction process between local sail boat construction and that of European-derived knowledge. The sail rafts, at first built without sail, were deployed over the whole Brazilian northeast, mainly in Cearà State, as artisanal crafts, evolving from simple dugouts to the actual wooden ones as well as canoes and rowboats. For this research work, the Cearà Stateâs coast was surveyed from September, 2010 to May, 2012, taking in situ stock of all types of constructed crafts, and pinpointing and interviewing artisanal builders of sailboats, who are than main target population of this survey. To this aim, 36 accomplished carpenters, locally recognized as such, were required to answer a number of questionnaires directed toward a full appraisal of the artisanal naval builders, its professional profile and handicraft, for which photographic records, pictures and sound recordings were obtained. The derived data were transferred to electronic spreadsheets and then analyzed by crosschecking the recorded interviews and the movie pictures. This survey led to the following results: occurrence of low reading ability by the artisanal carpenters so that 44 per cent were found to be illiterate; non-existence of any kind of professional registration by the competent public offices; mean age of 22.1 years; high mean working time and frequency of distribution among the sampled population; factors of influence and origin of learning techniques and absence of functional framing, since they to do not retire as naval builders. Significant results were got as to the artisanal carpentersâs profile in Cearà State, which were deemed quite relevant for the maintenance of the folklore of their techniques applied to the construction of sail crafts, and round up the historic and socioeconomic heritage of the Cearà Stateâs coastline . CHAPTER 2 â Construction of different types of sail craft along Cearà Stateâs coastline The sailboats are used in fisheries since the middle ages and were introduced in Brazil at the beginning of its discovery. The Cearà Stateâs fleet is made up of rafts, canoes and boats whose study was meant for describing aspects of the building process and for ascertaining the existence of differentiation among fishing communities as to costs, construction time, basic materials, hand tools and positioning of masts according to boat size, sail types and setting of lining patterns. The methodology consisted of data surveys carried out locally, in the period from May, 2010 through December, 2012, by means of interviews with 36 artisanal carpenters in 25 fishing sites of 18 costal counties, by applying questionnaires and data gathering by recording, photography and movie pictures. The constructive technique consists of mounting a âprimary skeletonâ to which all other component parts are attached. The building principle of the triangle and bastard boats is the same as adopted by the whole of the labor force, which are identical as to their constructive pattern and hull framework, but differ as to the types of masts ands sails, namely the bastard one having a fixed mast and a storm jib, and the triangle one having a triangular storm jib. The construction costs vary in a decreasing order for boats, rafts and canoes, as determined by the craft length and kind of timber. Somewhat exceptionally there was identified in BitupitÃ, Barroquinha county, the existence of a square storm jib named âfour-fist sailâ, bent up as a bastard mast in the fish-weir canoes. CHAPTER 3 â The navigation practiced by master position markers on board sail boats in Cearà State The orientation carried out on board sailboats for navigation and fishing makes use of landmarks in order to compose the position lines named pathway and outpost that, while intercrossing, determine the sought after site. This activity has been taking place since the very early existence of the sail raft and it endures itself from generation to generation. This study was undertaken by master markers in some fishing localities, namely Baleia, Fortaleza and Redonda where canoes, sail rafts and boats are respectively predominant. The practice of this kind of navigation is similar for the various types of boats and diverges from one another very little among the studied landing points. The exercise of orientation requires that the master marker has got good eyesight and memory in order to find out the pathway and the outpost, besides undergoing setbacks from the absence of sunlight. That activity is started when the fisherman is still young, and his long-lived expertise is acquired independently of the educational degree as it is derived from both the fishing chores and the accumulated experience. The observation of stars and planets reveals the way back to the home port whose identifying star receives many nominations along Cearà Stateâs coastline. The lack of visibility brought about by rain, clouding, and other factors meddle with the identification of conspicuous landmarks. This age- old technique has been gradually replaced by the use of GPS devices for pinpointing the most productive fishing grounds, with a high degree of acceptance by the young generation. The low purchase price and the proved efficiency of that equipment has accounted for the diffusion of their advantages among the fishing communities of Cearà State. CHAPTER 4 â Sail crafts in Cearà Stateâs coastline: fleet and fishing production spatial distribution The Cearà Stateâs coastline spreads over 573 km distributed by 20 coastal counties, and 113 estuarine and marine fishing communities. This study is based on the following statistical data gathered through the ESTATPESCA Program: fleet composition by types of boat and county; fish production by type of boat and county; catch composition of the main fish species by type of boat. A detailed description of the sailboats in Cearà was presented in order to provide information on a number of variants of their main types, namely hollow raft, styrofoam-fulled rafts, canoe from Paracuru, canoe from Moitas-Baleia; canoe from Camocim; canoe from AcaraÃ-PreÃ-BitupitÃ; canoe from Bitupità fish-weirs, canoe-raft from Fleixeiras-Guagiru, triangle boat and bastard boat. The results show the small raft holds a numeric majority and a wider geographic distribution, standing out by being lighter to anchor on the beach sand, requiring fewer crew, and entailing lower construction and maintenance costs. The boats show a narrower territorial range, with the bastard ones being concentrated in Camocim county and the triangle ones more frequent in Icapuà county. The canoe and the large-sized raft hold an outstanding predominance on the western and the eastern sides of Cearà Stateâs coastline, respectively. In relative terms, the main types of fishing craft took part in the caches according to the following proportions: canoes = 45.3 per cent; small raft = 22.3 per cent; boats = 22.4 per cent. Among their home counties stand out Camocim, Itarema, Icapuà and AcaraÃ, the ones that boast a more exclusive fish production made out of such species as yellowtail snapper, king mackerel, Caribbean red snapper, black grouper, dog snapper and dolphin. The large-sized rafts have shown of late a tendency for playing a lesser part in fish catching, but they are still relevant in such Cearà Stateâs counties as Fortaleza, Aquiraz, Beberibe Cascavel and Aracati.