When implementing an intelligent transportation system (ITS), stakeholders often overlook the importance of evaluating the system once it is in place. Determining the extent to which the objectives of an investment have been met is important to not only the agency involved, but also to other agencies, so that lessons are learned and mistakes are not repeated in future projects. An effective evaluation allows a transit provider to identify and address areas that could use improvement. Agencies implementing ITS investments often have different goals, needs, and concerns that they hope their project will address and consequently the development of a generic evaluation plan is difficult to develop. While it is recognized that the U.S. Department of Transportation has developed guidelines to aid agencies in evaluating such investments, this research is intended to complement these guidelines by assisting in the evaluation of a site specific ITS investment. It presents an evaluation framework and plan that provides a systematic method for assessing the potential impacts associated with the project by defining objectives, measures, analysis recommendations, and data requirements. The framework developed specifically addresses the ITS investment on the OmniLink local route deviation bus service in Prince William County, Virginia, but could be used as a basis for the evaluation of similar ITS investments. The OmniLink ITS investment includes an automatic vehicle location (AVL) system, mobile data terminals (MDTs), and computer-aided dispatch (CAD) technology. / Master of Science

Dallas, Texas, faces transportation problems common to all metropolitan areas. This thesis will examine the effort of the City of Dallas to find a solution to a particular transportation problem, that of public transit. Events leading to the city's purchase of a privately owned transit company and problems encountered during the year after the purchase will be primarily considered in this thesis. The basic methodology consisted of interviews with persons directly connected with the transit operation, including city administrators, City Council members, and transit board members. A newspaper reporter, closely associated with the problem from beginning to end, gave an objective, eye-witness account of the situation. Additionally, newspaper accounts of the transition from private to public transit ownership provided a useful chronology, and letters and public documents supplied other information. City leaders realized that a good transit system was a vital part of a balanced Metropolitan program of transportation. Because the privately owned transit company was not providing adequate bus service, the city found it desirable to assume public ownership of the transit operation through purchase of the Dallas Transit Company in January, 1964.

Le choix d'un système de transport guidé de surface exploité en site propre (TCSP) est un travail complexe et difficile. Les différents systèmes peuvent sembler offrir des services équivalents pour les utilisateurs tandis que manquent souvent les informations nécessaires pour mieux distinguer les différences entre tel ou tel système. L'objectif de cette recherche vise, au-delà d'une présentation des différents systèmes guidés de surface qui structurent les réseaux de transport public en France, à procéder à une analyse comparative afin de mieux guider les choix des collectivités territoriales, dans le contexte des efforts qu'elles conduisent pour promouvoir des transports urbains répondant aux enjeux du développement durable. Les avantages et points faibles de chaque système est analysé et présenté de manière désagrégée. De manière complémentaire, est proposée et discutée une méthode multicritère ELECTRE III permettant d'agréger les résultats obtenus et de proposer le (ou les) système(s) le(s) mieux adapté(s) à différents contextes d'exploitation. Le résultat principal met en évidence le fait que le tramway moderne sur fer occupe une place privilégiée dans la majorité des scenarii. Cependant, le CIVIS, le Translohr, TVR et même le trolleybus ont leur place selon le contexte d'exploitation, dès lors en particulier que sont pris en compte les coûts d'infrastructure et d'exploitation associés. Les résultats de cette recherche nous encouragent en outre à recommander, chaque fois qu'il y a un projet de système de transport de surface, de passer en revue la gamme des systèmes et d'effectuer l'analyse comparative avec les différentes contraintes du lieu et du moment, en y intégrant une vision de moyen et long terme et les effets prévisibles sur l'aménagement urbain / The choice of a guided surface transit system operated on separated RoW is a complex and difficult task. Even if different transit systems could provide equivalent services to users, we often lack the necessary information to better distinguish among different systems. Beyond giving a presentation of different surface guided systems structuring the public transport networks in France, the aim of this research is to conduct a comparative analysis in order to better guide decisions of local authorities in their efforts to promote urban transport that meets the challenges of sustainable development. The advantages and the drawbacks of each system are analyzed and presented in a disaggregated way. In addition, a multicriteria method ELECTRE III is proposed and discussed for aggregating the results and proposing system(s) best suited for different operating conditions. The main result shows that the modern tramway on rail occupies a privileged place in most scenarios. However, the CIVIS, Translohr, TVR and even trolleybuses have their places with respect to operating conditions, given that the related infrastructure and operating costs are taken into account. The results of this research therefore encourage us to recommend, every time we propose a surface transit system, to review the whole range of systems and to do the comparative analysis with different context and time constraints integrating mid-term and long-term visions and predictable effects on the urban requalification

