WINSTON-SALEM MOBILITY MANAGER: DATA COLLECTION, VALIDATION, AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2001

Subject Area

operations - scheduling, operations - performance, planning - methods, planning - service quality, economics - appraisal/evaluation, organisation - performance, organisation - management, mode - paratransit

Keywords

Winston-Salem (North Carolina), Validation, T test, Statistical methods, Statistical analysis, Software validation, Service quality, Scheduling, Ridership, Real time data processing, Quality of service, Productivity, Production rate, Performance evaluations, Patronage (Transit ridership), Passenger service quality, Paratransit services, Monitoring systems, Monitoring, Mathematical statistics, Management, Internet, Hardware (Computers), Electronic computers, Dial a ride, Data collection, Data acquisition, Computers

Abstract

The Winston-Salem Mobility Manager project has served as a test bed for advanced public transportation systems technology since 1995. The aspects of remote data collection, validation, and performance evaluation are discussed. The computerized scheduling software for Trans-AID, the local paratransit system, was accessed and passenger RIDE files were downloaded. Java-based utilities and conventional spreadsheets removed invalid data, sorted urban and rural passenger trips, and compared transit productivity measures. Validated Trans-AID data show relatively few data entry errors, some logical errors, and high time-window violations. Ridership, productivity, and service gains determined by intuitive assessment of traditional measures are not supported by statistical analysis. Rather, the results of t-tests suggest counterintuitive management actions to improve service and productivity. Internet-based methods of data collection, validation, and evaluation demonstrate promise for real-time transit management and agency monitoring.

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