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• 1. [Article] Transit Bus Fleet Age and Replacement Type Optimization

  Due to recent budget and fiscal constraints, it is ever more imperative for transit agencies to manage their fleets in an optimal way. Fleet data have consistently shown that bus operational and maintenance ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Transit Bus Fleet Age and Replacement Type Optimization Author: Figliozzi, Miguel A., Feng, Wei, Boudart, Jesse Year: 2013 Due to recent budget and fiscal constraints, it is ever more imperative for transit agencies to manage their fleets in an optimal way. Fleet data have consistently shown that bus operational and maintenance (O&M) per-mile costs increase as buses age. From a purely economic perspective, there is a cost tradeoff between the lower O&M costs of newer fleets and their higher initial capital costs. This tradeoff has a significant impact on the optimal timing of purchase and replacement decisions. Utilizing realistic cost data and an optimization modeling framework, we analyze (a) the impact of purchase timing decisions on fleet per-mile costs and (b) the key factors and variables affecting the optimization of transit diesel and hybrid bus fleets. Given uncertain and hard-to-forecast market variables, multiple scenarios are examined and sensitivity analyses are performed to study the impacts of key variables on optimal replacement policies and costs. In terms of the impact of purchase timing decisions on fleet per-mile costs (a), results indicate that: 1) increases in diesel prices do not affect total bus fleet costs as much as increases in maintenance costs; 2) increases in maintenance costs and utilization per year reduce the optimal replacement age; 3) increases in utilization and fuel economy have a similar impact in terms of total fleet costs; and 4) bus purchase-price changes have a significant impact on the optimal replacement age. In terms of the key factors and variables affecting the optimization of transit diesel and hybrid bus fleets (b), results indicate that: 1) the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) purchase cost subsidy has the highest impact on the optimal replacement policies; 2) without the FTA subsidy, the optimal policy is to choose the diesel bus unless the purchase cost difference is larger than 10%; 3) with an 80% FTA purchase cost subsidy, the hybrid bus is always the best choice unless fuel economy difference between the hybrid and diesel buses is substantial; 4) maintenance costs affect the optimal replacement age but are unlikely to change the optimal bus type when comparing diesel and hybrid technologies; and 5) greenhouse gas emissions costs are not significant and affect neither bus type nor replacement age. Title: Transit Bus Fleet Age and Replacement Type Optimization Author: Figliozzi, Miguel A., Feng, Wei, Boudart, Jesse Year: 2013 Due to recent budget and fiscal constraints, it is ever more imperative for transit agencies to manage their fleets in an optimal way. Fleet data have consistently shown that bus operational and maintenance (O&M) per-mile costs increase as buses age. From a purely economic perspective, there is a cost tradeoff between the lower O&M costs of newer fleets and their higher initial capital costs. This tradeoff has a significant impact on the optimal timing of purchase and replacement decisions. Utilizing realistic cost data and an optimization modeling framework, we analyze (a) the impact of purchase timing decisions on fleet per-mile costs and (b) the key factors and variables affecting the optimization of transit diesel and hybrid bus fleets. Given uncertain and hard-to-forecast market variables, multiple scenarios are examined and sensitivity analyses are performed to study the impacts of key variables on optimal replacement policies and costs. In terms of the impact of purchase timing decisions on fleet per-mile costs (a), results indicate that: 1) increases in diesel prices do not affect total bus fleet costs as much as increases in maintenance costs; 2) increases in maintenance costs and utilization per year reduce the optimal replacement age; 3) increases in utilization and fuel economy have a similar impact in terms of total fleet costs; and 4) bus purchase-price changes have a significant impact on the optimal replacement age. In terms of the key factors and variables affecting the optimization of transit diesel and hybrid bus fleets (b), results indicate that: 1) the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) purchase cost subsidy has the highest impact on the optimal replacement policies; 2) without the FTA subsidy, the optimal policy is to choose the diesel bus unless the purchase cost difference is larger than 10%; 3) with an 80% FTA purchase cost subsidy, the hybrid bus is always the best choice unless fuel economy difference between the hybrid and diesel buses is substantial; 4) maintenance costs affect the optimal replacement age but are unlikely to change the optimal bus type when comparing diesel and hybrid technologies; and 5) greenhouse gas emissions costs are not significant and affect neither bus type nor replacement age. Close

• 2. [Article] Travel Behavior, Residential Preference, and Urban Design: A Multi-Disciplinary National Analysis

