2013 Session: 560

• Collaboration to Improve Transportation
  Abstract: Persons with disabilities should be engaged in decision-making about mobility management and accessible transportation through increased collaboration with transit entities. This study examined the change in collaboration between Independent Living Coaches representing 15 States and various entities critical to improving transportation for individuals with disabilities. Results indicated that after training in mobility management concepts, IL Coaches significantly increased collaboration with city/local and regional/State transit organizations. Three main strategies for collaboration emerged: a) participating on committees/councils, b) training or attending joint training, and c) grant development. The main barriers identified were: lack of time, geographical distances, turf issues, and financial limitations.
  Authors: Noonan, Patricia; Shanley, Judy Lynne
  Authors: Noonan, Patricia; Shanley, Judy Lynne
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: 13-2765
• Development and Proposed Dynamic Test Method for Novel Wheelchair-Passenger Safety System Onboard Fixed-Route Transportation
  Abstract: Due to ADA, public transportation has become a means for people with disabilities to access and get around in their communities. For wheelchair-seated passengers to safely travel on fixed route transit, transit vehicles have been equipped with belt-type wheelchair tiedowns and occupant restraint systems for the past few decades. Surveys among bus operators and wheelchair users found that these time consuming devices are rarely used and cannot be used by wheelchair seated individuals themselves, and prohibit independent travel of these individuals. This paper describes the development of a solution that brings wheelchair-seated travel on public transit to the 21th century. Implementation of a similar concept will also promote use and improve transit safety for wheelchair-seated passengers.
  Authors: van Roosmalen, Linda
  Authors: van Roosmalen, Linda
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: 13-3376
• Modeling User Perception of Accessibility to Healthcare Facilities Using Statistical Methods and Geographic Information System
  Abstract: Transport accessibility to healthcare facilities is a major issue in the United Kingdom, as recently demonstrated by the shift away from ‘providing healthcare in acute hospitals’ to ‘care closer to home’. However, it is not easy to measure transport accessibility since it is often highly subjective and deterministic. Measuring accessibility primarily focuses on the creation of accessibility contours based on distance or travel time metrics and therefore such methods ignore individual differences such as users’ perception and their transport usage and area-wide factors.The aim of this paper is to develop a user-based accessibility model by focusing on both individual transport usage (i.e. access to different transport modes and fuel consumption) and area-wide factors (e.g. transport network, public transport provision, safety/security and area deprivation). A questionnaire survey was carried out to measure users’ perceptions of the accessibility to various healthcare facilities. The responses are integrated with various datasets obtained from a range of secondary sources (e.g. National Census, Ordnance Survey, Deprivation Indices) using a GIS technique. A multilevel (i.e. individuals nested within local areas) mixed-effects statistical model is employed to develop a relationship between user perception on the accessibility and the factors influencing accessibility. The initial results suggest that travel distance by car, number of available bus services, age and destinations affect accessibility to healthcare facilities. Based on the weighting of each of the factors, a range of policies can be developed that could lead to the reduction in health inequality in terms of fair access to healthcare provision.
  Authors: Titidezh, Omid; Quddus, Mohammed A.; Ison, Stephen; Price, Andrew
  Authors: Titidezh, Omid; Quddus, Mohammed A.; Ison, Stephen; Price, Andrew
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: 13-4083
• Priority-Setting for Inclusive Transportation System
  Abstract: Because of the ageing of the population, over the coming decades the transportation system will have to be adapted to the needs of an increasing number of persons with travel impairments. More than acknowledged in the past, this underlines the key challenge for transportation planning to design a transportation system that guarantees access for all population groups, irrespective of the features of a person’s body. This will require substantial investments, as the existing transportation system has historically been designed to serve able-bodied persons with little attention for its usability by persons with varying types of impairments. The aim of the paper is to develop a basic framework that can be helpful to set priorities towards the development of an inclusive transportation system. The framework distinguishes two principles for priority setting, one derived from the principle of welfare maximization and the other from the notion of ‘hardship’. Based on these two principles of priority setting, three different types of measures to remove mobility barriers for mobility impaired persons are distinguished: (1) measures that live up to the principle of efficiency or welfare maximization; (2) measures that reduce accessibility hardship through an improvement of the mainstream transportation system transport; and (3) measures that reduce accessibility hardship through dedicated services for persons with travel impairments. In order to assess and rank these measures, cost-benefit analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis should be adapted to capture benefits and effects that are relevant for travel impaired persons.