FR :Malgré des pratiques de mobilité qui se diversifient, le poids de la voiture au sein des déplacements intrabruxellois reste important. Les nuisances engendrées par ces pratiques sont aussi bien d’ordre économique, social, qu’environnemental et forment un système complexe dont les conséquences dommageables pour la collectivité sont de surcroît accentuées par le contexte urbain.En s’inscrivant dans une logique visant dès lors à renforcer l’utilisation des transports publics et à mieux connecter les différentes parties de la ville, cette recherche pose la question de la desserte des quartiers bruxellois et particulièrement celle d’une meilleure compréhension des logiques sous-jacentes. Pour y répondre, la thèse combine une approche théorique basée sur l’analyse de la littérature scientifique ainsi qu’une approche empirique dont la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale constitue le cas d’étude.Ce faisant, les mesures réalisées à l’heure de pointe matinale d’un jour ouvrable mettent en évidence une forte hétérogénéité des temps de parcours, y compris s’agissant de rejoindre une série de pôles d’activités de premier plan. Il apparaît également que la variance observée est subordonnée à des logiques radiales et concentriques, et que sa partie expliquée n’est pas liée uniquement aux facteurs les plus fréquemment mis en évidence au sein de la littérature, tels que ceux se rapportant à la densité.Par ailleurs, le trafic automobile pèse encore lourdement sur les temps de parcours, les allongeant en moyenne d’un quart en dépit des politiques menées ces dernières années, visant à protéger les transports publics. Mais à côté de cela, l’organisation interne des réseaux a également un impact considérable, ce qui souligne le rôle des opérateurs de transport. La contribution importante, actuelle ou potentielle, des opérateurs autres que la STIB est d’ailleurs révélée.Enfin, devant le manque de cohérence des pouvoirs publics, les résultats obtenus montrent également tout l’intérêt de faire de l’accessibilité des quartiers en transport public un objectif fort de la politique régionale. En effet, alors que 30% de la population bruxelloise réside actuellement au sein de quartiers présentant un déficit d’accessibilité compte tenu de sa localisation, se pose la question d’une vision permettant de lier, sur le long terme, le développement de la ville à des pratiques de mobilités plus durables, ce que permet précisément ce concept géographique fondamental. / EN :Despite mobility practices which are becoming more diversified, the proportion of cars used for travel within Brussels remains significant. The harm caused by these practices has an economic, social and environmental impact, and forms a complex system with detrimental effects on the community, which are more pronounced in the urban context.In a perspective aimed at reinforcing the use of public transport and at making better connections between the different parts of the city, the present research raises questions regarding the service provided in the neighbourhoods of Brussels and, in particular, the underlying rationales and how to have a better understanding of them. In order to answer these questions, the thesis combines a theoretical approach based on an analysis of the academic literature and an empirical approach for which the Brussels-Capital Region constitutes the case study.In doing so, the measurements taken during the morning rush hour on a weekday highlight a marked heterogeneity in travel time, including travel to a series of major poles of activity. It also appears that the variance observed is subordinate to radial and concentric logic, and that the part of it which is accounted for is not only linked to the factors which are highlighted most often in the literature, such as those related to density.Furthermore, car traffic still weighs heavily on travel time, increasing its length by one quarter on average, despite the policies implemented in recent years, aimed at protecting public transport. But in addition to this, the internal organisation of networks also has a considerable impact, which underlines the role of transport operators. The significant contribution – present or potential – of operators other than STIB is also revealed.Finally, faced with the lack of coherence of the public authorities, the results obtained also show how important it is to make the accessibility of neighbourhoods by public transport a main objective of regional policy. While 30% of the population of Brussels currently resides in neighbourhoods with poor accessibility due to their location, the question is raised with regard to a vision allowing a connection between the development of the city and more sustainable mobility practices in the long term, which is precisely what this fundamental geographical concept allows. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The decision to live in a particular place, accept a job at a distant location, where to go shopping or purchase groceries, and many other similar decisions are all largely influenced by the availability of transportation. As such, it is important that everyone who requires transportation can have access. However, certain population segments, such as low income earners, are less likely to own cars due to the cost involved. There are others who may be impaired physically or have other difficulties that may prevent them from driving. Access to transportation is essential for people of all backgrounds and social statuses. Public transportation is therefore put in place by some cities to enhance the mobility and accessibility of commuters. This study assesses the services of the GO bg public transit service in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to determine how well its services meet the transportation needs of some population sub-groups in the city. A number of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques, including service area analysis, intersect, areal proportion, and demand mapping, were employed in assessing the existing transit routes and stops, and the extent to which certain demographic groups, such as African Americans, Hispanics, seniors aged 65 and older, and low-income households, were served. The study also used spatial proximity to determine accessibility options from transit stops for transit riders. In this study, accessibility was determined based on the available destinations of some basic consumer necessities in the study area such as health, education, shopping, and recreation. The results of this study suggest that the GO bg transit service on the whole has a reasonable level of coverage, particularly within five-minute and seven-minute walking distances. It also provides acceptable accessibility to major activity centers such as health centers, higher educational institutions, grocery stores, and other places of basic needs, and most of these centers are within five-minute walking distance from the current bus stops. Findings from this study should help the management of public transit services in the study area and improve the provision of transit services to meet the transportation needs of vulnerable members of the community, such as transit dependent individuals. In addition, it could also contribute to the rather limited literature on studies of public transportation in small U.S. cities.

