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Statewide and Regional Models

Using Truck Fleet Data in Combination with Other Data Sources for Freight Modeling and Planning

An accelerated growth in the volume of freight shipped on American highways has led to a significant increase in truck traffic, influencing traffic operations, safety, and the state of repair of highway infrastructure. Traffic congestion in turn has impeded the speed and reliability of freight movement on the highway system. As freight movement continues to grow within and between urban areas, appropriate planning and decision making processes are necessary to mitigate the above-mentioned impacts. However, a main challenge in establishing these processes is the lack of adequate data on freight movements such as detailed origin-destination (OD) data, truck travel times, freight tonnage distribution by OD pairs, transported commodity by OD pairs, and details about truck trip stops and paths. As traditional data sources on freight movement are either inadequate or no longer available, new sources of data must be investigated.

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FDOT 2009 Recommended LOS E Capacity Table

Model capacities have been derived form the FDOT 2009 Level of Service Handbook. Please download the 2009 recommended LOS E Capacity Table. For additional information, please contact Cesar Segovia at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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Development of Speed Models for Improving Travel Forecasting and Highway Performance Evaluation

In this research project a number of theoretical volume-delay functions have been proposed with some gaining wide practical applications. The major practical volume-delay functions (VDFs) include Bureau of Public Roads (PBR) function, the Davidson function, the Conical function, and the Akcelik function. The predictive accuracy of these models is heavily dependent on accurately specifying the free flow speed and practical capacity of the highway under study. In addition, properly calibrated parameters of these models are of paramount importance in ensuring realistic results.

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Florida Model Information eXchange System (MIXS)

This research investigated the issue of facilitating network information exchange among models and more specifically concentrated on two primary objectives: (a) identify solutions to the model information exchange problem, focusing on the network, and (b) assess the feasibility of the implementation of the proposed solution and provide recommendation for its practical implementation.

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Managed-Lane Modeling Practice Workshop

The Managed-Lane Modeling Practice Workshop was created to establish managed-lane modeling procedures within the Florida standard travel demand model structure, FSUTMS, and to adopt a standard travel demand forecasting practice when evaluating managed lanes in Florida.

A blue-ribbon panel of experts lead the discussion toward developing a set of specific recommendations on best-practice modeling strategies for express lanes throughout the state. The recommendations address issues related to potential toll revenue, transportation demand, and congestion/system performance, with an in-depth examination of the analytical tools available for direct or adapted use.

Presenter Presentations

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Transit Model Update Project

This project provides recommendations for modeling transit trips within the FSUTMS framework. This work was undertaken with the purpose of designing and implementing, within FSUTMS and associated support systems, the changes necessary to improve the preparation of transit demand forecasts to a point consistent with federal expectations, and simultaneously to incorporate state of the practice techniques and tools.

Major New Model Features

  • Use of AutoConn functionality in CUBE 6.0
  • Transit market segmentation - Additional purposes HBCollege/Univ, HB School, and splitting NHB into NHBW and NHBO
  • Household segmentation - adding households by workers and households by income.
  • Add auto sufficiency variable to distribution and mode choice
  • Marginal models to estimate households by income, workers and size.
  • Add an auto ownership model
  • HBW Trip Production model uses workers/hhld and auto ownership
  • Destination-Choice model with the size variable, replacing trip attraction model
  • Special Markets include Seasonal Residents, visitors, External Workers, air passengers
  • Time of day stratification for Distribution, Mode choice and Assignment. Peak/Off-Peak for Distribution and Mode Choice, 4 periods for assignment.
  • Feedback process involving Distribution, Mode Choice and Assignment
  • Walk Market Segmentation in Mode choice, Short and Long
  • More Generalized and detailed nesting structure, includes local bus, Express Bus, Urban Rail and Commuter Rail modes.

Project Documents

Citilabs Technical Memos - Improvements in Cube 6.2

Models, Prototype & Software

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Development of a Data Framework for the Florida Standard Urban Transportation Model Structure

Development of a Data Framework for the Florida Standard Urban Transportation Model Structure

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Florida Model Information eXchange System (MIXS)

A Model Information eXchange System (MIXS) is a mechanism by which transportation and related data from diverse sources and databases are seamlessly linked, based on common geographic features. The initial goal of MIXS is to serve the data needs of the FSUTMS modeling so that these data can be readily available and easily integrated into the FSUTMS models. The objective of this research is to investigate methods for the development and implementation of MIXS in order to facilitate the information exchange amongst Florida transportation models. Contact
Project Manager Frank Tabatabaee Florida Department of Transportation Systems Planning Office Phone: (850) 414-4931 Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Principal Investigator Ilir Bejleri Associate Professor and Assistant Director Geoplan Center Department of Urban and Regional Planning Univerity of Florida Phone: (352) 392-0097 Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Scope of Service
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Current Cube Software Version - 6.4.4

As of October 2018, FDOT has approved Cube 6.4.4 (including Cube Base, Voyager, Analyst, Cluster, and Avenue) as the official version for developing FSUTMS models. Public agencies interested in obtaining the software should contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). For additional information about the current software version and technical issues, please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

The Florida regional and statewide travel models will be transitioning io new modeling platforms with the anticipated model conversion completion date of July 2023. The two software platforms available for this transition are PTV Visum and TransCAD.