  Authors: Martens, Karel
  Authors: Martens, Karel
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: 13-3052
• Technologies for Row and Seat Identification Onboard Aircraft for Travelers Who Are Blind
  Abstract: The objective of this study, carried out for Transport Canada’s Transportation Development Centre, was to identify the state of the art of wireless technologies applicable to enhance independent wayfinding for travelers with sight limitations in Canada with consideration to current cabin safety regulations and their usability by the passenger. The aim was to develop a technological solution that enables blind passengers to identify row/seat/washroom locations on board aircrafts without assistance. An international literature review was undertaken on wireless technologies applicable to onboard orientation and wayfinding tasks. Through surveys and interviews, additional inputs were gathered from knowledgeable practitioners. A listing of suitable location, transmission, receiver and user interface technologies has been compiled and discussed.A task analysis for the traveler’s trip chain onboard aircraft resulted in ten (10) wayfinding and orientation scenarios. An evaluation framework was designed to prioritize technologies identified. Project team members were enlisted to rank both the criteria and the applicable technologies. Members concluded that the most important criteria for implementation of a selected technology were regulatory clearance, followed by receiver ownership and its effectiveness for users. The RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) location technology was chosen by members as having the best potential for wayfinding applications, followed by the Barcode/Quick Response Code (QR Code) technology. Smartphones with software and vibration features are eligible receiver systems for pilot testing due to their versatility and usability, especially by passengers who are deaf-blind. The project team recommended two technologies as candidates for a pilot test.
  Authors: Blais, Daniel; Rutenberg, Uwe; Suen, S. Ling
  Authors: Blais, Daniel; Rutenberg, Uwe; Suen, S. Ling
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: 13-3760
• System for Improving Accessibility of Urban Transportation Network
  Abstract: There is an ever-growing interest in the measure of the performances of an urban public transportnetwork for people with reduced mobility. This is leading to the need for further defining methodsto help city managers better plan and improve accessible public transport. In this paper we present asystem for assessing the level of accessibility for people with reduced mobility of an existing urbanpublic transport network from the transport operator perspective. By analyzing different types ofdata related to both the cities’ network infrastructure and the travelers’ demand, the system isable to suggest which are the best transportation infrastructure investments that meet the needs ofpeople with reduced mobility in order of priority and with respect to the money budgets available.We show the effectiveness of our proposed system by means of two case studies focused on verydifferent cities: London and Washington, D.C. Regarding the city of London, our results showthat by making accessible a particular station (Farringdon, Hammersmith & City) it is possible toreduce the total travel by a factor which is more than 8 times better than a random choice, andmore than 30% more effective than a solution minimizing the number of interchanges. RegardingWashington, D.C., we found that Rosslyn metro station presents the highest number of trips (morethan 1000 trips per day) affected by outages of the station’s elevators and escalators.
  Authors: Ferrari, Laura; Berlingerio, Michele; Calabrese, Francesco
  Authors: Ferrari, Laura; Berlingerio, Michele; Calabrese, Francesco
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: 13-3907
• Planning Cycle-rickshaws for Serving as Access and Egress Legs of Mass Transit Systems
  Abstract: Cycle-rickshaw is a common mode of transport in many cities, particularly in developing countries. In the past many cities have tried to ban rickshaws either from the entire city or from certain roads on the grounds of reducing congestions or for enhancing the city image. Such a decision on rickshaw ban was ‘controversial’ because they are environment friendly and they have a significant role in transport as well as economy of the city. Hence, an alternative approach to placing outright restrictions on rickshaws is to try to integrate them in the formal public transport systems by using them as feeder services.The paper explored if the rickshaws could serve as a feeder service (access or egress legs) of mass transit, particularly for BRT systems. The paper is based on a case study on Dhaka City (Bangladesh) where the participatory research methods and qualitative approach had been applied. It was found that if planned properly and the design of BRT station considers accommodating rickshaws to ensure easy and convenient modal transfers for the public transport users then rickshaws would able to serve as a feeder service of BRT systems. The paper also provides the design for BRT station which would assist modal integration between rickshaws and BRT systems through their close physical location to provide easy and convenient transfers. The design of BRT station area suggested in this paper for integrating with rickshaws would be helpful for other cities having rickshaws that have BRT in operation or planning for BRT systems.
  Authors: Rahman, Muhammed Shafiq-Ur
  Authors: Rahman, Muhammed Shafiq-Ur
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: 13-1323
• Technologies for Row and Seat Identification Onboard Aircraft for Travelers Who Are Blind
  Authors: Blais, Daniel
  Authors: Blais, Daniel
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: 13-3760
• Modeling User Perception of Accessibility to Healthcare Facilities Using Statistical Methods and Geographic Information System
  Authors: Titidezh, Omid
  Authors: Titidezh, Omid
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: 13-4083
• Grant Projects of National Center on Senior Transportation Mobility Management
  Authors: Winchell-Mendy, Lynn
  Authors: Winchell-Mendy, Lynn
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: P13-6203
• Eldercare Locator Transportation Call Data
  Authors: Winchell-Mendy, Lynn
  Authors: Winchell-Mendy, Lynn
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: P13-6204
• System for Improving Accessibility of Urban Transportation Network
  Authors: Berlingerio, Michele
  Authors: Berlingerio, Michele
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: 13-3907
• Public Transport Reforms and Their Impact on Accessibility: Case of Malta
  Authors: Attard, Maria
  Authors: Attard, Maria
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: P13-6205
• Collaboration to Improve Transportation
  Authors: Shanley, Judy
  Authors: Shanley, Judy
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 560
  Paper Number: 13-2765