Trip generation

Trip-based data can provide important information about travel patterns and travel characteristics of people. To handle this type of transportation movement data in GIS (Geographic Information Systems), a new data model is needed to incorporate different aspects of a transportation movement with its spatial properties. From the study presented in this thesis, an event-based data model for transportation movement data was developed with the concepts of object orientation, feature-based approach, and relative referencing methods. The implementation of this new data model with a prototype system shows the capability of this data model in handling transportation movement data. This data model has also improved the information retrieval ability provided by the current GIS data models.

At present the current trip generation models used in the state of Florida to derive residential trip generation rates take into account three variables, dwelling type, auto ownership and household size. It is hoped that by examining geographic location, improvements can be made to the present Florida Standard Urban Transportation Modeling Structure (FSUTMS). To analyze the impact of geographic location, GIS technology will be used. GIS will aid the study in several ways. It will be used to identify urban centers and major highways within the study area and once this is accomplished, GIS will be used to create zones around the selected urban centers and the major highways. Finally GIS will be used to prepare the survey data for statistical analysis. In addition to looking at geographic location, the study will also examine whether certain lifestyle variables can influence residential trip rates within the study area. Throughout this study it is hoped that the predictive power of the Florida Standard Urban Transportation Modeling Structure can be improved.