Background
Transportation planning often is conducted from the supply-side: where does infrastructure exist and how can service be delivered most cheaply? This approach fails to consider the need and response of riders. TransitToolsCS combines a unique analytical approach with two software applications that look at transportation planning as a response to existing and future demand. These tools can be used alone or in combination.
TransitToolsCS, includes:
- Market segmentation analysis – a methodology to understand and quantify the underlying attitudes driving travelers’ mode choice decisions, identify customer segments, and determine where different types of customers live.
- The Service Planning Tool (SPT) – a geographic information systems (GIS)-based tool that provides transit planners with ridership forecasts for a full spectrum of service scenarios.
- The Potential Transit Share (PTS) Tool – another GIS-based tool to identify markets with the potential to generate high ridership and improve service effectiveness.
With TransitToolsCS, agencies can put transportation services where riders need it most.
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Benefits
- Compare Ridership Among Service Options – The SPT predicts ridership impacts for nearly a dozen service characteristics such as headway, walk access time, and in-vehicle time. If you ever wanted to know how your ridership would change on a route if you decreased the headway by five minutes, the SPT can tell you.
See what trips are popular in connection to specific origins or destinations. - Understand How to Influence Rider Demand – Weigh the critical characteristics of demand and estimate the ridership potential for origins, destinations, and specific origin/destination pairs with a fine-grained map.
- Manage Resources Effectively – When extra funds are available, spend them in the most effective manner; when cuts are necessary, make service reductions in the most intelligent way possible.
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Case Studies
- Planning More Efficient Service Routes – Tasked with increasing the effectiveness of their service, several agencies used the SPT to compare ridership demand amongst their service options. The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System used the SPT to evaluate potential Bus Rapid Transit routes. The San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) used the SPT to assist in developing both their Long-Range Strategic Plan and Short-Range Transit Plan. The Utah Transit Authority soon will apply the SPT to improve its existing service. These agencies, among others, were all able to improve overall effectiveness by considering rider demand.
- Assessing Potential Transit Markets – Several agencies have applied the PTS to identify strong markets and potential corridors for transit. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency used the PTS to identify locations where transit services could be improved or pared back as part of its Transit Effectiveness Project. The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) used the PTS as part of its regional rail analysis to determine where more “urban rail” service might be supported. The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) used the PTS to generate a database of market data for all transit corridors in the region as a resource for transit operators and to analyze a potential new shuttle system servicing Microsoft. These and other agencies also were able to improve effectiveness by identifying both underserved and overserved transit markets.
- Combining Approaches for Maximum Effectiveness – The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) was seeking an approach to direct its Comprehensive Operations Analysis. They used the PTS to identify core markets and increase or reduce services as necessary. They used the SPT to refine individual routes and corridors for maximum effectiveness. The SCVTA completed its required analysis and then applied the information gathered from the SPT and PTS to develop Bus Rapid Transit service. The TransitToolscs approach gave the SCVTA the analytical muscle to put transit where it was needed most.
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Cambridge Systematics – Leaders in Transportation Market Analysis
Explore potential transit routes through demand. Where would a bus route be most useful?While market-based methods for competitive positioning and ridership forecasting represent a bold new approach to strategy planning for transit agencies, this approach is quite common among private firms. Whether a firm is selling mutual funds or automobiles, marketing strategies must reflect the needs of the target customers. Now, we have combined our private sector market research expertise with our extensive experience developing strategic transit plans to give a growing number of transit agencies a vital new approach to increasing their ridership and improving productivity.
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TransitToolsCS Technical Specifications
TransitToolsCS is a desktop-based application and is designed for use with ESRI ArcGIS. Cambridge Systematics will deliver TransitToolsCS for installation on the client’s site. Consulting services will be required to integrate TransitToolsCS with local demand data. The purchasing agency and Cambridge Systematics can arrange for continued technical support or hosting, depending on the agency’s needs.
- GIS Platform Requirements: ESRI ArcGIS Desktop 9.3 (ArcView license or higher)
- Database Requirements: Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 , Oracle
- Written in C# using Microsoft .Net Framework v2.0 and ArcObjects (or higher)
- Deployed as a Dynamic Link Library (DLL) using a custom installer
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Additional Information
For additional information, contact Andrew Tang, Senior Associate, 510 873 8700.
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