The social context of informal commuting: Slugs, strangers and structuration

Despite considerable interest in the role of social interactions and social context on transportation, there have been very few attempts to explore specific cases of social interaction influencing transportation systems. This paper explores the social practice of slugging, an informal system of carpooling in the Washington, DC area. Slugging emerged in response to the establishment of Virginia’s High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes in the early 1970s, as single drivers picked up riders alongside the road (slugs) in order to meet the requirements for driving in the less congested HOV lanes. Drawing on the work of sociologist Anthony Giddens, as well as the sociological insights of Georg Simmel and Stanley Milgram, we suggest that the practice of slugging highlights the processes of institutionalization and structuration. This paper details how the region’s mass transportation policies and urban culture have combined to result in an institutionalized practice with particular norms and logics of behavior. We conclude that looking at specific cases where social context has affected transportation, like slugging, could provide useful insights on the impact of social context on transportation policies and systems.     

Evolution of the household vehicle fleet: Anticipating fleet composition, PHEV adoption and GHG emissions in Austin, Texas

In today’s world of volatile fuel prices and climate concerns, there is little study on the relationship between vehicle ownership patterns and attitudes toward vehicle cost (including fuel prices and feebates) and vehicle technologies. This work provides new data on ownership decisions and owner preferences under various scenarios, coupled with calibrated models to microsimulate Austin’s personal-fleet evolution.Opinion survey results suggest that most Austinites (63%, population-corrected share) support a feebate policy to favor more fuel efficient vehicles. Top purchase criteria are price, type/class, and fuel economy. Most (56%) respondents also indicated that they would consider purchasing a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) if it were to cost $6000 more than its conventional, gasoline-powered counterpart. And many respond strongly to signals on the external (health and climate) costs of a vehicle’s emissions, more strongly than they respond to information on fuel cost savings.Twenty five-year simulations of Austin’s household vehicle fleet suggest that, under all scenarios modeled, Austin’s vehicle usage levels (measured in total vehicle miles traveled or VMT) are predicted to increase overall, along with average vehicle ownership levels (both per household and per capita). Under a feebate, HEVs, PHEVs and Smart Cars are estimated to represent 25% of the fleet’s VMT by simulation year 25; this scenario is predicted to raise total regional VMT slightly (just 2.32%, by simulation year 25), relative to the trend scenario, while reducing CO₂ emissions only slightly (by 5.62%, relative to trend). Doubling the trend-case gas price to $5/gallon is simulated to reduce the year-25 vehicle use levels by 24% and CO₂ emissions by 30% (relative to trend).Two- and three-vehicle households are simulated to be the highest adopters of HEVs and PHEVs across all scenarios. The combined share of vans, pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), and cross-over utility vehicles (CUVs) is lowest under the feebate scenario, at 35% (versus 47% in Austin’s current household fleet). Feebate-policy receipts are forecasted to exceed rebates in each simulation year.In the longer term, gas price dynamics, tax incentives, feebates and purchase prices along with new technologies, government-industry partnerships, and more accurate information on range and recharging times (which increase customer confidence in EV technologies) should have added effects on energy dependence and greenhouse gas emissions.     

关于济南市公交管理信息化的思考

介绍了济南现阶段公交管理信息化现状,并从信息化的角度箍出了解决办法：进一步完善车辆定位和动态信息的收集和管理功能,建设多功能、交互的、动态的公交信息WEB平台;提高公交IC卡管理灵活性和集成性。     

基于LTE系统的轨道交通辅助定位方法

为保证城市轨道交通运营安全,针对车载控制器(VOBC)出现故障时,调度人员无法获悉列车位置的情况,利用列车接入单元(TAU)上传长期演进系统(LTE)的无线性能指标进行辅助定位。该系统平时进行车辆实际位置和无线性能指标的大数据拟合,在特殊情况时利用拟合曲线和无线性能指标进行辅助定位,为列车安全运行提供可靠的保障。     

