Khani, Alireza

This project studies the benefits and barriers of increased adoption of medium-duty and heavy-duty electric trucks, referred to as e-trucks, and presents a methodology for optimizing the location of e-truck charging stations in Minnesota. In general, e-trucks provide zero tailpipe emissions and lower operating and maintenance costs. However, some barriers to adopting e-trucks include higher initial purchase costs, lack of charging and maintenance infrastructure, limited range, and charging time. The methods presented in this study aim to address the charging infrastructure planning, which provides information about e-truck charging activities, changes in vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and potential operating cost savings.

This project involved the development of innovative sharing-economy strategies to address rural transit challenges in Greater Minnesota. Many transit services and transportation network companies (TNC’s) like Uber and Lyft do not provide services to commuters outside metro areas, forcing most residents in Greater Minnesota to own automobiles. Meanwhile, many communities have school bus systems and substantial vehicle capacity that remain parked and unused much of the day. This project uses a human-centered design approach to engage a community in Greater Minnesota with a population of less than 10,000 people to develop a pilot for rural community transit that could be a model for similar communities across the state. The research seeks to answer the question of whether a shared, mobility services approach to rural transit transportation in Greater Minnesota could meet people's needs at a lower cost, with more convenience, and with greater positive impacts on the local economy than current transit practices and services. Our research developed a menu of strategies that uses existing community assets to promote walking, biking, car sharing, bus sharing, and car and van pooling.

The main objectives of phase 2 of this project were to obtain relevant data to calculate the percent remaining service life interval (PRSI) and two additional metrics and to perform Markov chain analysis and dynamic programming to determine how much time and funding is required to bring the system to a stable configuration, which allows for more consistent planning. First, relevant pavement management data was obtained from MnDOT and preliminary data analyses were performed. The prediction models and optimization process currently used by MnDOT were investigated and summarized. Next, two additional metrics, Asset Sustainability Ratio and Deferred Preservation Liability, were calculated for MnDOT’s network. Then details of the estimation process of state-to-state transition probabilities to be used in the Markov chain model were presented. To allow for site-specific variation, ordinal logistic regression models were incorporated in the Markov chain model. The results were used in a dynamic programming optimization methodology to obtain baseline and optimal policies for different scenarios and a user-friendly excel spreadsheet tool was developed. Finally, a summary of the work performed followed by conclusions and recommendations was presented.

Transitways such as light rail transit (LRT) and bus rapid transit (BRT) provide fast, reliable, and high-capacity transit service. Transitways have the potential to attract more riders and take a portion of the auto mode share, reducing the growth of auto traffic. Park-and-ride (PNR) facilities can complement transit service by providing a viable choice for residents who are without walking access to transit or those who prefer better transit service such as LRT or BRT. In this study, we conducted two research tasks on Transitways services in the Twin Cities region in Minnesota; 1) to examine the impact of the operation of the Green Line LRT on the annual average daily traffic (AADT) of its adjacent roads, and 2) to estimate a PNR location choice model in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

In response to the limited awareness surrounding Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the A Line; this study provides answers to questions regarding the operation and public perception of the A Line in the Twin Cities region; Minnesota. Two traffic scenarios were studied; one for high-volume oversaturated traffic during the Minnesota State Fair; and a second for normal operating conditions. For both scenarios; intersection queue length and traffic flow rate were compared before and after an A Line bus. It was found that in both time periods (Fair and non- Fair); the dwelling of an A Line bus during a green traffic signal did not have a statistically significant impact on intersection queue length or traffic-flow rate at either of the two researched stations. From an analysis of the 2016 On-Board Survey; it was determined that passengers are more satisfied by the overall service of the A Line than local buses while there is not a significant difference in overall satisfaction compared to express buses; light rail and commuter rail. The top three important service attributes to overall satisfaction are "paying my fare is easy;" "hours of operation;" and "handling of concerns/complaints." It is recommended that the transit agency improve the attributes that have higher relative influences and lower mean performances. Based on this criterion; the attributes that should be given priority are "shelter/station conditions and cleanliness" and "behaviors of other passengers and atmosphere on board." This is report #16 in the Transitway Impacts Research Program series.