published journal article

Do employment centers matter? Consequences for commuting distance in the Los Angeles region, 2002–2019

Cities

Publication Date

February 1, 2024

Author(s)

Jaehyun Ha, Sugie Lee, Jae Hong Kim, John R. Hipp

Abstract

The presence of employment centers provides the potential for reducing commuting distance. However, employment centers have distinct attributes, which may lead to varied impacts on commuting outcomes. We examine how proximity to employment centers can influence commuting distance with consideration of the heterogeneity of employment centers and workers. Specifically, we consider various attributes of employment centers related to location, persistency, job density, industry diversity, and size and analyze their impacts on the commuting patterns of low- and high-income workers using panel (2002-2019) data. Our analysis of the Los Angeles region shows that increasing proximity to the nearest employment center decreases commuting distance even after controlling for the job attributes located in the neighborhood of workers. The results further suggest that employment centers are not equal in terms of their impact on commute distance and that their impact is different for commuters from different income groups. Our findings contribute to the literature by deciphering the location and attributes of employment centers that may exert a greater impact on commuting patterns.

Suggested Citation
Jaehyun Ha, Sugie Lee, Jae Hong Kim and John R. Hipp (2024) “Do employment centers matter? Consequences for commuting distance in the Los Angeles region, 2002–2019”, Cities, 145, p. 104669. Available at: 10.1016/j.cities.2023.104669.

working paper

Joint Modelling of Attitudes and Behaviour in Project Evaluation: Case Study of Single-Occupant Vehicle Toll Use of Carpool Lanes in San Diego, California

Publication Date

August 1, 1998

Author(s)

Thomas Golob, Janusz Supernak

Working Paper

UCI-ITS-WP-98-6

Abstract

Knowing what people think about the usefulness, fairness, and success of new transport initiatives is vital information for planners and project evaluators. Methods for studying the complex relationships between attitudes and choice behaviour need to be included in evaluation processes. The attitudes of an individual faced with a new transport option will depend in part on whether the individual can take advantage of the new option, whether he or she actually chooses to take advantage, and the perceived benefits of the option, to the individual and to the community. Transport planners use choice models to understand factors affecting demand, but modelling of attitudes has not received similar attention. In this paper we demonstrate how a joint model of attitudes and behaviour can be used in comprehensive project evaluation. The approach involves analysing attitude survey data using a structural equations model designed for use with discrete choice and ordinal-scale variables. Our application involves the evaluation of responses to a project that allows solo drivers to pay a fee to use a carpool, or high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane facility on the Interstate 15 (1-15) Freeway in San Diego. The attitude survey is of subscribers to the program and a random sample of other freeway users. Four endogenous variables are explained as functions of each other and of exogenous variables such as income, household composition, age and gender. These endogenous variables are: (1) choice of subscription to the program, (2) mode choice of carpooling versus solo driving, (3) perception of the seriousness of the traffic congestion on the route, and (4) attitude towards allowing solo drivers to pay to save time by using the carpool lanes.

Suggested Citation
Thomas F. Golob and Janusz Supernak (1998) Joint Modelling of Attitudes and Behaviour in Project Evaluation: Case Study of Single-Occupant Vehicle Toll Use of Carpool Lanes in San Diego, California. Working Paper UCI-ITS-WP-98-6. Institute of Transportation Studies, Irvine. Available at: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/93q5q8jn.

conference paper

Low-overhead aging-aware resource management on embedded GPUs

Proceedings of the 54th annual design automation conference 2017

Publication Date

June 1, 2017

Author(s)

Haeseung Lee, Muhammad Shafique, Mohammad Al Faruque
Suggested Citation
Haeseung Lee, Muhammad Shafique and Mohammad Abdullah Al Faruque (2017) “Low-overhead aging-aware resource management on embedded GPUs”, in Proceedings of the 54th annual design automation conference 2017. ACM. Available at: 10.1145/3061639.3062277.

working paper

Public Works, the Courts, and the Consent Decree: Environmental and Social Effects of the “Freeway With a Heart”

Abstract

Transportation planning in the United States has undergone a revolution in the past two decades. As recently as the late 1960s, with little citizen participation apart from public hearings on specific routes (Rosener, 1975), technical experts laid out plans for major transportation facilities, and their agency colleagues implemented those plans through standard routines. These routines often included noncontested condemnation and considerable alteration of the physical environment.

policy brief

Free and Reduced Transit Fare Programs in California Increased After COVID-19–But Can it Last?

Abstract

Free and reduced transit fare programs can boost transit ridership and benefit low-income individuals, students, seniors, and those with disabilities though financial sustainability is typically a concern. During the COVID-19 pandemic, transit agencies across California faced dramatic ridership declines and began expanding these programs—particularly for students—as a strategy to rebuild demand. Yet, little is known about how widespread free and reduced transit fare programs have become, what impacts they are having on ridership, and how agencies are funding them. To help address these questions, we surveyed California transit agencies in 2019 and 2024 and interviewed selected agencies to better understand how these programs are working in practice.

published journal article

Optimization of control parameters for adaptive traffic-actuated signal control

Journal of Intelligent Transportation Systems

Publication Date

May 1, 2010
Suggested Citation
Xing Zheng, Will Recker and Lianyu Chu (2010) “Optimization of control parameters for adaptive traffic-actuated signal control”, Journal of Intelligent Transportation Systems, 14(2), pp. 95–108. Available at: 10.1080/15472451003719756.

