Monash University, Institute of Transport Studies: World Transit Research (WTR)
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Efficiency variations of integrated urban transit stations before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Insights from a Mega-City without pandemic lockdown measures
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic ushered in unforeseen consequences for urban public transportation systems, raising concerns about their efficiency in cities during pandemics. Using a two-stage bootstrapped Data Envelopment Analysis with a regression approach, this study investigates the changes in integrated transit station efficiency/performance before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Seoul, South Korea, presenting a unique case study due to its mega city status and absence of a complete lockdown during the pandemic. Besides, it explores the shifting impacts of external environmental factors on station efficiency from 2019 to 2021. Findings from the first-stage analysis underscore a gradual decline in station efficiency, with a pronounced impact evident in 2021. Examining land-uses around the stations revealed that the presence of eateries and hotels in station catchment areas corresponded to enhanced performance. Interestingly, high performing stations with high ridership during the pandemic had low station areas and operating costs. The second-stage analysis pinpointed influential environmental factors, notably young pedestrian volume, which exerted varying influence on station efficiency across different periods. Vehicular accidents and rainfall in the vicinity of transit station catchment areas were consistently positively associated with station efficiency, irrespective of the study year. These findings carry substantial implications and insights for urban planners worldwide
Effectiveness of signs for pedestrian-railroad crossings: Colors, shapes, and messaging strategies
No full textIntroduction: Train-pedestrian conflicts result in a substantial number of serious and fatal injuries annually. Signs indicating safe and permissible behaviors near railroad rights of way are commonly relied upon to mitigate collisions. However, the effectiveness of these signs in preventing accidents often depends on clarity and interpretation of the sign. The objective of this study was to evaluate the (1) effectiveness of sign messaging strategies and designs at pedestrian-railroad crossings, and (2) effects of context and risk-taking propensity on decisions to cross tracks. Method: A survey study (N = 1011) was conducted comparing likeliness to cross for a variety of pedestrian-railroad scenarios. The DOSPERT scale was included to estimate an individuals’ risk-taking. Results: Findings reveal that action-conveying and emotionally-motivated signs are more effective in discouraging railroad crossing in high-risk situations (i.e., train present, crossing gates down, or warning lights flashing), compared to information-only signs. However, decisions to cross are primarily influenced by the presence of a train and crossing gates’ status, followed by sign type. MaxDiff analysis show that yellow signs with black symbols and square shaped signs are perceived as the clearest in conveying safety information, compared to black on white, red on white, and circular signs. Additionally, individuals who cross railroad tracks as pedestrians more frequently exhibit higher risk-taking tendencies, while there is no relationship between driving across tracks and risk-taking propensity. Males and younger individuals also have higher risk-taking tendencies. Conclusions and Practical Applications: These findings have implications for policy and practice, such as revising manuals to incorporate more effective sign designs and targeted educational campaigns for high-risk groups. It is also crucial to conduct ongoing monitoring of implemented interventions, which could follow the framework presented in this paper. The study emphasizes collaboration across sectors to improve overall safety at pedestrian-railroad crossings, contributing to safer transportation infrastructure for all
Perceived impacts of stressful events on train driver performance
No full textAcute stress exposure can significantly impact a train driver\u27s capacity to maintain safe train operations. However, research examining how train drivers perceive the impacts of acute stressors is limited. This study investigated train driver perceptions regarding performance impacts of stressful events and potential strategies for reducing negative impacts. 71 Australian train drivers were presented with three stressful event scenarios via an online survey and asked to rate the impacts on driving performance. Results showed that participants perceived that stress would enhance performance, but that impacts differed depending on the event type. The findings suggest that train drivers may not be subjectively aware of negative impacts of acute stress, which has important practical implications for risk management following an incident. Qualitative results revealed the most frequently reported stress impact related to cognition. Practical implications and future research directions to prevent and manage stressful event exposure are discussed
