Geographic Information Systems
in Public Transportation
The following annotated references have been collected to provide the reader with a thorough base for further study on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in public transportation. GIS applications have now become so essential that many public transit systems would not be profitable using other options. The versatility of GIS facilitates this continuing trend as illustrated by the authors' findings below.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Berman, M. J., R. Wade, D. Kreinheder, T. Davis. 1997. Transit Security Incident Analysis and Reporting Using GIS, Proceedings of the Seventeenth Annual ESRI User Conference; San Diego, California.
The King County (WA) Transit Division tracks security-related incidents on its transit system. Its older systems were unable to combine these data with spatial analyses crucial in deploying security resources to the needed areas in a timely manner. A GIS was implemented, along with other database management systems, and proved effective in supplying information needed by transit authorities and security personnel to decrease security incidents. The combined application was versatile enough to also assist other departments of the transit division.
Durcanska, M. 1998. GIS in Transportation Operation: The City of Dallas Pilot Project, Proceedings of the Eighteenth Annual ESRI User Conference; San Diego, California.
To deal with the rapid growth of the city of Dallas and the resultant dependence on public transportation as a means of mobility through the metropolitan area, the city's Department of Transportation developed a pilot GIS to harvest data previously stored in several different, outdated systems. ArcView served as the main tool, and it successfully interpreted all the varying data into one common system. The versatility of the GIS allowed other city departments to utilize it as well (e.g., signal engineering, transportation planning, field operation).
Freytag, D., N. Wilson, K. Keller. 1997. Conducting Major Investment Studies Using GIS: Comparative Urban and Suburban Case Studies, Proceedings of the Seventeenth Annual ESRI User Conference; San Diego, California.
This study sought out to prove the adaptability of a GIS-based system using two very different cases in freeway transportation: a 30-mile section of Interstate 15 in Northern Utah and a 15-mile stretch of Interstate 5 in downtown Los Angeles. The Utah analysis was concerned with wetlands, farmlands and endangered species along the corridor; the Los Angeles analysis was focused on more urban factors: traffic volume, accident likelihood, travel patterns, economic impact, etc. ArcView and Arc/Info were used in the system, which ultimately proved flexible enough to deal with the two studies' different requirements.
Harter, G. L. 1997. Conducting Major Investment Studies Using GIS: Comparative Urban and Suburban Case Studies, Proceedings of the Seventeenth Annual ESRI User Conference; San Diego, California.
A great need has arisen to store data required by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991, an act that essentially demands higher standards in accountability of transportation authorities. In this case, the GIS implemented not only met the requirements of the ISTEA, but it also processed everyday queries (with accompanying maps) in a more efficient, cost-effective, and timely manner.
Hillman, R. 1997. GIS-based innovations for modelling public transport accessibility, Association for Geographic Information 97 conference proceedings: geographic information--exploiting the benefits; Birmingham, England.
An analysis of a public transportation network's access points, interchanges, and intended routes was done to develop sustainability in transport planning. Demographics and travel patterns were primary variables. A GIS was used to calculate accessibility indices, and the system added value to the entire transportation scheme studied.
Holt, A., E.C. Higham, G.W. Kearsley. 1998. Predicting international tourist flows using a spatial reasoning system, Pacific-Tourism-Review, 1: 4, 299-311.
The Tourism Board for New Zealand sought to predict tourist travel activities by drawing on past tourism routes frequently used. Both artificial intelligence and geographic information systems were used to gather this information and to classify tourist demographic profiles for easier interpretation. The study proved the system to be effective in forecasting tourist travel patterns by looking at previous patterns of tourists with similar demographic attributes.
Koncz, N., J. Greenfeld. 1995. GIS-based transit information bolsters travel options, GIS World.
This study points out the variety of public transportation modes that exist in urban areas and how each of these modes has different methods for providing information to its potential users. Additionally, each mode uses several independent carriers to execute the service. When there were efforts using a GIS to coordinate the supply of information, the results were more accurate and timely. It was also proved that unless such information is supplied in a convenient and friendly form, potential users are less likely to use public transportation.
Miller, S. R., T. Collins. 2001. Using GIS to Analyze Potential Paratransit Fare and Zone Changes, Proceedings of the Twenty-First Annual ESRI User Conference; San Diego, California.