As managers of extensive vehicle fleets and transportation infrastructures, public transit agencies present unique opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector. To achieve substantial and cost-effective GHG emissions reductions from their activities, public transit agencies need tools and resources that enable effective GHG emissions management. This research thesis presents the background, methodology, and results of the author's development of a public transit agency-level life cycle GHG emissions calculator. The development of the calculator involved a series of research efforts aimed at identifying and addressing the needs of transit agency GHG emissions management: a review of background information on climate change and public transit's role in mitigating climate change; a review of existing GHG emissions calculators for public transit agencies, a review of the methodologies for life cycle GHG emissions analysis; integration and adaption of existing calculation resources; development of calculator spreadsheets for estimating relevant lifecycle GHG emissions and quantifying GHG emission reduction cost-effectiveness; application of the developed calculator to a carbon footprint analysis for a typical mid-size to large-size transit agency; and application of the developed calculator to the evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of various potential strategies for reducing transit agency GHG emissions. The developed calculator provides an integrative resource for quantifying GHG emissions and costs of public transit agency activities, including GHG emission reduction strategies. Further research is needed to calibrate the estimation of upstream life cycle GHG emissions, particularly for vehicle manufacture and maintenance.

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a relatively new mode with a wide range of applications that are still not well understood. Its explosive growth in developing and developed countries has increased its exposure but has led to mostly experimental implementation with mixed results. Therefore, better understanding about the reasons behind BRT implementation success and shortcomings is needed. The objective of this thesis is to evaluate the state of BRT planning under different contexts by assessing how background theory and practical implementation of BRT systems compare. The scope is limited to current a detailed evaluation of 13 case studies in the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador chosen to represent some of the most succesful and established systems in the world. Data was obtaiend from previous research as well as direct reporting from agencies. The evaluation is performed through qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative methods classify BRT systems by characteristics and assess the relationship between their implementation and performance using the criteria defined in the literature. Quantitative methods build upon the previous analysis to more precisely assess their performance from both the users' and the transit providers' perspectives. This research found that BRT as a public transit mode has a large room of improvement in terms of design and implementation, since there is a significant variability in performance under similar conditions and a considerable gap between planning best practices and implementation. Also, that planning guidelines are still in an early stage of development and difer in scope and application to a particular context. It also found that its success is not conscribed to developing countries, but that its wide range of applications need to be better adapted to the context they should serve. The findings are significant because they dispel myths about the real potential of BRT and partially identify the reasons behind successes and failures of current systems, such as understimation of implementation times and lack of knowledge about component integration. Further research should approach these issues mainly in two complementary directions. First, it should focus on expanding the case study approach to the newer systems in operation once better data is available. Second,it should further advance the development of theoretical framwork for better operational design based on urban form, as well as an evaluation framework that puts more emphasis on user experience and sustainability. Finally, the findings reinforce that BRT is a distinct mode so that systems that do not meet its criteria should not be named as such.

This research uses the recent development of bus rapid transit (BRT) on Cleveland, Ohio’s Euclid Avenue corridor as a case-study to explore the links between public transit, public space, and urban planning. Using Fredric Jameson’s (1981) method of textual analysis from The Political Unconscious, I explore the ways the BRT provides access to a buried class consciousness in the city as well as a “symbolic resolution” between conflicting agendas of development and equity. Contextualizing the new spaces of the BRT using a synthesis of Jameson’s (1984) theorization of postmodernism, Mike Davis’ (1990) militarization of public space, and Michel de Certeau’s (1984) spatial practices, I discuss the ways these spaces are remade by individual users as a vital public space despite the BRT’s embedded market ideology and repressive security apparatus. Additionally, I explore what BRT’s ‘ideology of form’ can tell us about the ideology of the dominant paradigm of planning today, New Urbanism, and use it as departure for a closing discussion of Utopian desires in planning. / text

