Showing papers on "Occupancy published in 1998"

High occupancy vehicle lanes: Not always more effective than general purpose lanes

Abstract: The success of a high occupancy vehicle lane in motivating people to shift to carpools and buses depends on maintaining a travel time differential between it and the adjacent general purpose lanes. This differential, in turn, depends on the level of continuing delay on the general purpose lanes. Therefore, it is clear that a high occupancy vehicle lane that will motivate people to shift to high occupancy vehicles will not eliminate congestion. Consequently, it is not clear that constructing a high occupancy vehicle lane will necessarily reduce delay more than construction of a general purpose lane. The objective of this research is to determine the circumstances in which this would be the case. The hypothesis is that such circumstances would be quite limited, and this proves to be the case. The intended benefits of high occupancy lanes are defined as reduced person-delay and reduced emissions. A model is developed to calculate these benefits for four alternatives: add a high occupancy vehicle lane, add a general purpose lane, convert an existing lane to a high occupancy vehicle lane, and do nothing. The model takes into account the initial conditions, the dynamic nature of the travel time differential between the high occupancy vehicle lane and other lanes, and the uncertainty regarding the extent to which people will shift modes. It combines queueing theory and mode choice theory and provides a robust method for comparing alternatives using a small amount of easily observed data. Application of the model in typical situations shows that with initial delays on the order of 15 min or more, adding a high occupancy vehicle lane would provide substantial reductions in delay and some reduction in emissions. However, in a wide range of such situations, adding a general purpose lane would be even more effective. Only if the initial delay is long and the initial proportion of high occupancy vehicles falls in a rather narrow range, would an added high occupancy vehicle lane be more effective. The proportion of high occupancy vehicles must be such that it allows good utilization of the high occupancy vehicle lane while maintaining a sufficient travel time differential to motivate a shift to buses or carpools. Adding a high occupancy vehicle lane to a three lane freeway will be more effective than adding a general purpose lane only if the initial maximum delay is on the order of 35 min or more and the proportion of high occupancy vehicles is on the order of 20%. Federal policies encourage construction of high occupancy vehicle lanes and restrict funding for general purpose lanes in areas that have not attained air quality standards. The findings of this research suggest a need to reconsider these policies.

Room occupancy rate forecasting: a neural network approach

Abstract: In recent years, neural networks have become popular in the scientific and business fields. In the hotel industry, researchers have recently devoted attention to the application of neural networks to the classification of tourist segments and the prediction of visitor behaviour. However, no previous attempt has been made to incorporate neural networks into hotel occupancy rate forecasting. This paper reports on a study about applying neural networks to the forecasting of room occupancy rates. The significance of this approach was tested with actual data from the Hong Kong hotel industry. Estimated room occupancy rates were compared with actual room occupancy rates. Experimental results indicate that using neural networks to forecast room occupancy rates outperforms multiple regression and naive extrapolation, two commonly used forecasting approaches.

System and method for determining and analyzing building occupancy

Abstract: A system and method that determines building occupancy at a selected site by using geographically based structures to identify potential clients and to analyze aggregate carrier exposure levels at the selected site. This is achieved by using geographically based structures that are formed by geocoding business addresses and by linking all similarly geocoded businesses. Geographically based structures identify building characteristics and occupant related information. Specifically, all business addresses are address standardized, interjected with public protection code information and then geocoded. The geocoding information is used to identify and determine the building's occupancy configuration. For each tenant or occupant of the building, the system will initially display basic information that includes for example, business name, address and whether the business is currently insured by the carrier. The user can request additional information such as hazard concerns, safety issues and other occupant related information.

Retrospective Temporal and Spatial Mobility of Adult Iowa Women

Abstract: Human exposure assessments require a linkage between toxicant concentrations in occupied spaces and the receptor's mobility pattern. Databases reporting distinct populations' mobility in various parts of the home, time outside the home, and time in another building are scarce. Temporal longitudinal trends in these mobility patterns for specific age and gender groups are nonexistent. This paper describes subgroup trends in the spatial and temporal mobility patterns within the home, outside the home, and in another building for 619 Iowa females that occupied the same home for at least 20 years. The study found that the mean time spent at home for the participants ranged from a low of 69.4% for the 50–59 year age group to a high of 81.6% for the over 80-year-old age group. Participants who lived in either one- or two- story homes with basements spent the majority of their residential occupancy on the first story. Trends across age varied for other subgroups by number of children, education, and urban/rural status. Since all of these trends were nonlinear, they indicate that error exists when assuming a constant, such as a 75% home occupancy factor, which has been advocated by some researchers and agencies. In addition, while aggregate data, such as presented in this report, are more helpful in deriving risk estimates for population subgroups, they cannot supplant good individual-level data for determining risks.

