Journal of the Transportation Research Board

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD

NO.

1731

Transit
Bus Transit and Maintenance;
Rural; Paratransit; Technology;
Capacity and Quality of Service
Public Transit
Click on article title to reach abstract; abstracts link to full textclick on Full Text icon.

CONTENTS
Foreword

Part 1Bus transit and Maintenance

Bus Rapid Transit Technologies in the Americas: An Overview
Roderick B. Diaz and Donald C. Schneck

Zigzagging of Bus Routes: An Analytical Approach

Seung-Young Kho

Optimal Bus Stop Spacing Through Dynamic Programming and Geographic Modeling
Peter G. Furth and Adam B. Rahbee

Conditional Bus Priority at Signalized Intersections: Better Service with Less Traffic Disruption
Peter G. Furth and Theo H. J. Muller

Dynamic Right-of-Way for Transit Vehicles: Integrated Modeling Approach for Optimizing Signal
Control on Mixed Traffic Arterials
Peter A. Duerr

Traction Performance of Transit and Paratransit Vehicles in Winter

Lutfi Raad and Jian John Lu

Procedure to Evaluate Alternatives to Transit Bus Replacement

Snehamay Khasnabis and Mubashir Naseer

Part 2 Rural
Internet-Based Decision Support for Advanced Public Transportation Systems Technology
John R. Stone, Tahsina Ahmed, and Anna Nalevanko

Part 3Paratransit
Effectiveness of Taxi Partitions: Baltimore, Maryland, Case Study
John R. Stone and Daniel C. Stevens

Part 4Technology
Evaluating Real-Time Bus Arrival Information Systems
Rabi G. Mishalani, Sungjoon Lee, and Mark R. McCord

Intelligent Transportation System Technology in a Shared Electric Vehicle Program

Matthew Barth, Michael Todd, and Hiroshi Murakami

Buses as a Traffic Probe: Demonstration Project

Randolph W. Hall and Nilesh Vyas

Simulating Bus Operations with Enhanced Corridor Simulator: Case Study of New Jersey
Transit Bus Route 39
Yuqing Ding, Steven I-Jy Chien, and Noreen A. Zayas

Technology Transfer in the Transit Industry

Yuko J. Nakanishi and Ossama Abd Elrahman

Part 5 Capacity and Quality of Service

Development of Floridas Transit Level-of-Service Indicator
Paul Ryus, Jon Ausman, Daniel Teaf, Marc Cooper, and Mark Knoblauch

Transit Passenger Perceptions of Transit-Related Crime Reduction Measures

Thomas B. Reed, Richard R. Wallace, and Daniel A. Rodriguez

Transportation Research Record 1731

ISSN 0361-1981
ISBN 0-309-06738-3
Subscriber Category
VI public transit
Printed in the United States of America
Sponsorship of Transportation Research Record 1731
GROUP 1TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION
Michael S. Bronzini, George Mason University (Chairman)
Public Transportation Section
Patricia V. McLaughlin, Moore Iacofano Golstman (Chairman)

