TCRP is Good for Transit Operations

Stephan A. Parker

Senior Program Officer

Transportation Research Board

of The National Academies

Washington, DC

The Role of Research in Transit Operations: How to access and interpret applicable research

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Transit Cooperative Research Program

• Applied research on practical problems common to transit agencies (proposed in TRB Special Report 213)

• Established under FTA sponsorship in July 1992

• Proposed by the US DOT, TCRP was initially authorized as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA)

TCRP Products Help Improve Transit Operations

• Bus Safety

• Scheduling

• Rail Safety

• Paratransit

• Alternative Fuels

• Maintenance

TCRP Products Help Improve Transit Operations: Bus Safety

• Toolkit for Transit Operator Fatigue (TCRP Report 81)

• Improving Pedestrian Safety at Unsignalized Crossings (TCRP Report 112 / NCHRP Report 562)

• Effective Practices to Reduce Bus Accidents (TCRP Report 66)

• Guidebook for Mitigating Fixed-Route Bus-and-Pedestrian Crashes (TCRP Report 125)

TCRP Report 81

Toolkit for Transit Operator Fatigue

• Training: National Transit Institute courses

• Implemented: Santa Clara Valley Regional Transit Authority

• “Cornerstone” for the Greater Cleveland RTA Fatigue Awareness Training Program

TCRP Report 112 / NCHRP Report 562

Improving Pedestrian Safety at Unsignalized Crossings

• Co-funded with National Cooperative Highway Research Program

• Approved by the National Committee; next version of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices will include changes in the areas of Pedestrian Beacon and Pedestrian Signal Warrant

• Implemented: New York State DOT used it to determine treatments for unsignalized pedestrian crossings, including those associated with transit bus stops

TCRP Products Help Improve Transit Operations: Scheduling

• Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals (TCRP Report 135)

• Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (TCRP Report 100, 165)

• A Guide for Implementing Bus on Shoulder (BOS) Systems (TCRP Report 151)

• Bus Rapid Transit Practitioner’s Guide (TCRP Report 118)

TCRP Report 135

Controlling System Costs: Basic and Advanced Scheduling Manuals

• MTA New York City Transit

• Metro Transit, Minneapolis

• Capital Area Transportation Authority, Lansing, Michigan

• San Francisco MUNI

• Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)

• LACMTA

TCRP Report 100

Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual: Assessments

• All Florida Metropolitan Planning Organizations(MPOs)

• Transit agencies in Atlanta, Birmingham, Broward County (FL), DuPage County (IL), San Antonio, New Orleans, Oakland (CA), Seattle, Washington DC, San Francisco, MTA New York City Transit, LACMTA, Adelaide (Australia), Dublin (Ireland)

BUS ON SHOULDER EXAMPLES

• San Diego freeway application

• Twin Cities freeway and arterial network application

• Virginia Dulles Access Road queue jump application

• Left side shoulder applications – Cincinnati and Chicago

• New Jersey arterial street application

TCRP Report 151

SAN DIEGO BOS RIGHT SHOULDER

TCRP Report 151

MINNEAPOLIS - ST PAUL BOS

TCRP Report 151

MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL BOS NETWORK

TCRP Report 151

MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL OPERATIONS

• 35 MPH threshold speed

• 15 MPH maximum delta speed

• Buses yield to traffic at conflict points

• Use shoulder only at driver’s discretion

• 20 years experience

• Nearly 300 miles of BOS

• Team Transit website – www.dot.mn.us/metro/teamtransit

TCRP Report 151

MNDOT TEAM TRANSIT WEBSITE VIDEO CLIPS http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/teamtransit/

