Appendix A

Proposal

Memorandum

To: Dr. Elizabeth Robinson

From:Geoffrey Chum

Subject:Proposal for Formal Report

Date: February 24, 2004

The purpose of this memo is to propose a research project leading to a formal report. The following is a proposal to study the existing Texas A&M on-campus bus system.

Project Summary

Buses have transported students around the Texas A&M campus for almost 20 years. Although new buses have been added to the fleet, on-campus buses are still very full during peak periods. Also, buses can be delayed by train crossings, causing unequal spacing between buses.

I propose to research if there are ways to increase frequency, equalize headway, and improve passenger loads by evaluating the current routes and suggesting modified or new routes. I will obtain the passenger counts from Transportation Services, process the data, and determine origin-destination ridership. After that, I will evaluate the existing bus system level of service, create and evaluate a new bus system, and formulate and submit my recommendations to Transportation Services.

I am a civil engineering student focusing on transportation, and my advisor is a transportation professor and researcher. With his assistance, I will complete the project and submit a report by April 13. The estimated budget is $760.

Introduction

TexasA&MUniversity has been providing on-campus bus service since 1984. Transportation Services, the part of the university which operates the transit system, has added new buses over the past three years. However, the existing on-campus bus routes have changed little since 2001. Many buses are extremely packed during peak periods. Most on-campus buses also have problems adhering to the schedule because of trains which pass through campus, block at-grade crossings, and cause delays. I have experienced these problems a few times while riding an on-campus bus.

I propose to research if there are options available to improve the overall level of service of the buses. The goals of this project are to

  • increase frequency (buses per hour)
  • equalize headway (spacing between buses)
  • improve passenger loads (number of passengers on a bus at a given time)

This will be achieved by evaluating on-campus bus routes and adjusting current routes or introducing new routes with the appropriate number of buses, within the limits of Transportation Services’ bus fleet and budget. The primary measure of the level of service (LOS) will be passengers per seat, which measures the fullness of the bus.

I will be referring to a number of publications (in the Working Bibliography section, below) to first evaluate the existing system and create a better one for on-campus passengers. Six on-campus bus routes will be studied in depth, but off-campus bus routes will be briefly analyzed to determine how they can better supplement the on-campus system.

Method

  1. Obtain passenger counts. Talk to Pat Hernandez of Transportation Services to get the boarding counts for on-campus buses from the Fall 2003 semester.
  1. Process data. Divide the campus into zones, and determine which buses serve each zone. Calculate passenger counts in 15-minute increments to find the peak period.
  1. Determine origin-destination ridership. Ride buses to count the proportion of passengers who board at one zone and alight at each of the following zones along the bus route.
  1. Evaluate existing bus system LOS. Apply the proportions to the boarding counts of the peak period of existing bus routes, and calculate the LOS for passengers per seat.
  1. Create and evaluate new bus system. Design hypothetical bus routes, and apply the boarding counts of the peak period to the new bus routes. Calculate the number of buses needed to provide a desired LOS.
  1. Formulate and submit recommendations to Transportation Services.

The project will begin after obtaining passenger counts from Transportation Services during the first week of the spring semester (the week of January 18). The report will be submitted on April 13 (on Week 12). The schedule of tasks is shown below in Table 1.

Week / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12
Obtain Passenger Counts
Process Data
Determine Origin-Destination Ridership
Evaluate Existing Bus System LOS
Create and Evaluate New Bus System
Formulate Recommendations
Submit Report

Table 1: Task Schedule

Qualifications

I am a junior civil engineering major specializing in transportation. I have used the on-campus bus system on a regular basis since I first came to Texas A&M in 2001. Dr. Mark Burris, my faculty advisor, was the professor for my course on transportation engineering. He is an Assistant Professor in the Texas A&M Civil Engineering Department and an Assistant Research Scientist for the Texas Transportation Institute.

Budget

The expenses for this research project, shown below in Table 2, will be primarily for labor and printing.

Item / Cost
72 hours labor ($10/hour) / $720
Printing / $30
Office Supplies / $10
Total / $760

Table 2: Project Budget

Proposed Report Outline

  1. Abstract
  2. Introduction
  3. Methodology and Reasoning
  4. Evaluation of Existing Bus System
  5. Current Level of Service at Peak Period
  6. Required Number of Buses for Suitable LOS
  7. Proposed Bus System
  8. Design of New Routes
  9. Buses Needed
  10. Suitable LOS
  11. Suitable Headway
  12. Summary of Recommendations

Working Bibliography

  1. Black, A. Urban Mass Transportation Planning. McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York, 1995.
  2. Bus Route and Schedule Planning Guidelines. In NHRCP Synthesis of Highway Practice 69, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1980.
  3. Farnsworth, S.P., D. Schrank, and P. Bass-Ellis. Planning Enhancements for the TexasA&MUniversity Transit Service. Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, 1998.
  4. Giannopoulos, G.A. Bus Planning and Operation in Urban Areas: A Practical Guide. Avebury, Aldershot, England, 1989.
  5. Highway Capacity Manual 2000. TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 2000.

(Proposal) Appendix A

Documentation Style

I will follow the documentation style used for Transportation Research Board (TRB) publications. The guidelines are available at the following website:

A-1