Committee on Bus Transit Systems

John Dockendorf, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (Chairman), David J. Sampson, Urbitran Associates, Inc.
(Secretary), William G. Barker, Scott J. Bush, Sally Hill Cooper, Edward R. Fleischman, Richard L. Gerhart, Ali Haghani,
Brendon Hemily, Dennis P. Hinebaugh, Andrew Hollander, Ronald J. Hundenski, Elliot Paul Hurwitz, Ronald J. Kilcoyne,
Herbert S. Levinson, George W. Pierlott, Charles E. Prestrud, Peter M. Schauer, Franklin Spielberg, Kevin R. St. Jacques,
Joel M. Volinski
Committee on Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation
Tara Bartee, Florida Department of Transportation (Chairman), Nancy S. Brumley, Jon E. Burkhardt, Mary Martha
Churchman, Sheldon D. Crum, Richard A. Evans, Frederic D. Fravel, Margaret R. Garcia, Eric T. Hill, Cindy A. Johnson,
Mary R. Kihl, Steven J. Kish, Tom Maze, Anna M. Nalevanko, Edward L. Ramsdell, Gordon R. Shaw, Elizabeth Solomon,
Deanna Thielman, Erskine S. Walther
Committee on Paratransit
Rosemary G. Mathias, Multisystems, Inc. (Chairman), William Bicker, Eric C. Bruun, Betsy Buxer, Richard A. DeRock,
Keith W. Forstall, Roy E. Glauthier, F. Ron Jones, Matthew G. Karlaftis, David S. Kessler, Reginald K. Knowlton,
David Koffman, James B. Laughlin, Barbara L. Lupro, James F. McLaughlin, Sandra Rosenbloom, Peter M. Schauer,
Nancy L. Senn, Nancy J. Smith, Robert W. Stout, Roger F. Teal, Pam Ward, Chris Zeilinger
Committee on New Transportation Systems and Technology
Edward S. Neumann, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Chairman), Matthew J. Barth, Martin J. Bernard III, Murthy V. A.
Bondada, Donald Borowski, Salvatore Castronovo, Lawrence J. Fabian, Wendy G. Hollingsworth, Ronald Kangas,
Rolland D. King, Thomas J. McGean, Lee H. Rogers, Jerry B. Schneider, Susan Shaheen, William J. Sproule, Katherine F.
Turnbull, Fang Zhao
Task Force on Transit Capacity and Quality of Service
Jack M. Reilly, Capital District Transport Authority, Albany, New York (Chairman), Tara Bartee, Alan R. Danaher,
Herbert S. Levinson, David R. Miller, Franklin Spielberg, Samuel L. Zimmerman
GROUP 3OPERATION, SAFETY, AND MAINTENANCE OF TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES
Alison Smiley, Human Factors North, Inc. (Chairman)
Maintenance Section
Rodney A. Pletan, Minnesota Department of Transportation-SICOP (Chairman)
Committee on Transit Fleet Maintenance
Stephen M. Stark, MTA New York City Transit (Chairman), Edward M. Abrams, William G. Barker, Anna M. Barry,
Utpal Dutta, Henry Hide, Louisa Ho, John J. Schiavone, Frank W. Venezia
GROUP 5INTERGROUP RESOURCES AND ISSUES
Kumares C. Sinha, Purdue University (Chairman)
Committee on Technology Transfer
Cheri F. Trenda, University of Minnesota (Chairman), Maria Ardila-Coulson, University of Nevada, Reno (Secretary),
Tora K. Bikson, Ary F. Bustamante, William P. Carr, Deborah Reaves Divine, Robert A. Eaton, Ossama Abd Elrahman,
Nelson Evans, William C. Evans, Carolyn D. Goodman, Ray G. Griffith, Michael L. Halladay, Barbara Thomas Harder,
Kathryn Harrington-Hughes, J. Peter Kissinger, Michael M. Marti, Edgardo Masciarelli, Sharon McLeod-Everette,
John B. Metcalf, Juan M. Morales, Lisa Haakon Pogue, Juan Carlos Sananez, Jerry Brian Schutz, Gregory C. Speier,
Joseph Szyliowicz, Charles E. Wallace
Transportation Research Board Staff
Peter L. Shaw, Public Transportation Specialist
Gordon Franke, Administrative Assistant
Frank N. Lisle, Engineer of Maintenance
Lizy Mani, Administrative Assistant
Robert E. Spicher, Director, Technical Activities Division
Rosa P. Allen, Administrative Assistant
Sponsorship is indicated by a footnote at the end of each paper. The organizational units, officers, and members are as of
December 31, 1999.

FOREWORD
The papers contained in this volume were among those presented at the 79th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research
Board in January 2000. Nearly 1,600 papers were submitted by authors; more than 1,000 were presented at the meeting; and
approximately 600 were accepted for publication in the 2000 Transportation Research Record series. The published papers will
also be issued on CD-ROM, which will be available for purchase in late 2000. It should be noted that the preprint CD-ROM
distributed at the 2000 meeting contains unedited, draft versions of presented papers, whereas the papers published in the
2000 Records include author revisions made in response to review comments.
Starting with the 1999 volumes, the title of the Record series has included Journal of the Transportation Research Board to
reflect more accurately the nature of this publication series and the peer-review process conducted in the acceptance of papers
for publication. Each paper published in this volume was peer reviewed by the sponsoring committee acknowledged at the end
of the text; members of the sponsoring committees for the papers in this volume are identified on page ii. Additional information about the Transportation Research Record series and the peer-review process can be found on the inside front cover. The
Transportation Research Board appreciates the interest shown by authors in offering their papers and looks forward to future
submissions.

