Transit Research Analysis Committee Letter Report: November 16, 2011 (2011) / Chapter Skim
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November 16, 2011 Vincent Valdes Associate Administrator for Research, Demonstration, and Innovation Federal Transit Administration U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Dear Mr.
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2 be in place to ensure that FTA receives the input and cooperation of transit research stakeholders." In earlier meetings with TRAC, RDI identified the ridership experience as a highpriority research area, commensurate with FTA's strategic goal of making public transit an even stronger force in enhancing community livability. Other strategic goals of the agency, as identified by RDI, concern transit safety, state of good repair, environmental sustainability, and economic competitiveness.
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3 Given the influence of TRAC's 2010 letter report, the committee members are pleased to have an opportunity to give additional advice on the research needs associated with improving the transit ridership experience, which aligns with FTA's high-priority research goal on livability. To satisfy their existing and prospective riders, transit agencies have a keen interest in making their services safer, easier to use, and more convenient, comfortable, and efficient.
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4 The next section provides an overview of the technical sessions, followed by TRAC's assessment of the information and relevant recommendations to RDI on research needs and opportunities. TRAC's reactions to RDI's initiatives on safety and its increased discretionary resources for research are then offered.
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5 Session 1: Surveying Riders Transit agencies often use surveys to obtain insight into who is riding transit and where they are going. Surveys are also used to identify the service attributes that riders find most important.
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6 transit services that are most relevant to different individuals according to such carefully considered distinctions. Kathryn Coffel described a research project she leads to understand how intelligent transportation system (ITS)
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7 the full array of opportunities for such applications, but also to examine perceived limitations, such as concerns associated with confidentiality and personal security. Together, the three presentations support the need for more precise and useable information on traveler interests and expectations.
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8 necessary, to embrace the new capabilities that consumer technologies offer to serve the growing segment of the population that is technology savvy without, at the same time, adversely affecting those riders who do not have access to or interest in such technology. Disseminating information in multiple formats, such as through audio and visual means, is part of the challenge in exploiting these new technologies.
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9 applications. The software works with a wide variety of transit agencies to allow a user to quickly and easily determine when the next transit vehicle will be arriving at any stop.
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10 facto transit data standard by encouraging agencies to provide data compatible with its widely used software. Research may be able to identify how transit agencies can better open their data by using standard protocols so that software innovators can make more effective use of the information.
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11 to appeal to riders and to discuss how these characteristics can be addressed through alternative means. Jennifer Flynn identified several tangible and intangible attributes of BRT that seem to appeal to users.
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12 faster and more reliable BRT service. More generally, however, Carey believes that a BLIMP system is one of many innovations that can make bus operations more efficient and reliable, and thus more comparable to LRT in both real and perceived terms.
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13 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FTA RESEARCH ON THE RIDERSHIP EXPERIENCE The technical presentations discussed above offer ideas on needed research. A common theme through all of them is the importance of how good data and research methodologies are critical to assessing ridership interests and experiences.
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14 exploited, and transit agencies must encourage it. FTA should consider how its research could assist in this regard by assessing where standardization of the formatting of open-source transit scheduling and service data is warranted.
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15 leadership to address other major issues facing the transit industry. It will be important for RDI to make wise programming decisions to demonstrate the value of this discretionary research and the ability of RDI to allocate the resources most effectively.
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16 FIGURE 1 FTA National Research and Technology Funding Levels, 1992 to 2011 (SOURCE: RDI)
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17 decisions of transit agencies as well as those of state safety oversight entities. The plan's statement of work calls for an assessment of existing safety research models that could be applicable to FTA, a background review of transit safety data to identify areas where FTA should prioritize research efforts, and a determination of how safety research should support any potential expanded role for FTA in transit safety oversight.
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18 TRAC expects that at its winter meeting, RDI will be prepared to discuss plans for the 2012 summer meeting in greater detail. CONCLUDING COMMENTS On behalf of the committee, I would again like to thank the FTA staff, along with all the presenters, for providing a very stimulating and productive set of presentations and discussions.
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