published journal article

Impacts of motor vehicle operation on water quality in the US – Cleanup costs and policies

Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment

Publication Date

December 1, 2007
Suggested Citation
Hilary Nixon and Jean-Daniel Saphores (2007) “Impacts of motor vehicle operation on water quality in the US – Cleanup costs and policies”, Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 12(8), pp. 564–576. Available at: 10.1016/j.trd.2007.08.002.

conference paper

Understanding household preferences for alternative-fuel vehicle technologies

ACSP 51st annual conference in minneapolis, minnesota

Publication Date

January 1, 2011
Suggested Citation
Hilary Nixon and Jean-Daniel Saphores (2011) “Understanding household preferences for alternative-fuel vehicle technologies”, in ACSP 51st annual conference in minneapolis, minnesota.

working paper

Modelling the Choice of Clean Fuels and Clean Fuel Vehicles

Publication Date

November 1, 1991

Author(s)

Ryuichi Kitamura, Mark Bradley, David Bunch, Thomas Golob

Working Paper

UCI-ITS-WP-91-12

Abstract

Reducing vehicle emissions levels is particularly important in the South Coast Air Basin of California, which includes the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area and the adjacent and interdependent Orange County, Riverside, and San Bernardino Metropolitan Areas. The climate and topography create ideal conditions for the area’s infamous smog; and cars, trucks and buses contribute 88 percent of carbon monoxide emissions and about 50 percent of the ozone components: oxides of nitrogen and reactive organic gases. It is apparent that air quality can be greatly improved if gasoline-powered personal vehicles can be replaced in substantial numbers by vehicles powered by electricity or alternative fuels, such as methanol, ethanol, propane, or compressed natural gas (CNG) (see Sperling, 1988 and National Research Council, 1990, for discussions of the environmental factors associated with specific alternative fuels). While none of these alternative fuels has zero-level emissions (even electricity, if generation is taken into account), they all have lower overall emissions levels than currently available gasoline and diesel fuels; they are considered “clean” fuels for the purposes of this market research study. Personal vehicles are defined for the purposes of the study to be cars or light trucks owned or leased by private individuals. The objective of this study is to determine the effect on personal vehicle purchase and fuel use of a few important attributes that potentially differentiate clean-fuel vehicles from conventional gasoline or diesel vehicles. By concentrating on quantitative estimation, it is intended that this study complement others aimed at qualitative assessments of the roles of information and uncertainty in consumer acceptance of clean-fuel vehicles (e.g., Turrentine and Sperling, 1991).

Suggested Citation
Ryuichi Kitamura, Mark Bradley, David S. Bunch and Thomas F. Golob (1991) Modelling the Choice of Clean Fuels and Clean Fuel Vehicles. Working Paper UCI-ITS-WP-91-12. Institute of Transportation Studies, Irvine. Available at: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/59c821m2.

Phd Dissertation

Estimating Emissions by Modeling Freeway Vehicle Speed Profiles Using Point Detector Data

Abstract

A method for accurate emissions estimation that will contribute to promoting public health has been increasingly important. The purpose of this study is to develop a novel method that is designed to make accurate real-time emissions estimation from individual vehicles on freeways possible. The benefit of this method is that it can overcome the weakness of macroscopic emissions estimation methods, which underestimated emissions. The most distinguishing feature of the Speed Profile Estimation (SPE) method is that it uses a speed profile (SP) that is generated by the sum of a basic SP (BSP), which is calculated by the basic travel information of an individual vehicle obtained from vehicle reidentification (REID), and a residual SP (RSP), which is estimated by categorized traffic information. In order to estimate RSP this research employs Autoregressive (AR) model and Fourier series (FS). And to find the parameters of RSP, the total absolute difference between actual SP emissions and estimated SP emissions was optimized by genetic algorithm. For this, parameters are calculated for all possible combinations of three categorizations and clusters by K-mean clustering. Individual vehicle trajectories from two freeways, US101 and I-80, were provided by the Next Generation Simulation (NGSIM) dataset. US101 was examined for calibration, and I-80 for validation. And then, transferability tests were conducted for various section distances to verify model transferability. Finally, REID is simulated with low vehicle signatures match rates to test its applicability to real situations. Unlike previous methods, the SPE is notable for its real-time, transferable, reliable, and cost efficient emissions estimation. The calibration and validation account only 4.0 % and 4.1 % MAPEs, respectively. Moreover, transferability tests showed that MAPEs are lower than 4.4 % in both longer and shorter section distances. Furthermore, REID simulation increases only 0.2 % MAPE even in low vehicle signatures match rates, which is lower than 5 % MAPE in emissions estimation. Any signal-like formulation other than AR or FS can perform better emissions estimation when it replaces the RSP. Also, in this research the SPE method was calibrated only for LOS F, when it is arguably of greatest value, but further research should be coordinated to extend the models in other possible traffic conditions such as LOS ÃE.

Suggested Citation
JIN HEOUN CHOI (2014) Estimating Emissions by Modeling Freeway Vehicle Speed Profiles Using Point Detector Data. PhD Dissertation. UC Irvine. Available at: https://uci.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CDL_IRV_INST/17uq3m8/alma991000154809704701.