Bus Rapid Transit

Technologies in the Americas
An Overview
Roderick B. Diaz and Donald C. Schneck
R. B. Diaz, Booz-Allen & Hamilton, Inc., 8283 Greensboro Drive, McLean, VA 22102-3838.
D. C. Schneck, Booz-Allen & Hamilton, Inc., 1700 Market Street, Suite 1700, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

FULL
TEXT

Results from a survey of international bus rapid transit (BRT) systems reveal a wide range of technology
options for implementing a BRT system. Eight BRT systems (seven existing and one under development)
in North and South America demonstrate innovative applications of five bus technology components
vehicles, guideways and stations, control systems (dispatching and signaling), fare systems, and passenger
information systems. These innovative applications, combined with fundamental changes in operating
plans and the customer interface, provide a mode distinct from conventional bus transit. This
preliminary phase of the survey found that guideway improvements are the most common strategy to
move from conventional to rapid transit service. Innovations in vehicle design, control system technology,
and fare system technology are also commonly used. All the surveyed systems demonstrate isolated
innovation in passenger information systems technology. These technology applications were primarily
directed toward improving the speed, reliability, and user-friendliness of service.

Zigzagging of Bus Routes

An Analytical Approach
Seung-Young Kho
Department of Transportation Engineering, Myongji University, San 38-2, Nam-Dong, Yongin-Si, Kyunggi-Do, 449-728 Korea.

FULL
TEXT

Bus transit routing schemes are analyzed for riders outside a major transit corridor. Two routing
schemes are consideredno zigzagging and zigzagging. In the no-zigzagging scheme, the route runs
along a demand corridor without detouring to pick up outlying riders, who must first access the
corridor to be picked up. In the zigzagging scheme, the bus detours to pick up distant riders and then
returns to the corridor to continue on to the final destination. Analytical cost models for no-zigzagging
and zigzagging bus routing schemes are developed. Solutions for zigzagging conditions are derived,
and some important concepts, practical implications, and useful results are presented through some
simplifications. Also, a practical analysis of several access modes is presented. Depending on the location
and number of out-of-corridor passengers, zigzagging can be an efficient routing scheme. Zigzagging is
especially efficient in the outlying ridership areas if the number of passengers already on board is low
compared with the number of outlying passengers requesting corridor service.

Optimal Bus Stop Spacing Through

Dynamic Programming and
Geographic Modeling
Peter G. Furth and Adam B. Rahbee
P. G. Furth, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University, 420 SN, 360 Huntington Avenue,
Boston, MA 02115. A. B. Rahbee, Center for Transportation Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1-235,
77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139.

FULL
TEXT

A discrete approach was used to model the impacts of changing bus-stop spacing on a bus route. Among
the impacts were delays to through riders, increased operating cost because of stopping delays, and
shorter walking times perpendicular to the route. Every intersection along the route was treated as a
candidate stop location. A simple geographic model was used to distribute the demand observed at
existing stops to cross-streets and parallel streets in the route service area, resulting in a demand
distribution that included concentrated and distributed demands. An efficient, dynamic programming
algorithm was used to determine the optimal bus-stop locations. The model was compared with the
continuum approach used in previous studies. A bus route in Boston was modeled, in which the optimal
solution was an average stop spacing of 400 m (4 stops/mi), in sharp contrast to the existing average
spacing of 200 m (8 stops/mi). The model may also be used to evaluate the impacts of adding, removing,
or relocating selected stops.

Conditional Bus Priority at

Signalized Intersections
Better Service with Less Traffic Disruption
Peter G. Furth and Theo H. J. Muller
P. G. Furth, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 420 SN, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue,
Boston, MA 02115. T. H. J. Muller, Transportation Research Laboratory, Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1,
NL-2600 GA Delft, Netherlands.

