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Factors influencing public transit operators' policies for accessible transportation
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Recent Doctoral Dissertations
trippers and improve the efficiency of reserve operators. Fourth, the performance measures developed to evaluate open work cover, hiring and operational policies have provided a firm basis for informed decision making at all levels. This in turn reduces the uncertainty underlying the overstaffing problem in most transit agencies, which has been estimated at about 7.2% of the operator workforce in U.S. transit properties (MacDorman and Associates, 1984).
A design methodology for bus transit route networks with coordinated operations. Shih, Mao-Chang, Ph.D. The University of Texas at Austin, 1994. 256 pp. Supervisor: Hani S. Mahmassani. Order Number DA94-28661 Previous approaches to bus transit network design focused on conventional service concepts that provide fixed route, fixed schedule, and uncoordinated systems, with the same vehicle size on all routes. As spatial trip patterns in most U.S. cities continue to evolve from a multiple origin, single destination pattern to a multiple origin, multiple destination pattern, conventional service concepts are no longer adequate to serve these new trip patterns. This dissertation incorporates three additional service design dimensions: route coordination, variable vehicle size, and demand responsive service, to better meet user needs and desired service levels. The complex formulation and the combinatorial nature of the transit network design problem preclude solution by exact optimization models. A hybrid heuristic approach that relies on AI heuristics and search techniques and incorporates domain-specific human knowledge and expertise is developed. The overall approach has evolved from a design methodology developed by Baaj and Mahmassani ( 199 I ) for conventional transit systems. The solution approach incorporates a trip assignment model explicitly for timed-transfer (coordinated) transit systems, a frequency setting and vehicle sizing model, and a demand responsive service procedure for the integration of fixed-route and fixed-schedule service with demand responsive service. The solution approach consists of four components. A route generation procedure constructs sets of bus routes corresponding to different service concepts and trade-offs between users and operators. A network evaluation procedure determines route frequencies and vehicle sizes and computes a variety of system performance measures reflecting user and operator costs. A transit center selection procedure identifies the set of transit centers to support the implementation of timed-transfer design and demand responsive service. A network improvement procedure applies modifications to the set of routes generated by the route generation procedure to improve performance in terms of the user’s and operator’s perspectives. The solution approach is tested with a benchmark problem and with data generated from the transit system of Austin, Texas.
Factors influencing public transit operators’ policies for accessible transportation. Simon, Rosalyn McCord, Ph.D. University of Maryland College Par-k, 1993. 199 pp. Adviser: Philip J. Burke. Order Number DA94-25136 In 1987, prior to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, public transit systems were adopting policies to purchase 100% accessible buses. Research was unavailable to determine how transit systems developed their policies for accessible transportation or why this trend toward accessibility emerged. The purpose of this study was to determine the national status of accessibility in public transit systems and to identify factors perceived by transit personnel to have influenced their policies for accessible transportation. A mail questionnaire was used to survey the entire population of 554 public fixed route bus operators. Respondents were asked to provide demographic information, a description of the level of accessibility of their bus systems and compliance with ADA requirements, and to rate the degree of influence of 23 factors on their service policies for accessible transportation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A 52% response was received. Analysis revealed that ADA implementation in transportation is underway. Among the systems surveyed, bus fleet accessibility was 52%; most systems (74%) were operating paratransit programs prior to ADA. Fixed route ridership is declining; paratransit ridership, particularly by persons with disabilities is increasing, while paratransit ridership by senior citizens is decreasing. Accessible transportation costs, primarily financed by local funds, are increasing as federal and state funding sources decline. The major barriers to ADA implementation reported by transit system representation are high costs, funding constraints, and operational problems surrounding complementary paratransit. ADA, attitudes of the general manager, transit board and senior management, and relationship with the disabled community were perceived as the most influential factors on the transit systems’ policies for accessible transportation. Results showed that the degree of influence of: local litigation, ADAPT, national and local advocacy groups, consumer advisory committees, public sentiment, relationship with the disabled community, and lift reliability increased with transit system size. ADA implementation is moving forward; fixed route accessibility is growing. Increased operating assistance is needed to implement the complementary paratransit provisions. However, conflict may emerge as consumers with disabilities and seniors are denied access to paratransit services. Mechanisms may be needed to facilitate communication between key ADA stakeholders.
A fuzzy knowledge-based operator assignment model for reducing accident rate in the urban mass transit systems. Nwankwo, Herbert Emenike, Ph.D.