This thesis consists of four self-contained essays. Essay 1 (with Olof Åslund and Matz Dahlberg): In this essay we investigate the impact of commuter train access on individual labor market outcomes. Our study considers the exogenous introduction of a commuter train linking locations in the northern part of Uppsala County (Sweden) to the regional employment center, considerably decreasing commuting times by public transit to the center for those living close to the pre-existing railroad. Using difference-in-differences matching techniques on comprehensive individual panel data spanning over a decade, our intention-to-treat estimates show that the reform had mainly no impact on the earnings and employment development among the affected individuals. Essay 2: In this essay I look into the role of public transit for residential sorting by studying how the introduction of a commuter train linking locations in the northern part of Uppsala County (Sweden) to the regional employment center affected migration patterns in the areas served. Using a difference-in-difference(-in-difference) approach and comprehensive individual level data, I find that the commuter train had a positive effect on overall in-migration to the areas served and no effect on the average out-migration rate from these areas. With regards to sorting based on labor market status, I find no evidence of sorting based on employment status but some evidence that the train introduction increased the probability of moving out of the areas served for individuals with high labor incomes relative to the probability for individuals with lower income. Considering sorting along other lines than labor market status, the analysis suggests that people born in non-western countries came to be particularly attracted towards the areas served by the commuter train as compared to other similar areas. Essay 3: In this essay I look into the relation between housing mix and social mix in metropolitan Stockholm (Sweden) over the period 1990-2008. Using entropy measures, I find that although the distribution of tenure types over metropolitan Stockholm became somewhat more even over the studied period, people living in different tenure types still to a large extent tended to live in different parts of the city in 2008. The degree of residential segregation was much lower between different population groups. I further find that the mix of family types, and over time also of birth region groups and income groups, was rather different between different tenure types in the same municipality. The mix of different groups however tended to be similar within different tenure types in the same neighborhood. While the entropy measures provide a purely descriptive picture, the findings thus suggest that tenure type mix could be more useful for creating social mix at the municipal level than for creating social mix at the neighborhood level. Essay 4 (with Matz Dahlberg): The last decade’s immigration to western European countries has resulted in a culturally and religiously more diverse population in these countries. This diversification manifests itself in several ways, where one is through new features in the cityscape. Using a quasi-experimental approach, essay 4 examines how one such new feature, public calls to prayer, affects neighborhood dynamics (house prices and migration). The quasi-experiment is based on an unexpected political process that lead way to the first public call to prayer from a mosque in Sweden combined with rich (daily) information on housing sales. While our results indicate that the public calls to prayer increased house prices closer to the mosque, we find no evidence that the public calls to prayer served as a driver of residential segregation between natives and people born abroad around the mosque in question (no significant effects on migration behavior). Our findings are consistent with a story where some people have a willingness to pay for the possibility to more fully exert their religion which puts an upward pressure on housing in the vicinity of a mosque with public calls to prayer.

With the uncertainty of future energy supplies and the impacts of global warming, rapid transit is becoming increasingly important as part of the transportation mix in North American cities. The conventional choice for rapid transit alignments are off-street corridors such as rail and highway right-of-ways. More recently, cities are locating rapid transit projects along arterial street right-of-ways, to influence more transit-supportive development rather than low-density, single use environments common throughout North America. Promoting transit alignments that provide the best opportunity for this type of development, known as development-oriented transit, is essential for influencing a change in urban transportation habits and building more resilient cities. This research analyzes the benefits of these alignments by studying the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project and Red Line in Cleveland, and the Central Corridor and Hiawatha Line in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Visiting these cities and interviewing professionals associated with the projects revealed the benefits of on-street rapid transit by comparing ridership, development potential, placemaking, travel time and safety of both on-street and off-street rapid transit. On-street rapid transit provides the best opportunity for a long-term vision for city building through the creation of dense, mixed-use transit-oriented corridors where people can live, work, recreate, access services and shop. Results and potential implications were presented to professionals in Winnipeg associated with the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor (SWRTC). The goal was to understand the implications of the findings for the SWRTC and if on-street rapid transit would work along Pembina Highway. Respondents disagreed that an on-street solution was appropriate, which revealed contradictions between the findings from key informant interviews and literature reviewed versus focus group responses. The SWRTC is designed as a flexible route network system that will allow mixed traffic buses to pick up riders in their neighbourhoods and use the dedicated busway to bypass north-south traffic congestion. This plan is focused on minimizing travel time for a suburban to downtown commute, rather than development potential. This research has found that rapid transit alignments should be focused on transit supportive development and providing direct access to places people need to go on a daily basis. On-street rapid transit provides the best opportunity to do so.