Fire safety codes for Hong Kong: Inadequacy for atrium design

Abstract: The fire safety codes for buildings in Hong Kong are reviewed in terms of building type, building interior layout, construction materials, occupancy levels, circulation patterns, access and escape routes, fire detection and firefighting systems. The fire safety codes are valid only for traditional buildings in Hong Kong. Following these codes in modem buildings might lead to 'over-design' or to providing safety systems which are not workable in case of fire. The prescriptive approach is found to be insufficient to design fire safety for an atrium. It is timely to review the fire codes, to identify and revise those parts which are not workable. The possibility of implementing engineering performance-based fire codes is discussed. The fire safety requirements in atria are taken as an illustrative example. An engineering approach to designing fire safety is strongly advocated.

Factors affecting vehicle occupancy measurement

Abstract: Factors affecting vehicle occupancy measurement were examined with the aim of improving state and local vehicle occupancy monitoring programs. A comparison was conducted of five data sets looking at the effects on average vehicle occupancy (AVO) of time of day, day of week, road types, HOV lanes, locational differences, and traffic volume. It was found that AVO was higher in the afternoons, on Saturdays, and on HOV lanes. Inconsistent differences were found for the other variables, though there were considerable locational variations. Current vehicle occupancy monitoring programs do not generally take these factors into account and, most likely, produce biased estimates of AVO. Suggestions are made for using these factors in sample designs to represent regional and corridor-level vehicle occupancy levels.

Forecasting car occupancy: literature review and model development.

Abstract: Most conventional models of multimodal travel demand focus on individuals, and on discrete choices which typically include car drivers and passengers along with other modes. As environmental and energy policies, and the wish to reduce investment in infrastructure, all benefit from increasing the relative attractiveness of the car-passenger mode, so has interest grown in promoting the attractiveness of the car-passenger mode, either through formal car pools, or informal arrangements. High-occupancy lanes, car-pool incentives and specially provided car-pool collection points, are only three of the management tools now used to achieve this end. Planning and forecasting the impact of such management tools on total traffic calls for models more sophisticated than those used in most previous studies. This chapter will review research in the Netherlands and elsewhere and describe possible explanatory models and associated forecasting systems. This chapter deals with different segments of the car-passenger market (including individual occasional passengers, group travel by friends, relatives or colleagues and car pools of various sorts). It reviews the issues of both the availability and attractiveness of the car-passenger mode for different segments. Recent work in the Netherlands is put in the context of published material on the subject. The chapter concludes with recommendations for new model forms, to be explored to replace the conventional treatment of the mode in models of mode and destination choice.

Single-room occupancy hotels: possible solutions and alternatives.

Abstract: New York City's Division of AIDS Services and Income Support (DASIS) places clients in economical, commercial residences in one of 33 hotels in the New York City area, termed single-room occupancy (SRO) hotels. There have been many problems with these hotels in terms of safety and health. One problem is how to enforce housing laws when city agencies have had drastic personnel cutbacks, and landlords are not held accountable for repairs and building conditions. Without a strategic plan to supplement SROs with necessary services, and a way to deal with homeless people with AIDS, it will be difficult to redeem the condition of SROs and lessen dependency on them as a long-term solution. The West Side SRO Law Project offers tips on how tenants in SROs can safeguard their rights and document their cases if they feel that their rights have been violated. Included is a resource list for legal help and emergency numbers for the Department of Buildings in New York City and the surrounding boroughs.

