In the recent years,TNCs(transportation network companies)and on-demand ridesharing services have grown rapidly.Given conflicting reports on TNC impacts,a need exists to study mode choice shifts in the presence of TNC...In the recent years,TNCs(transportation network companies)and on-demand ridesharing services have grown rapidly.Given conflicting reports on TNC impacts,a need exists to study mode choice shifts in the presence of TNC services and their effects on urban congestion.Using Birmingham,AL(Alabama)as a case study,this paper showcases the feasibility of modeling TNC services using the MATSim(Multi-Agent Transport Simulation)platform,and evaluating the impact of such services on traffic operations.Data used for the study were gathered from Uber drivers and riders through surveys,as well as the US Census.The results indicate that when 200,400,and 800 TNC vehicles are added to the network,the VKT(vehicle kilometers traveled)increase by 22%,23.6%,and 23.2%,respectively,compared to the baseline scenario(no TNC service).Analysis of hourly average speeds,hourly average travel times,and hourly volumes along study corridors further indicate that TNC services increase traffic congestion,in particular,during the AM/PM peak periods.Moreover,the study shows that the optimal TNC fleet size for the Birmingham region is 400 to 500 active TNC vehicles per day.Such fleet size minimizes idle time and the number of TNC vehicles hovering,which have adverse impacts on TNC drivers,and the environment while ensuring TNC service availability and reasonable waiting times for TNC customers.展开更多
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the United States was leading in the public transit sector, but following World War II, private automobiles became more affordable and gained popularity. Transportation infra...At the beginning of the twentieth century, the United States was leading in the public transit sector, but following World War II, private automobiles became more affordable and gained popularity. Transportation infrastructure investments that increased road capacity further facilitated the increase in automobile use at the expense of reduced public transit ridership. With the increase of dependency on automobiles and the continuing growth of private automobile ownership and use, various problems became major challenges in big cities of USA. These include traffic congestion, air pollution, road and parking infrastructure costs, energy consumption, traffic safety, fewer mobility options for the non-drivers, and a decline in the image and use of public transit. This study uses a medium sized city, Birmingham as a case study to investigate the potential of public transit to reduce automobile trips and in turn improve the overall performance of the road network by addressing the abovementioned challenges. An agent-based simulation model was developed for the Birmingham metropolitan region using the Multi-agent Transport Simulation (MATSim) platform. Three scenarios were considered with gradually increased transit ridership to identify the benefits of increased public transit. Traffic volume, network average speed, and travel times were used as performance measures for the evaluation of the designated scenarios. Results suggest that modal shifts toward public transit and reduction in travel demand for an automobile can result in improvements in speed and travel time for all users. Therefore, investments for improving transit quality and frequency of service, as well as campaigns to improve the image of public transit and make it a mode of choice for transportation users can increase transit ridership and, in turn, improve network operations, thus are deemed worthy for medium sized cities.展开更多
基金the US DOT through the STRIDE University Transportation Center.
文摘In the recent years,TNCs(transportation network companies)and on-demand ridesharing services have grown rapidly.Given conflicting reports on TNC impacts,a need exists to study mode choice shifts in the presence of TNC services and their effects on urban congestion.Using Birmingham,AL(Alabama)as a case study,this paper showcases the feasibility of modeling TNC services using the MATSim(Multi-Agent Transport Simulation)platform,and evaluating the impact of such services on traffic operations.Data used for the study were gathered from Uber drivers and riders through surveys,as well as the US Census.The results indicate that when 200,400,and 800 TNC vehicles are added to the network,the VKT(vehicle kilometers traveled)increase by 22%,23.6%,and 23.2%,respectively,compared to the baseline scenario(no TNC service).Analysis of hourly average speeds,hourly average travel times,and hourly volumes along study corridors further indicate that TNC services increase traffic congestion,in particular,during the AM/PM peak periods.Moreover,the study shows that the optimal TNC fleet size for the Birmingham region is 400 to 500 active TNC vehicles per day.Such fleet size minimizes idle time and the number of TNC vehicles hovering,which have adverse impacts on TNC drivers,and the environment while ensuring TNC service availability and reasonable waiting times for TNC customers.
文摘At the beginning of the twentieth century, the United States was leading in the public transit sector, but following World War II, private automobiles became more affordable and gained popularity. Transportation infrastructure investments that increased road capacity further facilitated the increase in automobile use at the expense of reduced public transit ridership. With the increase of dependency on automobiles and the continuing growth of private automobile ownership and use, various problems became major challenges in big cities of USA. These include traffic congestion, air pollution, road and parking infrastructure costs, energy consumption, traffic safety, fewer mobility options for the non-drivers, and a decline in the image and use of public transit. This study uses a medium sized city, Birmingham as a case study to investigate the potential of public transit to reduce automobile trips and in turn improve the overall performance of the road network by addressing the abovementioned challenges. An agent-based simulation model was developed for the Birmingham metropolitan region using the Multi-agent Transport Simulation (MATSim) platform. Three scenarios were considered with gradually increased transit ridership to identify the benefits of increased public transit. Traffic volume, network average speed, and travel times were used as performance measures for the evaluation of the designated scenarios. Results suggest that modal shifts toward public transit and reduction in travel demand for an automobile can result in improvements in speed and travel time for all users. Therefore, investments for improving transit quality and frequency of service, as well as campaigns to improve the image of public transit and make it a mode of choice for transportation users can increase transit ridership and, in turn, improve network operations, thus are deemed worthy for medium sized cities.
