Transit : Institute for Transportation Research and Education

The Public Transportation Group leads projects and conducts applied research focusing on operations, planning, services planning, and technology implementations.

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Featured Project

Public Microtransit Pilots in the State of North Carolina: Operational Characteristics, Costs, and Lessons Learned

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Finance and Budgeting

Having a firm understanding Finance and Budgeting is key for a transit system to maintain a healthy environment for its customers and employees. The Public Transportation Group is involved in many projects related to finance and budgeting, has developed several tools to assist transit systems in understanding their finances and how to budget, and provides training for using the tools and for budgeting concepts.

Projects:

Expertises: Jeremy, Kai

Transit Service Planning

As demand for service increases faster than funding, demand response transportation providers need to rethink how service is delivered. We analyze data and assess business practices with an eye toward increasing performance. Our group uses actual origin and destination data to create recommendations for flexible route segments, structured scheduling, and other service enhancements. We work closely with the service providers during the planning and implementation process with a goal of providing service to everyone while improving performance.

Projects:

Expertise: Jeremy, Kai

Operations

Automated demand response scheduling software, on-vehicle tablets, and other technological solutions are excellent tools for improving transit operations. However, these tools are only useful if the transit system’s operating environment is prepared to implement them. Thus, understanding the operations of transit systems is key to being able to provide the other services that we offer. Our team’s strength is that, as applied researchers, we have intimate knowledge of how the transit business is conducted on the ground. We deal with individual transit systems and also have the benefit of seeing the larger picture because we are intimately familiar with the operations of dozens of transit systems. We use this operations knowledge to identify opportunities for efficiency improvements via business practice changes or technological solutions and assist transit systems with implementing these changes.

Projects:

Expertise: Jeremy, Kai

Spatial Analysis

We use GIS technology to plan and implement efficient and intelligent services for transportation systems. Our primary focuses include:

Service Planning and Evaluation
Community Transportation Service Planning
Technology Implementation
Using spatial analytics to achieve the highest level of performance from all transit systems.

Projects:

Expertise: Kai, Jeremy, Jonah, Rui

Technical Assistance

Technical assistance is the vehicle for applying to the operating environment the data analysis, training, operations knowledge, and other projects conducted by the Public Transportation Group. Thus, Technical Assistance is a core function for the Group as it both allows us to implement our research and is the source for research ideas. Visiting transit systems and communicating with them on a daily basis helps us understand their concerns and come up with action plans to assist them.

Expertise: Kai, Jeremy, Jonah, Rui

Data Warehouse

ITRE’s Public Transportation Group (PTG) is the data warehouse for the transit industry in North Carolina. We collect and maintain a vast array of transportation related information which includes asset utilization, asset management, operating statistics, service areas, urbanized areas, and many more datasets. Our warehouse includes spatial and non-spatial data that is contained in the appropriate database for easy access and retrieval of information. We continuously analyze each dataset and develop reports and other analytical documents based on these datasets.

Expertise: Kai, Jeremy, Jonah, Rui

Training

Implementing the Transportation Requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

ADA is a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) compliance area. The training consists of three separate workshops. The purpose of the training is to review ADA transportation requirements with public transportation agencies (public and non-profit) involved in providing public transit, human services transportation, or general public demand responsive transportation in North Carolina and to discuss key implementation issues.

Fundamentals of Demand Response Transportation Training Opens in new window

The Fundamentals of Demand Response Transportation Training webinars by ITRE will be taught as a series with two courses each day for three consecutive days.

Transportation Leadership Development Program (TLDP) Opens in new window

This 12-week Transportation Leadership Development Program (TLDP) mixes self-study materials and seminars. During the course of study, participants work through exercises that promote a deeper understanding of effective decision-making, employee motivation, teamwork, and practical applications of creative ideas.

For more information, visit the TLDP Website

TLDP Scholarship Option Opens in new window

The TLDP Scholarship option is open to County Transportation agencies within North Carolina.

Again I want to thank you guys for such an inspiring seminar. I am utilizing what I have learned to help me become a better me at work and at home. Keep doing what you do. It works.

-Robin Brooks, Go Durham

Transit Skill-building Workshops

Additional Information

For questions about courses, please contact Kai Monast

For questions about registration, please contact Walter Thomas

Online Services

See the ITRE Public Transit Group Transit Portal website for web-mapping applications and data downloads.

https://www.transitportal.org/