Small Urban and Rural Center on Mobility

Posts categorized under "Events"

SURTC at TRB

SURTC researchers will be participating in next week's Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting. Ranjit Godavarthy will be giving a presentation titled "Developing a Method for Assessing National Demand-Response Transit Level of Service." His presentation is part of a session Monday morning, 8:00 am – 9:45 am, titled "Paratransit, Demand-Responsive, Dial-a-Ride: A New Future." Jeremy Mattson will be participating in a poster session Tuesday afternoon, 2:00 pm – 3:45 pm, titled "Public Transportation Policy: Governance, Priority-Setting, and Perspectives." The title of his poster is "Method for Estimating Statewide Transit Needs and Investment Priorities in Rural and Small Urban Areas."

These presentations are based on the following research published by SURTC in 2015.

Identifying and Satisfying the Mobility Needs of North Dakota's Transit System

Developing a Method for Assessing National Demand-Response Transit Level of Service

Webinar – The Digitally Connected Commuter: How Personal Technology is Affecting the Rider Experience on Public Transit

The Transportation Research Forum (TRF) is hosting a free webinar on the implications of personal electronic devices on the demand for transit and the quality of the traveler experience. To register, send a message to trf-chicago@depaul.edu.

TITLE: "The Digitally Connected Commuter:  How Personal Technology is Affecting the Rider Experience on Public Transit"

TIME: Wednesday, September 30.  Noon-1 PM Central Time (1 PM Eastern, 10 AM Pacific).  Webinar ends promptly at 1 PM.

SPEAKERS: Sean J. Barbeau, Ph.D., University of South Florida; Matt Michel, Research Associate and Joe Schwieterman, Ph.D., Professor, DePaul University Chicago.

DESCRIPTION:  Barbeau will describe ongoing research at the University of South Florida to create and evaluate location-aware mobile technology and its effect on transit riders.  Michel and Schwieterman will present data from 10,000 Chicago commuter rail riders showing a dramatic rise in "digital activity" among passengers since 2010.  They posit that the associated benefits of using devices while traveling are stimulating the demand for transit.  The presentation will together last 40 minutes, allowing 20 minutes for discussion and Q&A.

MODERATOR: David Boaté, P.E., Gannett Fleming, and President, TRF Public and High Speed Ground Transportation Chapter | Executive Vice President, TRF New York Chapter

RSVP: Free and open to all professionals, students, and guests.  To register, call (312) 362-5731 or email trf-chicago@depaul.edu.

Stand Up for Transportation Day is April 9

SURTC and the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute are partnering with MATBUS, Great Rides Bike Share, and Metro COG to celebrate Stand Up for Transportation Day on April 9 in the Fargo-Moorhead community. Stand Up for Transportation Day, celebrated nationwide and organized by the American Public Transportation Association, is meant to promote awareness and knowledge of the importance of transportation as a vital link in our communities. Whether it’s roads, bridges, infrastructure projects, public transportation or bike share programs, the transportation sector is helping to power the American economy and getting the job done for our citizens.

To commemorate the day, NDSU President Dean Bresciani will welcome the Mayors from Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo and Dilworth when they gather at noon at the NDSU Memorial Union Transit Hub. Each will talk briefly about the importance of transportation in our metro area, followed by the signing of a joint proclamation.

Area residents and visitors can play an active role in this event by posting transportation-related selfies or photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram on April 9. By using the hashtag #SU4TFM, participants will be eligible to win prizes. There will be large informational posters with transportation-related facts placed around the metro to further promote the event.

Webinar: Ethics in Transit Decision-Making

Jill Hough, SURTC director, will be conducting a webinar titled "Ethics in Transit Decision-Making" on March 18 at 2:00 p.m. central time. The webinar, which is being hosted by the National Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP), will examine various decision-making tests for ethics, while exploring this hot topic in transit. Register for the webinar at the following link: 101 Webinar: Ethics in Transit Decision-Making.

SURTC at TRB

SURTC staff will be participating in next week's Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. Below is a list of sessions and committee meetings in which SURTC staff will be participating.

 

SURTC Staff Session/Meeting Presentation Title Date
Jeremy Mattson (Presenting) ADA30 Transportation Planning for Small and Medium-Sized Communities Committee Mobility Management, Cost-Benefit Analyses, and Demand-Response Level of Service: Recent Research from SURTC Jan 12, 10:00 – 10:20 AM
Jill Hough (Presiding) Session 442 – Transportation Planning Applications: Tips and Tools Jan 12, 4:15 – 6:00 PM
Jill Hough and Del Peterson (Attending) AP055 Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation Committee Meeting Jan 13, 10:15 AM – 12:00 PM
Jeremy Mattson (Poster) Session 638 – Inclusive Transportation: Infrastructure and Services Evaluating the State of Mobility Management and Human Service Transportation Coordination Jan 13, 2:00 – 3:45 PM
Del Peterson (Presenting) Session 699 – Special Topics in Rural and Small Urban Public Transportation Improving Veterans' Mobility in Small Urban and Rural Areas Jan 13, 3:45 – 5:30 PM
Ranjit Godavarthy (Presenting) Session 699 – Special Topics in Rural and Small Urban Public Transportation Cost-Benefit Analysis of U.S. Rural and Small Urban Transit Jan 13, 3:45 – 5:30 PM
Jill Hough (Presenting) Session 826 Gender Differences and the Built Environment Relative Desired Mobility of Elderly Women Living in Rural and Small Urban Locations in North Dakota Jan 14, 2:30 – 4:00 PM

