Transit service quality analysis using cluster analysis and decision trees: a step forward to personalized marketing in public transportation

A transit service quality study based on cluster analysis was performed to extract detailed customer profiles sharing similar appraisals concerning the service. This approach made it possible to detect specific requirements and needs regarding the quality of service and to personalize the marketing strategy. Data from various customer satisfaction surveys conducted by the Transport Consortium of Granada (Spain) were analyzed to distinguish these groups; a decision tree methodology was used to identify the most important service quality attributes influencing passengers’ overall evaluations. Cluster analysis identified four groups of passengers. Comparisons using decision trees among the overall sample of all users and the different groups of passengers identified by cluster analysis led to the discovery of differences in the key attributes encompassed by perceived quality.     

The Increasing Role of Latent Variables in Modelling Bicycle Mode Choice

The growing interest in promoting non-motorised active transport has led to an increase in the number of studies to identify the key variables associated with bicycle use, and especially those related to the bicycle mode choice problem. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of the modelling literature on the choice of the bicycle for utilitarian purposes, and summarises and assesses the evolution of the explanatory variables and methodologies used. We review both the evolution of the incorporation of latent variables in bicycle mode choice models and the critical role they play. The chronological evolution of the studies is divided into three stages —initial, intermediate and late — according to the different ways of introducing attitudinal or perceptual indicators and latent variables into the models. Our review shows that the incorporation of latent variables in bicycle choice models has increased in the last decade, with a progressive use of more sophisticated methodologies until the arrival of complex models that explicitly and properly deal with psychological latent variables. In fact, with the use of hybrid choice models, latent variables have nowadays become the core of bicycle mode choice models. Based on our review, a set of questions is proposed as a uniform measurement scale to identify attitudes towards bicycling. Recommendations for future research are also presented.     

Forecasting vs. observed outturn: Studying choice in faster inter-island connections

Passenger demand and, in particular, mode choice between the islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife has experienced important changes in the last decade. In 2005 the jetfoil, which had been the dominant mode for many years, was replaced by a slower but cheaper fast ferry service. This induced important changes in the market shares of all competing modes (airplane, slow ferry and another fast ferry with a shorter in-sea time, but needing a bus connection in land). We estimated several discrete choice models, with data collected two years before, with the aim to test their forecasting performance in relation with observed behaviour. Interestingly, we found that an easy to interpret multinomial logit model allowing for systematic taste variations performed best in forecasting. We also discuss some model assumptions related to forecasting that allow replicating the effects of introducing a new mode more accurately. We finally show how the model can be used to examine the social benefits of a related infrastructure improvement project in the island of Gran Canaria.     

Multi‐criteria analysis procedure for sustainable mobility evaluation in urban areas

This paper proposes a procedure to evaluate sustainable mobility in urban areas. A set of indicators according to three dimensions of sustainability, i.e., environment, economics, and social aspects, are proposed to evaluate mobility in urban areas. The sustainable mobility evaluation is based on an Index calculated through a weighted multi‐criteria combination procedure. A group of specialists in Brazil was involved in the development of the Index by defining the weights for the criteria. An application of the methodology in the city of Belo Horizonte, capital of the State of Minas Gerais, with 2.24 million inhabitants, is presented to validate the methodology.     

基于因子叠加法的滑坡灾害危险性区划——以衡桂高速公路为例

滑坡灾害危险性区划是将区域内产生滑坡灾害的发生条件、外界影响因素、和滑坡灾害的现状进行综合统计分析,定量或半定量地评价区域内滑坡灾害的危险性程度等级。选择湖南省衡桂高速公路滑坡灾害的分类与区划为研究示范区,对衡桂高速公路沿线滑坡灾害进行危险度研究,采用因子叠加法进行滑坡灾害区划。     

基于支持向量机的船舶操纵运动在线建模

支持向量机算法以结构风险最小化为准则,具有良好的泛化性,是一种先进的人工智能算法。文章根据最小二乘支持向量机对其增量式算法进行推导,并应用该算法对船舶操纵运动进行在线建模。通过仿真试验对粘性力和舵力水动力导数进行在线辨识,通过自航模试验对操纵性K、T指数进行在线辨识,并利用K、T指数对自航模的转首角速度进行了预报,所得结果都同试验值非常接近,证明了增量式最小二乘支持向量机应用于船舶操纵运动在线建模的有效性。     

State-owned Spanish Port System oversizing: an analysis of maximum operational capacity

The State-owned Spanish Port System (SPS) includes 46 ports for general use that are managed by the 28 port authorities distributed along the 8000 km of Spanish coast. SPS has not grown at a rate comparable to that of international maritime transportation. In our paper, we start from the hypothesis of a port system that appears to be oversized, subsidized, with regard to container traffic. Quantifying the maximum operational capacity of the different container terminals along the Spanish coast and their mooring capacities will provide the available dimensions for this type of traffic. In a second step, we will analyse whether SPS are sufficient (according to the perspective of international standards) to meet Spain’s needs, which is related to Spain’s strategic geographic location and its need to move containerized cargo for the domestic market. The paper concludes SPS has an oversized that limits competitiveness, which is indicated by the average transshipment ratio of approximately 50% and an average unweighted idle ratio of port facilities designed for container traffic of over 60% in the eight main ports.     

鼓形齿轮联轴器齿廓分析研究

从滚刀基本蜗杆齿面出发，按照滚切鼓形齿轮的运动，运用空啮合理论，导出了滚切加工的鼓形齿轮面方程，定量分析了齿廓形状及其影响因素，得到了滚切加工的鼓形外齿轮除中央截面为浙开线外，其余任何垂直于轴心线的截面或是过球心的截面都不是浙开线齿形，而且还存在严重的齿面扭曲畸变的结论。     

Benthic assemblages of a temperate estuarine system in South America: Transition from a freshwater to an estuarine zone

The objectives of the present study were to describe the species composition, diversity and distribution of the zoobenthic assemblages, to estimate the abundance and biomass of the dominant species, and to identify the main environmental factors determining the distribution patterns of the invertebrates from a freshwater to an estuarine zone in a temperate estuary of South America. The Río de la Plata estuary is a microtidal system characterized by a high concentration of suspended solids. Fifty-three taxa of meso- and macro-invertebrates were identified in the samples collected during November and December 2001. Molluscs, annelids, crustaceans and nematodes were found at 90% of the sampling sites. Molluscs comprised up to about 90% of the total zoobenthos biomass: the remaining percentage corresponded mainly to annelids and less to nematodes and crustaceans. An ecocline along the salinity gradient could be observed for the benthic assemblages from the freshwater to the estuarine zone in Rio de la Plata. A Canonical Correspondence Analysis shows that results from sampling sites in the outer zone were strongly related to salinity, depth and pH and less to oxygen and percentage of clay. The results from stations in the inner zone, and part of the middle zone, were mainly related to the occurrence of sand and contents of NH₄⁺–N, NO₃^−–N, and PO₄^{3−}–P.     

大深度多普勒计程仪方案研究

多普勒计程仪是一种利用多普勒效应原理制成的自主式测速导航设备。即便在GPS导航高速发展,INS系统已提高到很高精度的今天,多普勒计算仪仍郄有其不可替代的导航作用,尤其在军事领域更是如此。本文简要介绍船用多普勒计程仪的基本原理及其目前的国内外技术动态,列举上海航海仪器总厂多普勒计程仪的技术现状,在此基础上,提出开发大深度多普革计程仪所应解决的关键技术。