FULL
TEXT

Conditional priority for buses at signalized intersections means that late buses are given priority and
early buses are not. This scheme is a method of operational control that improves service quality by
keeping buses on schedule. A conditional bus priority implementation in Eindhoven, the Netherlands,
is described. Results show the strong improvement in schedule adherence compared with a no-priority
situation. Traffic impacts at an intersection were studied for three scenariosno priority, absolute
priority, and conditional priority. Compared with no priority, absolute priority increased delays
significantly while conditional priority had almost no impact.

Dynamic Right-of-Way for Transit Vehicles

Integrated Modeling Approach for Optimizing
Signal Control on Mixed Traffic Arterials
Peter A. Duerr
Department of Transportation and Urban Planning, Technical University Munich, 80290 Munich, Germany.

FULL
TEXT

Public transit and general traffic on many urban arterials are controlled by the same set of signals and
must compete for shared road space. In these situations, transit vehicles typically face considerable
delays because their dwell times at transit stops remove them from the coordinated green wave for
general traffic flow. Although existing control systems allow for local adjustments of signal timings to
provide transit priority, these short-term actions often contradict the network control scheme and may
preclude a priority scheme or significantly disrupt traffic flow. A new concept for a corridor control
system is introducedthe dynamic right-of-way, which serves the demands of public transit and
general traffic using an integrated model for evaluation and optimization. The control system is
intended to (a) reduce critical interferences between both modes of transport by dynamically
controlling inflow and outflow for all network links, (b) provide a green signal whenever a transit
vehicle approaches an intersection, and (c) minimize general traffic disruption by maintaining overall
signal coordination. Through linking an event-based simulator with a genetic algorithmbased
optimization routine, delay-minimizing multicycle signal control schemes are calculated. In offline
experiments, the potential for achieving substantial reductions in delays is demonstrated. Finally, a
method is presented by which these control schemes are implemented and adjusted dynamically, based
on online measurements and a control modification function derived from a neural network model.

Traction Performance of Transit and

Paratransit Vehicles in Winter
Lutfi Raad and Jian John Lu
L. Raad, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Transportation Research Center, University of Alaska-Fairbanks,
Fairbanks, AK 99775. J. J. Lu, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620.

FULL
TEXT

The traction performance of transit and paratransit vehicles during the winter is an important factor in
public transportation system operations. Vehicle traction forces are significantly reduced on snowy or
icy surfaces, specifically during stopping, starting, cornering, and hill climbing. Reduced traction
increases stopping distances and decreases controllability when a vehicle stops in an emergency
situation. This study evaluated the traction performance of transit and paratransit vehicles on snowy
and icy surfaces. Field tests were conducted in Fairbanks, Alaska, using three types of vehiclesa
41-passenger transit bus, a 32-passenger transit bus, and a 9-passenger paratransit vehicle. Each vehicle
was tested for different combinations of tire types, including highway tires, snow tires, studded-siped
tires, highway three-rib tires, all-season tires, and snow-siped tires. Tests of winter traction
performance evaluated stopping distance, starting traction, hill climbing, cornering, and controllability.
For similar tire combinations and surface conditions, the tested transit and paratransit vehicles had
different traction performance. Results indicate that winter traction performance is significantly
influenced by vehicle type, tire combination, and road surface (compacted snow or ice). Research
findings and recommendations for tire combinations best suited for winter traction are presented.

Procedure to Evaluate Alternatives to

Transit Bus Replacement
Snehamay Khasnabis and Mubashir Naseer
Department of Civil Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202.