公交浮动车辆到站时间实时预测模型

根据公交浮动车辆实时GPS数据, 考虑不同时段的路段平均速度、公交车站、信号灯等多因素的影响, 建立了一种新的公交车辆到站时间预测模型。通过估计到达下游最临近站点的时间和判断道路上GPS数据的有效性等方法, 改善了预测模型的精度, 并应用重庆公交车辆数据对模型进行验证。计算结果表明: 该模型能够实时预测公交浮动车辆到达下游站点的时间, 预测精度优于现有方法, 在高峰时段预测误差小于9%, 在非高峰时段预测误差约为6%, 并对各种道路交通条件具有较好的适应性。     

The desulphurisation of shipping: Past,present and the future under a global cap

As from January 2020, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is implementing a global 0.5% limit on the sulphur content of fuel, commonly known as the global sulphur cap. This limit is the latest policy in the efforts to reduce sulphur emissions from shipping, following the designation of emission control areas (ECAs) and other regional regulations. In this paper, a literature review is conducted of academic studies that have dealt with issues relating to the reduction of maritime sulphur emissions. Various recurring research themes are identified, spanning the areas of operations research, maritime economics and transport policy. The effects and implications of available compliance options are then analyzed from the perspectives of ship operators, shippers and consumers. Using lessons learned from the enforcement of ECA regulations, this is followed by an appraisal of various potential issues related to the enforcement of these new global regulations. It is found that a homogeneous enforcement regime is required to ensure a level playing field amongst ship operators and that the global sulphur cap may lead to serious market distortion, due to the potential short term rise of fuel prices. The paper concludes with a set of recommendations for future research on sulphur emissions from shipping in the aftermath of the global cap and, looking forward, to its relationship to the IMO strategy on the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) shipping emissions.     

Key beliefs and attitudes for sea-level rise policy

This article reviews key measures of public opinion on sea-level rise (SLR): beliefs, attitudes, issue prioritization, and policy support. To do so, we first assess the influence of SLR beliefs and attitudes on issue prioritization and policy support using state-level data. Then, we compare the state findings to other surveys conducted in a hot spot of rising coastal waters, the U.S. Mid-Atlantic, to better understand the landscape of public opinion. Our findings indicate that, as in studies of climate change public opinion, belief certainty that SLR is happening and attitudes about its consequences significantly influence issue prioritization and policy support. Compared to climate change, SLR demonstrates less salience, but is similarly a low public priority. Nevertheless, the public supports governmental policies that address the issue, preferring strategies that discourage new construction in high risk areas and employ “soft” protection through natural barriers. Among the least popular approaches are those that implement hard barriers to defend against encroaching seas. Communication programs and public consultation by governments can benefit from the use of survey data to support evidence-based decision-making.     

浅谈信号系统侧冲防护在城市轨道交通中的应用

防侧面冲突是信号系统最基本的安全功能之一,城市轨道交通信号系统如何在兼顾安全与效率的前提下进行侧冲防护,对整个信号系统的设计尤为重要.本文重点介绍了侧冲防护的原则及其防护原理.     

BIM技术在清华珠三角公建项目施工中的应用研究

随着科技的进步及项目管理水平的提高,BIM技术应运而生。本文以清华珠三角研究院粤港澳大湾区创新基地项目为依托,从应用目标、应用前准备工作、前期策划管理、技术管理、质量安全管理、物资设备管理、进度管理、经济成本管理等方面开展BIM技术在公建项目施工中的应用研究,结果表明:使用BIM技术,使项目管理走向精细化、全面化、高效化,并提高质量标准,增加安全保障,减少项目成本,提高项目利润率;同时与AI技术相结合,使BIM技术更加具有简便性,产出更大效益。     

呼和浩特市优先发展城市公共交通探讨

通过对呼和浩特市城市公共交通现状的分析,指出呼和浩特市公共交通存在的问题,进一步说明保证呼和浩特市公共交通优先发展在缓减交通压力、提高城市公共客运效益、环境保护方面的重要意义,同时提出呼和浩特市优先发展公共交通应采取的措施.