TCRP Report 151

BOS OPERATIONS - 2010

TCRP Report 151

DECISION MAKING PROCESS

TCRP Report 151

1. Identify Need

2. Develop Concept Plan

3. Establish Multi-Agency BOS Team

4. Perform Feasibility Assessment

5. Develop Project Definition

6. Plan Implementation

7. Project Start-Up

8. Monitor Performance

POLITICALLY POPULAR

TCRP Report 151

PERFORMANCE BENEFITS

TCRP Report 151

• Passenger benefits

• Bus driver perceptions

• Schedule reliability

• Relative travel time savings

PASSENGER BENEFITS

• Travel time savings is perceived at 2 to 3 times actual savings

• Many riders enjoy bypassing slow traffic and encourage bus drivers to use the shoulder

• Ridership gains are difficult to isolate from other factors

TCRP Report 151

BUS DRIVER OPINIONS

TCRP Report 151

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Congestion is a Problem Shortens Trip Improves Scehedule Times Good Idea

San Diego

Miami

Twin Cities

Columbus

New Jersey

ADVANTAGES

TCRP Report 151

• Passenger Benefits

– Reduced run times

– Improved reliability

– Market visibility

– Station stopping service

• Implementation

– Low cost

– Quick

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

• Presence of buses – usually at least 4 per hour

• Congestion on corridor highway

• Minimum 10 foot wide shoulders

• Avoidance of high volume entry and exit ramps (more than 1,000 vph)

• Willingness of transit agencies, DOTs, and other stakeholders to work together

• Ability to obtain FHWA approvals

TCRP Report 151

CONCLUSIONS

• Bus priority treatments have operated successfully for more than 50 years

• Bus on Shoulder operations have more than 20 years of successful experience

• Bus passengers save time and gain more reliable commute trips, while general traffic is unaffected

• Safety experience has been excellent

• Bus on shoulder operations are low cost and low impact means of improving corridor mobility

TCRP Report 151

TCRP Products Help Improve Transit Operations: Rail Safety

• Warning Device for Rail Rapid Transit Personnel for Approaching Trains (TCRP IDEA Project 55)

• Improving Pedestrian and Motorist Safety Along Light Rail Transit Alignments (TCRP Report 137)

TCRP IDEA Project 55

Warning Device for Rail Rapid Transit Personnel for Approaching Trains

• Tested at MTA New York City Transit, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA)

• NTSB staff demonstration

• Implemented: Chicago Transit Authority, Los Angeles County MTA, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority, Sound Transit (Seattle), GCRTA, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Maryland Transit Administration

Advance Secondary Warning Devices

Wireless Technology

Portable Train Detector Portable Warning Light/Horn

Personal Armband Device Train Operator Device

Two Independent Wireless Technologies

Developed

Train Mounted Device Installed in Train Operating Cab.

TCRP Products Help Improve Transit Operations: Paratransit

• Hazard and Security Plan Workshop: Instructor Guide (Report 86, Vol. 10)

• Methods for Forecasting Demand and Quantifying Need for Rural Passenger Transportation: Final Workbook (TCRP Report 161)

• Paratransit Emergency Preparedness and Operations Handbook (TCRP Report 160)

• Improving ADA Paratransit Demand Estimation: Regional Modeling (Report 158)

TCRP Report 86, Volume 10

Hazard and Security Plan Workshop: Instructor Guide

• Security Planning Tools for Rural, Small Urban, and Community-Based Public Transportation Operations

• Statewide workshops by Florida DOT & Texas DOT

• Pre- and post-Katrina workshops by Mississippi DOT

• Cambria County Transit Authority (CamTran)

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1 2 3 4

35

Key Terms

Prevention

Mitigation

Preparedness

Response

Recovery

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Sample Countermeasures/ Solutions:

Vandalism

Reduce the likelihood

of occurrence Education in schools,

community outreach

Reduce probability/

severity of

consequences

Graffiti-resistant

materials

Prepare for incidents

that inevitably occur Extra care at Halloween

React to hazards and

security incidents Reporting and removal

from service

Recover from incidents

that have occurred

Supplying maintenance

staff with clean-up

materials

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Sample Countermeasures/Solutions:

