Browsing by Author "Hanson, Trevor R."

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Can rural older drivers meet their needs without a car? Stated adaptation responses from a GPS travel diary survey
    (Springer, 2011) Hanson, Trevor R.; Hildebrand, Eric D.
    Rural seniors are highly dependent on their automobile to meet their trip making needs, yet the effects of aging can make access to the vehicle difficult or impossible over time. The anticipated growth in the older person population, in concert with limited travel data available to support rural transportation planning in Canada suggests a disconnect between what rural older people may require for transportation and the availability of formal alternatives. Many will seek informal alternatives to driving, such as depending on friends and family, to meet their travel needs, but the degree is not well understood in the context of their actual vehicle usage and stated ability to adapt. This paper draws from a Global Positioning System (GPS)-based multi-day travel diary survey of a convenience sample of 60 rural older drivers (29 men, 31 women, average age of 69.6 years) from New Brunswick, Canada. Participants would rely on “friends and family” for 52% of all trips they undertook as driver in the survey, “walk or bike” for 14% of trips, and “not take the trip” in 34% of trips if they did not have access to a vehicle. “Medical trips”, “Shopping” and “Personal Errands” were the least discretionary of all trip types, yet the most difficult for participants to find alternate arrangements. Most participants (70%) believed a solution is needed in rural areas that does not involve depending on friends and family. These findings suggest the need for transportation policies that encourage the development and sustainability of rural alternatives.
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    The optimization of urban-rural demand responsive transportation services in New Brunswick
    (University of New Brunswick, 2025-03) Cartwright, Abigail; Hanson, Trevor R.; Christie, James S.
    With over one-third of New Brunswick's population living with a disability, accessible Demand-Response Transit (DRT) services are crucial for those that need it. There is a need for data on the operation and travel patterns associated with DRT services in New Brunswick as new regional agencies are assuming transportation planning responsibilities and looking to expand services. This research used geographically aggregated passenger data from 6 months of trips by a paratransit provider to estimate trip rates and to pilot an exact solution method of Mixed Integer Linear Programming (Christie Method) for vehicle deployment. The Christie Method was able to reasonably replicate the conditions of the existing service provider subject to their level of service requirements and was then applied to a community use-case based on extrapolated trip rates. While effective, the exact solution approach increases processing time exponentially for any additional constraints, therefore other heuristic approaches may warrant future considerations.
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    Understanding the factors affecting travel demand for persons with a mobility disability in New Brunswick
    (University of New Brunswick, 2025-03) Whitehouse, Madeline; Hanson, Trevor R.
    Despite having the second highest rate of disability in Canada, there is little known about how persons with a disability in New Brunswick travel. The purpose of this research was to better understand the barriers to travel persons with a mobility disability experience in New Brunswick. A mail-out stated travel behaviour survey was administered to clients of Ability New Brunswick in Fredericton and Moncton (n = 672, response rate = 15%). Results showed respondents have transportation “all of the time” to make shopping (47%), social (36%), and health trips (56%) and there was strong agreement (62%) that private vehicles are important for travel. There were 13 participants recruited to participate in a semi-automated travel diary to better understand daily travel patterns. Participants made 155 trips, with most (89%) being made using a private vehicle. Stated adaptation interviews revealed participants are reliant on their primary mode of transportation to make trips.
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    Understanding the relationships between design parameters, operational speeds and pedestrian safety at roundabouts
    (University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Gallant, Alexander; Hildebrand, Eric D.; Hanson, Trevor R.
    This study explored relationships between roundabout design parameters, observed operating speeds, and motorist yield compliance to pedestrians. The research involved observation of operations at four roundabouts within the City of Fredericton, New Brunswick. All facilities had Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) installed at the marked crossings. A three-pronged study approach was employed that included determination of vehicle speed profiles, driver yielding and pedestrian behaviour, and a survey of pedestrian attitudes toward safety. The 85th percentile speeds observed for motorists at the marked crosswalk are marginally lower than the theoretical fastest path speeds at the roundabout exit. Another conclusion developed was the sightlines provided to motorists as they exit the roundabout are a key factor in the yielding rate. Yield rates were the lowest on the exit leg of high-speed roundabouts. The usage rate of RRFB’s was found to be higher at high-speed roundabouts.