Travel trends using the puget sound panel survey: a generalized estimating equations approach

Abstract: This paper examines longitudinal mode use trends using four waves of the Puget Sound Transportation Panel. The analysis is conducted using generalized estimating equations for model estimation. In addition to examining mode use frequencies over time, we also consider mode use trends conditioning on household income and lifecycle stage. As expected, results indicate an overall increase in the number of worktrips made between 1989 and 1993 and these trips were marked by increasing use of single occupancy vehicles. The full parameters of the model were also to estimate the rate of increase in terms of percentage increase and their confidence intervals. Results indicate that the mean number of worktrips made by driving alone significantly increased from wave 1 to wave 4; with a 95% C.I. the rate of percent increase was estimated between 8.2 and 24.5%. The ranges for rates of change in high occupancy vehicle modes and non-motorized worktrip frequencies overlap with the range for single occupancy vehicle rate of change, and thus, it cannot be said that rate of change for the high occupancy modes was significantly different from the single occupancy rates of change. The rate of change in the mean frequency for the high occupancy–transit mode is not only below the range for single occupancy vehicle trips but also suggests, with 95% confidence, the rate of percent decrease was between 2.88 and 44.0%.

Travel Trends Using the Puget Sound Panel Survey: A Generalized Estimating Equations Approach

Abstract: This paper examines longitudinal mode use trends using four waves of the Puget Sound Transportation Panel. The analysis is conducted using generalized estimating equations for model estimation. In addition to examining mode use frequencies over time, we also consider mode use trends conditioning on household income and lifecycle stage. As expected, results indicate an overall increase in the number of worktrips made between 1989 and 1993 and these trips were marked by increasing use of single occupancy vehicles. The full parameters of the model were also to estimate the rate of increase in terms of percentage increase and their confidence intervals. Results indicate that the mean number of worktrips made by driving alone significantly increased from wave 1 to wave 4; with a 95% C.I. the rate of percent increase was estimated between 8.2 and 24.5%. The ranges for rates of change in high occupancy vehicle modes and non-motorized worktrip frequencies overlap with the range for single occupancy vehicle rate of change, and thus, it cannot be said that rate of change for the high occupancy modes was significantly different from the single occupancy rates of change. The rate of change in the mean frequency for the high occupancy¯transit mode is not only below the range for single occupancy vehicle trips but also suggests, with 95% confidence, the rate of percent decrease was between 2.88 and 44.0%.

What do we know about vehicle occupancy? a statewide pilot study in florida

Abstract: As required by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) and the recent revisions to the joint FHWA/FTA urban transportation planning regulations, transportation planning agencies are attempting to monitor travel trends and to develop multimodal transportation improvement plans at both the regional and local level. Rather than a continued focus on the number of vehicles moved through a corridor, measurement of persons moved and speed of movement is now required in the mobility management process and congestion management system. In addition, many strategies to improve transportation systems performance have the goal of increasing vehicle occupancies. Passenger vehicle occupancy data are increasingly recognized as a key element of an effective urban travel monitoring program. Although there is a substantial body of knowledge concerning the determination of vehicle volumes, similar information does not exist for the statistics of vehicle occupancy. To meet this challenge, a statewide pilot vehicle occupancy study was conducted for 18 months under a contract with the Florida Department of Transportation Systems Planning Office, Transportation Statistics Office and Public Transit Office. The study addressed issues such as vehicle occupancy data distribution, relationships between vehicle occupancy and traffic characteristics, impacts of site locations and facility/area types, as well as hourly variation, lane variation, directional variation, daily variation and seasonal variation at individual locations and by facility type. The study also examined alternative databases and approaches for data collection, appropriate data collection procedures and sampling methodologies, and provided guidelines and recommendations for future studies on vehicle occupancy.

Noise Criteria for Hong Kong Building Environmental Assessment Method for New Offices and Existing Offices (HK-BEAM)

Abstract: In response to the increasing awareness of environmental issues in relation to building projects, the building developers volunteered to develop a building environmental assessment method to self regulate the environmental impacts to the global, local and indoor environment of the buildings in Hong Kong (HK-BEAM [1,2]). This method does not intend to take the place of the conventional or functional criteria of design. The classical noise control criteria are reviewed. A set of assessment criteria is determined for the outdoor and indoor noise environment respectively, both during construction and post occupancy. This paper discusses the rational of the choice.