Hurricane or Tropical Storm

Reduce the likelihood

of occurrence None

Reduce probability/

severity of

consequences

Listen to weather

forecasts for warnings

Prepare for incidents

that inevitably occur Driver training for bad

weather operations

React to hazards and

security incidents Develop severe weather

emergency drop points

Recover from incidents

that have occurred Review insurance

policies

TCRP Report 161

Methods for Forecasting Demand and Quantifying Need for Rural Passenger Transportation: Final Workbook

Data related to operations and ridership at the systems represented was obtained for 90

counties. Data for an additional 91 counties in Kansas were provided by University of Kansas

staff. Data for additional counties in Indiana were obtained through the state transit association

and data for Montana counties were obtained with data from the Montana Department of

Transportation.

Need • Mobility Gap - The difference between the daily trip rate for persons

having one or more vehicles and those lacking vehicles

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New England

Need • Mobility Gap - The difference between the daily trip rate for persons

having one or more vehicles and those lacking vehicles

TCRP B-36 40

TCRP Products Help Improve Transit Operations: Alternative Fuels

• Guidebook for Evaluating Fuel Choices for Post-2010 Transit Bus Procurements (TCRP Report 146)

• Guidebook for Evaluating Fuel Purchasing Strategies for Public Transit Agencies (TCRP Report 156)

• Assessment of Hybrid-Electric Transit Bus Technology (TCRP Report 132)

Alternative Fuels

• FuelCost software (TCRP Report 146 (Project C-19), updated from TCRP Report 38)

• APTA Specifications developed based on Configuration Options Supplement to Standard Purchase Specifications for Transit Buses

TCRP C-19

Objective

To assist in assessments of alternative fuel buses for

2010 and beyond by updating and expanding TCRP

Report 38 (1998)

● Guidebook

● Cost-model spreadsheet (FuelCost )

Report 38 vs C-19 Fuels

Report 38 (1998) Project C-19 (2010)

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● Diesel

● CNG

● LNG

● LPG

● Ethanol

● Methanol

● DME

● Gasoline

● Electric battery

● Catenary electric

● Hybrid electric

● Fuel Cells

● Diesel

● CNG

● LNG

● LPG

● Ethanol

● Biodiesel

FuelCost spreadsheet:

Lifecycle cost (cash flows)

FuelCost spreadsheet with user-

friendly features:

Lifecycle cost (cash flows)

Lifecycle regulated emissions

(tailpipe)

Ranked external costs (GHG,

regional economy, and tech maturity)

C-19 Guidebook

► Introduction

►Guidance for choosing a fuel

● FuelCost2 Use

● Data limitations

►12 “fuel-specific” chapters – 8 on-board fuels,

2 EV types, and 2 powertrains

● Fuel/Powertrain description

● Usage in the transit industry

● Safety & Training

● Technology & Performance

● Emissions

● Capital and O&M Costs

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Show default

data used in

FuelCost2

Cursory Comparisons

► Cursory comparisons can be viewed after completing

the basic input (up to 3 options)

► These use default data for calculation of lifecycle costs

and emissions

► Default data provides a starting point for comparisons

► Additional site-specific data is needed for specific

analyses -- as on the “Input Detail” sheet

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TCRP Products Help Improve Transit Operations: Maintenance

• ASE Transit Bus Maintenance Certification Test Series

• Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit, Second Edition (TCRP Report 155)

• Developing, Enhancing, and Sustaining Tribal Transit Services: A Guidebook (TCRP Report 154)

• Improving Safety-Related Rules Compliance in the Public Transportation Industry (TCRP Report 149)

ASE Transit Bus Maintenance Certification

Test Series (results as of Fall 2012)

• 3,149 technicians have passed one or more of the ASE Transit Bus tests

• 10,836 ASE Transit Bus tests passed

• 657 technicians have attained ASE Transit Bus Master Technician designation

• Master Technician covers CNG or Diesel