Two independently run public paratransit systems were used in Phoenix. As independent entities, the two systems differed in fares, hours, and zones. Consolidation was proposed, and a GIS was employed to find the best practices used in both transit systems so that the consolidation would be an easy transition for the previously divided group of users. The study also proved the effectiveness of GIS applications in solving specialized transportation needs.
Paredes, M., E. Fernando, T. Scullion. 1990. Pavement management applications of GIS. A case study, Transportation Research Record, n 1261, 20-26.
In this more than ten-year-old study, the authors confirm the effective use of a GIS in pavement evaluations. The method used prior to GIS development was tedious and often performed manually. The GIS used in this case was adaptable to work in pavement management.
Rasmussen, T. 1999. Public Transportation--Planning and Analysis Using GIS, Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual ESRI User Conference; San Diego, California.
Several cases of transportation companies are analyzed based on their information systems. Most are using GIS tools such as ArcView to aid in the management of information concerning travel patterns and the planning that results in these patterns. A transportation company in Sweden, which does not currently use GIS tools (1999), is used as a case study to prove the effectiveness of implementing such a system.
Sirota, S.,V. Henry. 1995. Using GIS to identify locations with the greatest potential increased light rail ridership, Proceedings of the Eighth Annual Symposium on Geographic Information Systems for Transportation (GIS-T); Sparks, Nevada.
A GIS was used in a marketing scheme for a light-rail company in Baltimore, thus furthering the versatility of GIS tools. Specific target markets were identified combined with the spatial analysis of the GIS. In utilizing the GIS, the light-rail management was able to identify specific transportation analysis zones: these provided the management with markets of new ridership potential. The colorful maps supplied top management with an easy-to-read interpretation of the data.
Smith, B. L., P. K. Durvasula, M. J. Demetsky, S. C. Brich. 1998. Decision Support Software for Real-Time Route Deviation Transit Service, Proceedings of the Eighteenth Annual ESRI User Conference; San Diego, California.
The effectiveness of GIS in public transportation planning is recognized. The challenge, the author claims, now lies in using GIS as a customized application for specific transit operations. To test this the author cites a transportation commission in Virginia that used ArcView in displaying real-time route deviation. ArcView effectively enabled transit employees to make timely decisions based on the route deviation displays; specifically, the application evaluated fixed stops and desired pickups and delivery to determine if such deviations were practical.
Spear, B. D., R. W. Weil. 1999. Access to intercity public transportation services from small communities: Geospatial analysis, Transportation Research Record, 1666, 65-73.
This study analyzes the political implications of public transportation needs and the role that the federal government should and should not play in those needs. GIS technology provided spatial analyses. The results isolated areas that were underserved by public transportation and the correlative economic conditions that accompany them. The GIS then created buffers to identify areas that were beyond reasonable access to intercity transit systems. The study analyzed by the authors was done by the U.S. Department of Transportation and would not have been feasible without the use of GIS.
Thomas, T. 1998. Pavement Management Systems Using Geographic Information Systems, URISA 98 Annual Conference Proceedings; Charlotte, North Carolina.
A small public service department in North Carolina used GIS to enhance its already existing pavement management system. The GIS assisted in supplying spatial data as well as data that are useful in making budget decisions for small communities. City and community leadership, most of which was of a non-technical background, benefited from the GIS in that they were enable with visual readouts of the data gathered.
Tornberg, J., J. Bjurstrom. 2000. Visualization and Animation in Design of a New Transportation System in Existing Urban Environment Using GIS and Virtual Reality, Proceedings of the Twentieth Annual ESRI User Conference; San Diego, California.
In an attempt to alleviate the increasing demand for public transportation in Gothenburg, a virtual city was built at Chalmers University to visualize what effects an aerial cableway would have these demands. The 3-D model was developed using Arc/Info, ArcView, and TerraVista. The model made it possible to take a virtual tour of the cableway. The authors concur that GIS and virtual reality technology will be indispensable for transportation planners in the future.
Zhang, M. 1997. Accessibility Enhancement -- Understanding the Benefit of Rail Transit Systems, URISA 97 Annual Conference Proceedings; Toronto, Canada.
This study examines the benefit of rail systems in transit-dependent populations. The author uses data from case studies done in Boston, Miami, and Atlanta. Accessibility of users is the key factor in the analysis. Arc/Info and other database management systems assist in visualizing the research results.
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