  This report summarizes the findings of a national project to examine the travel behavior, social capital, health, and lifestyle preferences of residents of neotraditional developments (NTD) compared to ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Travel Behavior, Residential Preference, and Urban Design: A Multi-Disciplinary National Analysis Author: Greene, Jessica, Larco, Nico, Yang, Yizhao, Schlossberg, Marc, Rodriguez, Daniel, McDonald, Noreen, Combs, Tabitha Year: 2011 This report summarizes the findings of a national project to examine the travel behavior, social capital, health, and lifestyle preferences of residents of neotraditional developments (NTD) compared to more standard suburban developments. We compare survey results from residents of matched pairs of neighborhoods in seventeen U.S. cities and towns, with each pair comprised of one NTD and one typical suburban neighborhood of similar size, age, and socio-demographic composition. The study addresses salient themes in the transportation, planning and health literatures: a national study, surveying populations of diverse incomes, collecting resident information on preferences for and attitudes towards neighborhood qualities, and addressing transportation and health outcomes for diverse community designs. Title: Travel Behavior, Residential Preference, and Urban Design: A Multi-Disciplinary National Analysis Author: Greene, Jessica, Larco, Nico, Yang, Yizhao, Schlossberg, Marc, Rodriguez, Daniel, McDonald, Noreen, Combs, Tabitha Year: 2011 This report summarizes the findings of a national project to examine the travel behavior, social capital, health, and lifestyle preferences of residents of neotraditional developments (NTD) compared to more standard suburban developments. We compare survey results from residents of matched pairs of neighborhoods in seventeen U.S. cities and towns, with each pair comprised of one NTD and one typical suburban neighborhood of similar size, age, and socio-demographic composition. The study addresses salient themes in the transportation, planning and health literatures: a national study, surveying populations of diverse incomes, collecting resident information on preferences for and attitudes towards neighborhood qualities, and addressing transportation and health outcomes for diverse community designs. Close

• 3. [Article] Investigations In Transportation

  The Investigations in Transportation program is an elementary school partnership and curriculum development project that will engage science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Investigations In Transportation Author: Becker, William G., Biskupic Knight, Carol Year: 2015 The Investigations in Transportation program is an elementary school partnership and curriculum development project that will engage science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals in school-based activities and projects that will bring real-world applications to elementary classrooms for grades 3-5. The Portland Metro STEM Partnership (PMSP) is providing leadership and facilitation to a team of educators from Portland State University, Beaverton School District and Hillsboro School District who will work with volunteers from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to design, develop, implement and assess the impact of an in-class unit entitled "Investigations in Transportation". This report presents a study of a transportation education partnership and curriculum development project that harnessed the professional expertise, experience and enthusiasm of transportation-sector STEM workers by creating a mechanism and set of protocols by which they engaged with elementary school teachers to develop and implement an instructional unit. This STEM-connected instructional unit and lessons allowed students to explore and investigate issues central to transportation. The unit incorporated and enhanced the content and practice standards outlined by the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, and relied heavily on the instructional and curriculum expertise and experience of classroom teachers to develop an age- and interest-appropriate unit of study. This collaboration resulted in the development of an Investigations in Transportation instructional unit that provided students with rich, engaging learning opportunities set in the context of real-world problems around a school parking lot dilemma focused on safety, sustainability and health concerns. The education project team utilized a coherent and cohesive curriculum development process for unit creation and evaluated the development, implementation and reflection of the unit through teacher and student surveys/assessments of attitudes, identity and conceptual understanding. The report describes the process successes, challenges and replication opportunities. Title: Investigations In Transportation Author: Becker, William G., Biskupic Knight, Carol Year: 2015 The Investigations in Transportation program is an elementary school partnership and curriculum development project that will engage science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals in school-based activities and projects that will bring real-world applications to elementary classrooms for grades 3-5. The Portland Metro STEM Partnership (PMSP) is providing leadership and facilitation to a team of educators from Portland State University, Beaverton School District and Hillsboro School District who will work with volunteers from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to design, develop, implement and assess the impact of an in-class unit entitled "Investigations in Transportation". This report presents a study of a transportation education partnership and curriculum development project that harnessed the professional expertise, experience and enthusiasm of transportation-sector STEM workers by creating a mechanism and set of protocols by which they engaged with elementary school teachers to develop and implement an instructional unit. This STEM-connected instructional unit and lessons allowed students to explore and investigate issues central to transportation. The unit incorporated and enhanced the content and practice standards outlined by the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, and relied heavily on the instructional and curriculum expertise and experience of classroom teachers to develop an age- and interest-appropriate unit of study. This collaboration resulted in the development of an Investigations in Transportation instructional unit that provided students with rich, engaging learning opportunities set in the context of real-world problems around a school parking lot dilemma focused on safety, sustainability and health concerns. The education project team utilized a coherent and cohesive curriculum development process for unit creation and evaluated the development, implementation and reflection of the unit through teacher and student surveys/assessments of attitudes, identity and conceptual understanding. The report describes the process successes, challenges and replication opportunities. Close