Analyzing adverse effects of subway extension on housing prices in affluent urban neighborhoods
No full textThis study examines the effects of subway extension on housing prices in affluent urban neighborhoods, focusing on the Q-line extension in Manhattan, New York City. Utilizing synthetic controls and treatment effects estimators, distinct pricing trends across property types are revealed, particularly condominiums. The observed pricing dynamics deviate from the assumption that increasing supplies are associated with price discounts. Moreover, the connection between price discounts and noise complaints is not observed, highlighting the significant role of demand-side factors, especially neighborhood characteristics, in shaping housing prices. An unexpected demographic shift is observed, suggesting that the Q-line extension may disproportionately benefit non-white and low-income groups, challenging the prevailing gentrification narrative. We use the term “inverse premiumization” to denote the phenomenon where anticipated price increases in affluent neighborhoods due to transit improvements fail to materialize. Furthermore, our analysis of speculative behavior reveals a spike in short-term growth during the public notice period, gradually slowing down during construction and operation phases. These findings offer the nuanced adverse effects of subway extension on housing prices, contributing to our understanding of short-to medium-term price premiums and discounts. These insights are key considerations for city planners and policymakers navigating urban development, housing market, and speculative behavior dynamics
Optimizing park and ride location selection using the novel parsimonious full consistency method: Insights from Cuenca, Ecuador
No full textThe rapid expansion of the automotive fleet in Latin America, coupled with the excessive utilization of automobiles, has resulted in significant challenges related to traffic congestion and environmental pollution. One of the mechanisms within transportation planning to mitigate excessive car use is utilizing the park and ride (P&R) system. Nevertheless, implementing multimodal hubs as a P&R system in Latin America has been relatively limited despite their prevalence in other global regions as a crucial transportation infrastructure component. Implementing a P&R system requires transportation planners with different types of expertise to study a set of criteria that are ranked in order of importance. To perform these analyses, it is necessary to use multi-criteria methods to understand which criteria are the ultimate important for their location. Our study highlights the gap in the limited implementation of P&R systems, particularly multimodal hubs, in Latin America despite their prevalence in other places such as Europe and the United States that have developed P&R systems in combination with the implementation of public transport systems. The adoption of the Full Consistency Method (FUCOM) with parsimonious preference information fills this gap by providing a flexible and adaptable approach to decision-making in dynamic and unpredictable urban environments like Cuenca in Ecuador. The findings indicate that utilizing this methodology enhances the efficiency and precision in determining the criteria for the placement of the P&R system. In conclusion, consideration of public transport accessibility serves as a foundational aspect for developing P&R system in the Latin American city under investigation. In essence, implementation of the P&R system is closely linked to optimization of public transportation system
Evaluating alternative fuels for a bus fleet: An Italian case
No full textA current topic that has surfaced among Public Transport Companies (PTCs) is the selection of alternative fuels for their bus fleets. Both European and Italian regulations are pushing toward abandoning diesel fuel and the consolidation of alternative traction power sources, such as battery-electric vehicles, fuel-cell electric vehicles, and hydrogen-electric vehicles. The literature has provided some approaches toward assessing this selection such as multicriteria-decision-methods in some countries in the world. However, not enough specific attention has been paid to cost criteria, experts involved, and the type of service required. This paper intends to address these gaps by applying an integrated method, which includes: (i) the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to define the weights of criteria; (ii) the ELimination Et Choix Traduisant la REalitè I (ELECTRE I) to find a good compromise solution among the fuel alternatives and (iii) a simple Weighted Sum Model (WSM) to refine ranking. This integrated method was applied in Italy involving a panel of experts from whom the data was collected. Different fuel alternatives for both urban and interurban services and with and without funding are discussed. The results provide a useful tool supporting PTC policies, which aims to rationalise and prioritise bus fuel alternatives when deciding on fleet renewal
Analysis of spatial interactions among shared e-scooters, shared bikes, and public transit