FULL
TEXT

The addition of new buses to a transit agencys fleet is a capital-intensive project. In an average year,
more than 3,500 buses are purchased by FTA grantees. The annual cost of bus replacement easily
exceeds $1 billion. A procedure to evaluate alternatives to bus replacement is presented. Two generic
alternatives are identifiedrehabilitation and remanufacturing. The former approach focuses on the
repair of engines and machine components. The latter approach is to restore a vehicles structural
integrity. The evaluation procedure is based on economic principles and quantifies the benefits and costs
associated with postponing a bus replacement, either by rehabilitation or remanufacturing. A modified
benefit-to-cost ratio (B/C) technique is proposed that incorporates intangible benefits and disbenefits, as
well as a risk penalty associated with the extended use of an older bus. As an alternative to computing
the B/C, the recommended approach is to estimate the maximum investment that can be justified in
a rehabilitation or remanufacturing project using the derived benefits. An affordability index is
developed that is sensitive to the risk penalty used. Numerous examples are presented to demonstrate
the application of the proposed procedure. Finally, a set of guidelines is presented to assist transit
agencies in determining the economic viability of postponing a new-bus purchase by rehabilitating
or remanufacturing an older bus.

Internet-Based Decision Support for

Advanced Public Transportation
Systems Technology
John R. Stone, Tahsina Ahmed, and Anna Nalevanko
J. R. Stone, Department of Civil Engineering, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7908, Raleigh, NC 27695-7908.
T. Ahmed, Tangram Enterprise Solutions, 11000 Regency Parkway, Suite 401, Cary, NC 27511. A. Nalevanko, Transit
Operations Group, Institute for Transportation Research and Education, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 8601,
Raleigh, NC 27695-8601.

FULL
TEXT

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) have the potential to improve public transportation service and
productivity in small urban and rural areas. Advanced technologies include computer-aided dispatch
and scheduling software, automatic vehicle location via satellite, mobile data terminals, smart cards,
and Internet technologies. Transit operators, especially those with smaller systems, may feel, however,
that they lack the experience and technical background to implement ITS technologies. An extensive
website is discussed that will help transit managers define their transit needs and choose potential
technology solutions. The website is based on contemporary decision-support questionnaires and the
experience of transit managers and researchers. Decision-making factors such as transit service area,
service type, daily ridership, and fleet size provide a framework for matching appropriate technologies
to transit-manager needs. Further, the website provides extensive tutorial information, technology
specifications and costs, and vendor contacts. Perhaps most important, the website identifies small
urban and rural transit managers who have been pioneers in ITS applications, summarizing their
successes and failures. The website address is http://www2.ncsu.edu/eos/service/ce/research/
stone_res/tahmed_res/www/index.html.

Effectiveness of Taxi Partitions

Baltimore, Maryland, Case Study
John R. Stone and Daniel C. Stevens
J. R. Stone, Department of Civil Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7908.
D. C. Stevens, Transcore Associates, 6850 Versar Center, Suite 350, Springfield, VA 22151.

FULL
TEXT

Questions are answered as to whether taxicab partitions between drivers and passengers reduce
assaults. Assaults on Baltimore, Maryland, taxi drivers decreased 56 percent the year following a
citywide mandate requiring partitions between taxi drivers and passengers. Data also show that
between 1991, when only 5 percent of cabs had shields, and 1998, when all taxis had shields, assaults
decreased 90 percent. Confounding factors such as annual changes in city population, crime rate,
robberies, unemployment, and drug arrests are addressed by comparing the 1991 assault rate for the
shielded cabs of one taxi association with a similar association without shielded cabs. This analysis
shows that in 1991 an unshielded Baltimore taxi driver was five times more likely to be assaulted.
Using linear regression to account for the time variation in factors from 1991 to 1998, the results
indicate that reduced driver assaults correlated the most with population changes, improved policing,
decreases in robberies, and the percentage of shielded taxis. A related economic analysis yielded a
17-to-1 benefit-to-cost ratio of estimated savings from reduced injuries versus the costs of citywide shield
installation. The results support the Baltimore shield mandate and argue for shields in other cities.

Evaluating Real-Time Bus Arrival

Information Systems
Rabi G. Mishalani, Sungjoon Lee, and Mark R. McCord
R. G. Mishalani and M. R. McCord, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geodetic Science, The Ohio State
University, 470 Hitchcock Hall, 2070 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210. S. Lee, Construction and Transportation Training
Center, National Institute of Professional Administration, Seoul, Korea.