SURTC Participating at National Conference on Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation

SURTC staff will be attending and participating in next week's National Conference on Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation in Monterey, California. SURTC director Jill Hough, researchers Del Peterson, Jeremy Mattson, and Ranjit Godavarthy, and training coordinator Rob Lynch will each be giving presentations. Jill Hough and Del Peterson will also each be moderating a session, and Rob Lynch will be manning SURTC's booth at the vendor show. Del Peterson served on the conference's planning committee and will also be awarding the winners of the student paper competition. If you are attending the conference, be sure to stop by our booth and say hi or attend our sessions. Below is list of sessions in which SURTC staff are participating.

Speaker Presentation Title Date
Jill Hough Ethics in the Workplace Mon, Oct 27, 10:00-11:30 AM
Jeremy Mattson Evaluating the State of Mobility Management and Human Service Transportation Coordination Mon, Oct 27, 10:00-11:30 AM
Rob Lynch Emergency Management: An Opportunity for Collaborations and Partnerships for Rural Transit Mon, Oct 27, 2:00-3:30 PM
Del Peterson Improving Veteran Mobility in the Northern Plains: Connecting Veterans in Minnesota, Montana and North Dakota to VA Health Care Centers Tues, Oct 28, 10:00-11:30 AM
Ranjit Godavarthy Cost Benefit Analysis of Rural and Small Urban Transit Tues, Oct 28, 4:00-5:30 PM
Moderator Session Date
Del Peterson Communicating with Customers and Communities: Virtual BFFs Tues, Oct 28, 10:00-11:30 AM
Jill Hough Enhancing Livability in Rural America: What It Means In Your State, Region and Community Tues, Oct 28, 4:00-5:30 PM

Upcoming Webcast: Veteran Mobility in Small Urban and Rural Areas

SURTC researcher Del Peterson will be presenting results from his veteran mobility research as part of the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) webcast series. The webcast, titled "Veteran Mobility in Small Urban and Rural Areas," will be presented July 10 at 11:00 am central time.

The objective of this study was to identify veterans with mobility needs currently living in rural Minnesota, Montana, and North Dakota, and to quantify the cost of feasible transportation options for meeting veteran mobility needs. Special attention was given to the medical transportation of veterans to VA health care centers. This study included a survey of veterans and a simulation of their health care transportation costs.

SURTC at CTAA EXPO

SURTC staff will be participating in this year's Community Transportation EXPO, being held June 8-13 in St. Paul, MN. Jill Hough, SURTC director, will be presenting "Ethics in Decision Making," and SURTC researcher Del Peterson will be presenting results from a recent study on veterans transportation. Details about their presentations are below:

Speaker: Jill Hough
Presentation title: Ethics in Decision Making
Session: Professional Development Leadership Sessions
Date and time: Wed. June 11, 3:15 pm
Location: RiverCentre, Meeting Room 2

Speaker: Del Peterson
Presentation title: Improving Veteran Mobility in Small Urban and Rural Areas
Session: Veterans Mobility: How VTCLI Has Helped Us Serve our Veterans
Date and time: Wed. June 11, 3:15 pm
Location: RiverCentre, Meeting Room 12

SURTC will also have a booth at the EXPO. Stop by our booth and visit with Rob Lynch, SURTC's training coordinator, and other SURTC staff. Summaries of recent research projects and other SURTC material will be available.

Upcoming Transit ITS Workshop on Data Management

SURTC director Dr. Jill Hough will be facilitating an upcoming Transit ITS Workshop focusing on data management. This workshop is being conducted by the National Transit Institute and will be held July 9-10 in Newark, NJ. The goal of the workshop is to discuss and discover best practices in data management for transit ridership and for open source data, for internal agency consumption and external partner usage.

The workshop will convene three expert panels that will examine "Management of Ridership Data" and "Management of Open Source Data" and will conclude with a roundtable discussion on "Data Management Best Practices." The keynote speaker will be John Inglish, former general manager of the Utah Transit Authority. Additionally, two tour options will provide attendees with access to a special tour of NJ Transit's Newark-Penn Station and the Newark Light Rail Line and Maintenance Facility.

For more details and to register, click on the following link: Transit ITS Workshop – Data Management