No full textShared bikes, shared e-scooters, and public transit make up most public transportation modes in big cities. Their combination can provide a convenient, efficient, and flexible multi-modal transportation service. Despite the obvious similarity among them, differences exist in the roles that they play in a multi-modal transportation system. A case study in the City of Austin, where shared bikes, shared e-scooters, and public transit coexist, is used to explore their unique characteristics and how they spatially complement or compete with each other. The results show that public transit has more pronounced characteristics related to commuting than shared micromobility modes do, and that shared bikes are more likely to be used for commuting compared to shared e-scooters. Interestingly, the results suggest that there is spatial segregation between where shared bikes complement public transit and shared e-scooters complement public transit, i.e., only one shared mode complements public transit at a given area
How spatial features affect urban rail transit prediction accuracy: a deep learning based passenger flow prediction method
No full textUrban rail transit is an integral part of public transit, and has been extensive built in China. Previous studies have proved that the spatial features are closely related to rail transit ridership, considering a fundamental role of short-term passenger flow forecast in the urban rail operation, it is meaningful to explore how these factors affect the prediction accuracy. This study aims to find a way to improve prediction accuracy by considering spatial features of stations based on deep learning. Therefore, a CNN-LSTM model capturing the spatial and temporal features was applied and Suzhou (China) was choosing as a case study to explore the influence of three spatial features, namely relative position, location, and land use, on the prediction accuracy. The predict model used can extract spatiotemporal features and accurately predict the citywide stations, and the results show that, for the relative position, the inbound and outbound flow prediction errors of transfer stations and middle stations are the lowest, respectively. As for locational features, the more distant the station is from the city center, the more accurate the results are. For stations where land use is dominated by work and living services, the predictions are more accurate. The error rate is higher for stations whose services are mainly tourism, transportation, and leisure services. This study’s results can help operators predict the short-term passenger flow of target stations based on different demands and optimize their services on this basis
Mobility justice or transit boosterism? The use of rail transit as an urban transformation strategy in Kitchener, Canada, and Malmö, Sweden
No full textMany cities and countries have embraced transit-oriented development as an international growth management approach, shifting trips from car-oriented to transit. But in this race to become more sustainable, who is being left out? Using mobility justice as a theoretical framework, this paper presents a qualitative comparison between Malmö, Sweden, and Kitchener, Canada, two mid-sized cities where new rail-based infrastructure was completed in 2019. Using over 40 interviews with local residents, business owners and staff, planners, and private sector developers in each city, we found that transportation improvements have created unequal transport mobilities. In both cities, new transportation infrastructure did not improve travel times or access to transit for existing users; in Kitchener, local changes to make way for the new LRT had negative effects on the neighborhood, and bus transit times increased, while in Malmö bus services remained the same as the new train was barely used. This detachment of transportation needs from infrastructure is necessary for local and state politicians to promote new infrastructure as a branding approach. We call this transit boosterism
Fare-free, not carefree: care mobilities in a fare-free public transport system in Tallinn
No full textThe implementation of fare-free public transport (FFPT) in Tallinn (Estonia) in 2013 sparked international media, policy, and academic interest in best practices, funding structures, and ridership. Initial studies showed marginal effects on modal shift, but increased travel by low-income households, and by younger and older passengers. Yet, the assumed social impact of FFPT has since been under-researched. Based on qualitative research with 22 transport-dependent users, including two semi-structured interviews and a seven-day travel diary, this study examines the daily experiences, mobility constraints, and travel practices of care mobilities, i.e., journeys made to care for others or a household. Findings indicate that the absence of fares, although a relative variable in modal choice, allows carers expanded activity spaces, independence from car ownership, and easier coordination of care tasks. I propose to frame accessibility as a relational process emerging from passengers’ encounters and the practices adopted to navigate shared spaces. With this, I argue that understanding public transport use and experiences at a micro-level offers an intersectional and justice lens to commuter-oriented transport and neoliberal urban planning policies