FULL
TEXT

Real-time transit passenger information systems are intended to improve the level of service provided
by transit agencies. For example, passengers are given real-time information on the expected arrival
times of buses on various routes at bus stops. These real-time systems reflect emerging applications in
public transit, and methods to evaluate their benefits are limited. An evaluation method is presented
that focuses on the potential benefits of bus arrival information systems to passengers waiting at bus
stops. Passenger arrivals and transit bus operations are modeled as a stochastic system in which the
operator uses real-time bus location data to provide bus arrival-time information that maximizes
passengers utilities. Simulation results reveal the nature of the dependence of system benefits on the
type of real-time data available to the operator and the bus operations characteristics. An application
to an existing bus transit system demonstrates the feasibility of the developed method and its role in
assessing the value of real-time bus arrival information systems to passengers.

Intelligent Transportation System

Technology in a Shared Electric
Vehicle Program
Matthew Barth, Michael Todd, and Hiroshi Murakami
M. Barth and M. Todd, College of Engineering, Center for Environmental Research and Technology, University of CaliforniaRiverside, Riverside, CA 92521. H. Murakami, Honda Motor Company, Ltd., 1-4-1 Chuo Wako-Shi, Saitama, Japan 351-01.

FULL
TEXT

To be successful, shared vehicle systems must be responsive, convenient, and easy to manage. By
applying a variety of intelligent transportation system (ITS) technologies (e.g., vehicle location and
identification, dispatching, smart cards), these attributes can be achieved. Further, intelligent
transportation technology is useful for collecting data on user behavior and vehicle usage. These data
add to the understanding of shared vehicle systems and of how to design systems for the future. The
University of California-Riverside (UC Riverside) and Honda Motor Company have implemented a
shared electric vehicle system test bed named UCR IntelliShare, which consists of 15 shared electric
vehicles, moving among three stations on and near the UC Riverside campus. The system, described
here, uses highly developed ITS technology, including smart cards, touch-screen registration kiosks,
vehicle monitoring and tracking hardware, and sophisticated management software. The system has
operated since April 1999, and abundant data are collected every day. Preliminary results are provided,
describing user behavior, vehicle operation, and many shared vehicle trip characteristics. These data
are being used to study shared vehicle systems and to refine shared vehicle system simulation
modeling tools. These tools can assist in designing other shared vehicle systems, greatly reducing the
implementation risks and liabilities that may be associated with future, full-scale shared vehicle
system implementations.

Buses as a Traffic Probe

Demonstration Project
Randolph W. Hall and Nilesh Vyas
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0193.

FULL
TEXT

The congestion probe feature of the Orange County Transportation Authority (California) bus probe
project was evaluated by comparing automobile and bus trajectories and examining alternative
congestion detection methods. The focus was city streets on which delays occur at signalized
intersections and bus delays at bus stops. The analysis revealed that when automobiles have long
delays, buses traveling nearby on the same route are also likely to be delayed. The reverse situation,
however, is not always true, because buses frequently wait for extended periods when they run ahead
of schedule. Any useful bus probe algorithm needs to distinguish between actual congestion and a
stopping delay. Although the transit probe was designed to measure congestion on roadway segments,
a more useful approach would be to measure congestion approaching major intersections, where
delays are likely to occur. Moreover, because delays randomly fluctuate according to a vehicles arrival
time relative to the signal cycle, the most sensible approach is to set off a congestion alarm when
a vehicle is delayed by more than one cycle at an intersection. A congestion alarm would indicate
oversaturation and delay well above normal.

Simulating Bus Operations with

Enhanced Corridor Simulator
Case Study of New Jersey Transit Bus Route 39
Yuqing Ding, Steven I-Jy Chien, and Noreen A. Zayas
Y. Ding, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc., Two Gateway Center, Newark, NJ 07102. S. I-Jy Chien, Department of Civil and
Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102. N. A. Zayas, Institute for Transportation,
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102.