Recent Doctoral Dissertations
trippers and improve the efficiency of reserve operators. Fourth, the performance measures developed to evaluate open work cover, hiring and operational policies have provided a firm basis for informed decision making at all levels. This in turn reduces the uncertainty underlying the overstaffing problem in most transit agencies, which has been estimated at about 7.2% of the operator workforce in U.S. transit properties (MacDorman and Associates, 1984).
A design methodology for bus transit route networks with coordinated operations. Shih, Mao-Chang, Ph.D. The University of Texas at Austin, 1994. 256 pp. Supervisor: Hani S. Mahmassani. Order Number DA94-28661 Previous approaches to bus transit network design focused on conventional service concepts that provide fixed route, fixed schedule, and uncoordinated systems, with the same vehicle size on all routes. As spatial trip patterns in most U.S. cities continue to evolve from a multiple origin, single destination pattern to a multiple origin, multiple destination pattern, conventional service concepts are no longer adequate to serve these new trip patterns. This dissertation incorporates three additional service design dimensions: route coordination, variable vehicle size, and demand responsive service, to better meet user needs and desired service levels. The complex formulation and the combinatorial nature of the transit network design problem preclude solution by exact optimization models. A hybrid heuristic approach that relies on AI heuristics and search techniques and incorporates domain-specific human knowledge and expertise is developed. The overall approach has evolved from a design methodology developed by Baaj and Mahmassani ( 199 I ) for conventional transit systems. The solution approach incorporates a trip assignment model explicitly for timed-transfer (coordinated) transit systems, a frequency setting and vehicle sizing model, and a demand responsive service procedure for the integration of fixed-route and fixed-schedule service with demand responsive service. The solution approach consists of four components. A route generation procedure constructs sets of bus routes corresponding to different service concepts and trade-offs between users and operators. A network evaluation procedure determines route frequencies and vehicle sizes and computes a variety of system performance measures reflecting user and operator costs. A transit center selection procedure identifies the set of transit centers to support the implementation of timed-transfer design and demand responsive service. A network improvement procedure applies modifications to the set of routes generated by the route generation procedure to improve performance in terms of the user’s and operator’s perspectives. The solution approach is tested with a benchmark problem and with data generated from the transit system of Austin, Texas.
Factors influencing public transit operators’ policies for accessible transportation. Simon, Rosalyn McCord, Ph.D. University of Maryland College Par-k, 1993. 199 pp. Adviser: Philip J. Burke. Order Number DA94-25136 In 1987, prior to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, public transit systems were adopting policies to purchase 100% accessible buses. Research was unavailable to determine how transit systems developed their policies for accessible transportation or why this trend toward accessibility emerged. The purpose of this study was to determine the national status of accessibility in public transit systems and to identify factors perceived by transit personnel to have influenced their policies for accessible transportation. A mail questionnaire was used to survey the entire population of 554 public fixed route bus operators. Respondents were asked to provide demographic information, a description of the level of accessibility of their bus systems and compliance with ADA requirements, and to rate the degree of influence of 23 factors on their service policies for accessible transportation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A 52% response was received. Analysis revealed that ADA implementation in transportation is underway. Among the systems surveyed, bus fleet accessibility was 52%; most systems (74%) were operating paratransit programs prior to ADA. Fixed route ridership is declining; paratransit ridership, particularly by persons with disabilities is increasing, while paratransit ridership by senior citizens is decreasing. Accessible transportation costs, primarily financed by local funds, are increasing as federal and state funding sources decline. The major barriers to ADA implementation reported by transit system representation are high costs, funding constraints, and operational problems surrounding complementary paratransit. ADA, attitudes of the general manager, transit board and senior management, and relationship with the disabled community were perceived as the most influential factors on the transit systems’ policies for accessible transportation. Results showed that the degree of influence of: local litigation, ADAPT, national and local advocacy groups, consumer advisory committees, public sentiment, relationship with the disabled community, and lift reliability increased with transit system size. ADA implementation is moving forward; fixed route accessibility is growing. Increased operating assistance is needed to implement the complementary paratransit provisions. However, conflict may emerge as consumers with disabilities and seniors are denied access to paratransit services. Mechanisms may be needed to facilitate communication between key ADA stakeholders.
A fuzzy knowledge-based operator assignment model for reducing accident rate in the urban mass transit systems. Nwankwo, Herbert Emenike, Ph.D.