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Trip Generation Characteristics of Special Generators

Special generators are introduced in the sequential four-step modeling procedure to represent certain types of facilities whose trip generation characteristics are not fully captured by the standard trip generation module. They are also used in the traffic impact analysis to represent new developments. The objectives of this research project are twofold: 1) to analyze qualitatively trip generation characteristics of special generators and provide recommendations on how to improve the modeling of special generators in the Florida Standard Urban Transportation Model Structure (FSUTMS); 2) to examine the advantages and disadvantages of two modeling approaches, i.e., the link distribution percentage method and the special generator method, for performing traffic impact analyses for proposed developments.

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FSUTMS-Cube Framework: Standard Trip Generation and Distribution Models

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New FSUTMS Transit Modeling Framework

Update Notes (March 26, 2010)

This update formally releases an updated version of the FSUTMS Transit Model Cube Voyager application for Tier A and Tier B/C cities that can be imported into a regular travel demand model. The details are as follows:

  • Cube Voyager Transit Model Application
    This is the stand alone Cube Voyager Transit Model Application that can be "inserted" into a regular travel demand model to become the transit component of the model chain. The application incorporates the new transit modeling standards. It has five (5) modules: Transit Preparation, Transit, Mode Choice, Transit Assignment, and Reporting. The zipped file includes separate applications for Tier A and Tier B/C areas.
  • FSUTMS Transit Model Application Guide
    This document provides instructions on how to import the Transit Model Application into a travel demand model and describes the model procedure, catalog keys, input and output files, and the scripts that need to be modified to customize the Transit Model Application.
  • FSUTMS Transit Survey White Paper
    This report documents certain techniques in an effort to encourage more meaningful data from transit onboard surveys. The primary objective of this report is to advance the transit onboard survey state-of-practice in Florida for the purposes of better informing travel models of transit travel behavior. It is not meant to be a step-by-step guide. Some routine steps such as conducting the fieldwork, typical cleaning of the data records, routine data processing, and traditional calibration/validation techniques are intentionally not covered in this report.

Update Notes (October 30, 2008)

This update formally releases an updated version of the FSUTMS Transit Model Cube Voyager application for Tier A and Tier B/C cities that can be imported into a regular travel demand model. The details are as follows:

  • Cube Voyager Transit Model Application
    This is the stand alone Cube Voyager Transit Model Application that can be "inserted" into a regular travel demand model to become the transit component of the model chain. The application incorporates the new transit modeling standards. It has five (5) modules: Transit Preparation, Transit, Mode Choice, Transit Assignment, and Reporting. The zipped file includes separate applications for Tier A and Tier B/C areas.
  • Transit Model Application Guide
    This document provides instructions on how to import the Transit Model Application into a travel demand model and describes the model procedure, catalog keys, input and output files, and the scripts that need to be modified to customize the Transit Model Application.
  • Transit Model Development Guide
    This doucment provides background and describes the methodologies and procedures behind the Transit Model Application.

Update Notes (September 19, 2008)

This update formally releases the newly developed FSUTMS Transit Model Application that can be imported to a regular travel demand model. The details are as follows:

Transit Model Application

  • Cube Voyager Transit Model Application This is the stand alone Cube Voyager Transit Model Application that can be "inserted" into a regular travel demand model to become the transit component of the model chain. The application incorporates the new transit modeling standards. It has five (5) modules: Transit Preparation, Transit, Mode Choice, Transit Assignment, and Reporting. The zipped file includes separate applications for Tier A and Tier B/C areas.
  • FSUTMS Transit Model Development Guide This document provides background and describes the methodologies and procedures behind the Transit Model Application.
  • FSUTMS Transit Model Application Guide This document provides instructions on how to import the Transit Model Application into a travel demand model and describes the model procedure, catalog keys, input and output files, and the scripts that need to be modified to customize the Transit Model Application.

Update Notes (April 15, 2008)

This update replaces the FORTRAN programs used in the current transit modeling framework for REWALK (REWALK.exe) and TAReport (TAReport.exe) with Cube Voyager applications (ReWalkApp and TAReportApp, respectively). 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.

Transit Framework Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Framework Documentation
There are two companion documents that summarize the new transit modeling system for FSUTMS-Voyager. The Theoretical Framework document describes the theoretical underpinnings and coordination between the modeling elements. It mentions some of the key features of PT and summarizes the rationale for some of the new procedures and practices. In contrast, the purpose of the Application Framework is to describe how the elements of the FSUTMS-Voyager Transit Model are applied in PT and FSUTMS-Voyager. It contains many of the details and specifics, including settings for many of the PT control statements and keywords.

Customized Programs and Documentation
While many of the traditional customized programs have been converted to FSUTMS-Voyager scripts, some programs were maintained and/or revised to address unique needs. A summary report has been created for each program. It describes the program's history and purpose, logic and input and output files. The format of the input and output files is also provided.

At this time, there are three customized programs:
- AUTOCON develops the drive-access connectors,
- REWALK coordinates the walk-access connectors generated by PT with the percent walk data produced by GIS procedures, and
- TAREPORT reads the PT-generated loaded link files and produces two transit assignment reports.

Suggested Default Parameters and Sample Scripts
The following files are provided to give users a starting point when developing their transit models in FSUTMS-Voyager. At this time, path-building scripts and the corresponding factor files are provided for Tier A, B and C areas. Please see the Application Framework for a description of the tiers.

Transit Modeling Training Material

Sample Model

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