Development of behavioral context addressable loggers in the shell for travel-activity analysis

This study attempts to develop a small, portable travel-activity measuring instrument that requires no entry from respondents. Conventional surveys have collected identification information such as facility type, transport mode, and activity content through the operation of instruments, questionnaires, etc. However, these complicated surveys burden the respondents and rely on their memory, often leading to recording omissions or incorrect records. We propose a method for estimating behavioral contexts using BCALs (Behavioral Context Addressable Loggers in the Shell), a wearable, behavioral context information-measuring instrument, for re-estimating label information such as facility type and transport mode from ecological and environmental sensors based on learning models. The numerical values observed by these sensors differed greatly among locations or means of transportation, revealing the high possibility of automatic identification of locations and means of transportation using BCALs.     

Analysis of dynamic decision-making in a bicycle-sharing auction using a dynamic discrete choice model

For clarifying the usefulness and practical issues of a tradable permit system empirically, we implemented a tradable permit system for a bicycle-sharing service in Yokohama city, Japan. We analyzed both travel and transaction behavior within this system. Many activity factors, such as the amount of free time in each day, home location and travel mode to the bicycle port, were shown to affect the transaction of tradable permits. The results of the pilot program indicated that inefficient allocation of tradable permits occurred when participants postponed their decision-making because of uncertainty. To determine the reason for this effect and the contributing factors, we created a dynamic discrete choice model to describe the choice results and timing. The estimation result indicated that the option value of postponing decision-making caused the transactions to be performed at the last minute, and that this effect blocked the liquidity of the permits trade. In addition, because the result reveals that there was heterogeneity in the time discount factor, the initial allocation of permits was found to be important for efficient allocation.

     

Behavioral monitoring of public transport users through a mobile communication system

There are various activities now taking place in ITS research and development in Japan. Advanced information and communication technologies have been applied to improve public transport systems, as well as automated highway systems. In the first part of this paper, we show three examples of public transport systems recently developed in ITS environment. These transport systems are operated in local cities and towns in Japan: the travel information system for tram users in Hiroshima, the demand responsive bus system in Nakamura and the co‐operative use of electric vehicle in Ebina. In the second part of the paper, we explain how we have monitored individual passenger on public transport using cellular phones for location positioning. Location positioning technology for mobile object is essential for the operation and management of ITS supported public transport systems. Furthermore, such accurate and detailed positioning data can be utilized for travel behaviour analysis in demand modeling. The mobile instrument and monitoring systems shown in this paper can be combined with any of the case studies of ITS application to public transport systems.     

Origin-destination matrices estimation model using automatic vehicle identification data and its application to the Han-Shin expressway network

The Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) system was recently installed in expressway networks in Japan. License plate numbers of passing vehicles are monitored through roadside AVI cameras and then recognized. This paper shows the formulation of origin and destination (OD) matrices estimation model using the observed data with the AVI system. The results of license plate matching between a pair of AVI cameras are involved as the input variables. The formulated model is a least squares model and yields to the linear transformation of the partly observed OD matrices. The model is applied to the Kobe corridor line in the Han-Shin expressway network. It is found that the estimated OD matrix is consistent with the one using the previous mail survey. The proposed estimation method is expected to investigate the day-to-day fluctuations of OD patterns in the expressway network.