FULL
TEXT

The corridor simulator (CORSIM)-based microscopic program, which can simulate realistic bus
operations, has been enhanced with some newly developed features; these are validated. Transit
operations-related data for New Jersey Transit Bus Route 39 were collected to assess the reliability of
the enhanced CORSIM program. On the basis of the mean average percentage error and the root mean
square error, this study demonstrated that simulation output can represent realistic bus operations,
such as the disruptions of transit headways caused by ridership fluctuations at bus stops and delays
at intersections. The proposed program provides a potential basis for evaluating advanced transit
management and control strategies and real-time transit traveler information systems in the advent
of advanced public transportation systems.

Technology Transfer in the

Transit Industry
Yuko J. Nakanishi and Ossama Abd Elrahman
Y. J. Nakanishi, Department of Civil Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 69-40 Yellowstone Boulevard,
#320, Forest Hills, NY 11375. O. A. Elrahman, Transportation Research and Development Bureau, New York State
Department of Transportation, 1220 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12232.

FULL
TEXT

The unprecedented advances taking place in the technology industries (computer, electronics,
telecommunications) can benefit the transit industry by enabling safer, cleaner, and more reliable
transit vehicles; easier maintenance; better customer service; and faster and more efficient scheduling
and operations. Without an effective technology transfer process, however, the technologies may not
reach the proper audience in the transit organization, or they may fail to elicit the appropriate response
from transit staff. The two key elements of successful technology transfer in the transit industry are
discussedeffective technology transfer infrastructure and technology transfer (T2) agents. Effective
technology transfer infrastructure consists of an organizational culture that is open and flexible, a
comprehensive evaluation mechanism, an efficient transfer design, and an effective training program.
T2 agents are individuals or organizations that bring new technologies and information to agencies,
which then can transform the technology and information into useful products, processes, or programs.
Also discussed are intra- and interagency barriers, such as strict adherence to rule books and
bureaucratic organizational structures, and examples are provided of how some agencies are addressing
these problems.

Development of Floridas Transit

Level-of-Service Indicator
Paul Ryus, Jon Ausman, Daniel Teaf, Marc Cooper, and Mark Knoblauch
P. Ryus, Kittelson & Associates, Inc., 610 SW Alder Street, Suite 700, Portland, OR 97205. J. Ausman, Public Transit Office,
Florida Department of Transportation, 605 Suwannee Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450. D. Teaf, M. Cooper, and
M. Knoblauch, URS Greiner Woodward Clyde, Inc., 3676 Hartsfield Road, Tallahassee, FL 32303.

FULL
TEXT

Transit availabilitythe opportunity to use transit service at a particular locationis a key

determinant in transit use. If transit service is unavailable near a potential passengers origin and
destination, it is not a viable travel option. The Florida Department of Transportations transit levelof-service (TLOS) indicator is a measure of transit availability that incorporates service coverage,
frequency, and duration; the availability and quality of pedestrian routes to transit stops; and
population and job density. The TLOS indicators basic concept is that at any given minute, a transit
vehicle serves a small group of people; that is, those people who could board a vehicle when leaving
their job site or residence that minute, walk no more than a specified distance to a transit stop, and wait
no more than a specified time for a vehicle to arrive. Geographical information systembased software
developed for the TLOS project can be applied to every transit vehicle for each minute in a day. The
data can be compiled for time frames ranging from 15 minutes to 1 week to assess the amount of service
for each part of a transit systems service area. The TLOS indicator was tested in Tallahassee, Florida,
and produced results compatible with, but more detailed than, the availability measures contained in
the Transit Cooperative Research Programs Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual. Potential
applications include service evaluation, transportation modeling, and improvement of modal-split
calculations.

Transit Passenger Perceptions of

Transit-Related Crime Reduction Measures
Thomas B. Reed, Richard R. Wallace, and Daniel A. Rodriguez
Intelligent Transportation Systems Research Laboratory, 2609 Draper, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2101.

FULL
TEXT

Violent crimes against public transit bus operators and passengers in Michigan were studied. The study
was funded by the Michigan Department of Transportation and conducted by the University of Michigan
in early 1999. A survey approach examined transit passenger perceptions of numerous transit-related
crime reduction measures, primarily patrol and security, design actions, and technological innovation.
The respondents ranked emergency telephones for passengers and increased lighting as the best crime
prevention measures. The survey was part of a wider study that also surveyed transit agencies and
transit vehicle operators.