To help FDOT districts and MPOs implement the FSUTMS transit modeling framework, an updated version of the Cube Voyager Transit Model Application has been developed to provide users a more generic application structure and easier to "insert" Transit Model Application into their models to form the transit component of the model. Please see the Update FSUTMS Transit Modeling Framework for more details.

The Census Bureau has just released the first of a series of "handbooks" aimed at helping data users negotiate their way through ACS data. This first handbook, "What General Data Users Need to Know" will help general audiences understand the basics of the ACS, its opportunities and challenges, and how to access and use the ACS data on the Census Bureau's Web site.

The handbook can be found at http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/ACSGeneralHandbook.pdf.

The handbook itself is part of a much broader suite of e-learning ACS materials that can found at http://www.census.gov/acs/www/UseData/Compass/compass_series.html.

In addition, NCHRP Report 588 "A Guidebook for Using the American Community Survey Data for Transportation Planning" is a MUST HAVE for the transportation planner. It can be found on-line at http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_rpt_588.pdf.

To help FDOT districts and MPOs implement the FSUTMS transit modeling framework, a new Cube Voyager Transit Model Application has been developed to allow users to "insert" the Transit Model Application into their models to form the transit component of the model. Please see the Transit Modeling Framework for more details.

The public version of FSUTMS/Cube Verson 5.0.1 was mailed out to all public agencies on Thursday, July 17, 2008.

Version 5.0.1 includes the latest updates of Cube Base and Cube Voyager. It also includes Cube GIS, Cube Cluster, Citilabs' mesoscopic simulation tool Cube Avenue, the latest FSUTMS Launcher, and the Cube License file. Please contact or for questions and technical support.

The FDOT Systems Planning Office, working with TeachAmerica, Cambridge Systematics, inc., and Wilbur Smith Associates, has recently completed the devevlopment the FSUTMS Executive Summary Online training course. The training course is mostly based on the same training workshop we currently offer with some modifications. In addtion to the usual presentation slides, we have added many interactive exercises to emphasize the main points we want to get across, and to provide step-by-step instructions on how to perform some of the basic operations within the FSUTMS/Voyager modeling environment. This online course will supplement our training workshops by providing opportunities for those who cannot attend the workshops in person. We are working with the Florida Board of Professional Engineers to get approval for PDH credits. In the mean time, we would like to get your feedback with regard to the content, pace, and depth of the traing course, and ways to improve our training in general. You can access the training course by clicking here. Please send your comments and suggestions to of Systems Planning Office by Friday, July 18.

This update replaces the FORTRAN programs currently used in the transit modeling framework for REWALK (REWALK.exe) and TAReport (TAReport.exe) with Cube Voyager applications (ReWalkApp and TAReportApp). The Cube Voyager applications serve the same purpose as the FORTRAN programs. The accompanying documentation describes the application logic, catalog keys, input and output files, and procedures to import the applications into a model. Please visit the Transit Modeling Framework page for more information and download the files.

A new version of AUTOCON and TAREPORT has been posted on the Transit Modeling Framework page. A new functionality has been added to AUTOCON that would allow users to build kiss-ride connectors that are distinct from park-ride locations. The included documentation describes the new values of TSTYPE needed to access the features. In TAREPORT, the array dimensions have been increased to accommodate large number of links usually present in large models. There are no major or structural changes.