Influence of Lane Width on Bus Crashes

Author(s):  
Boya Dai ◽  
Joan G. Hudson ◽  
Ben Ettelman ◽  
Eun Sug Park

Motor vehicle lane width is often reduced to accommodate non-motorized transportation and increase safety for all road users—in many cases from the conventional width of 12 ft to as narrow as 9–10 ft. Although it has not been a significant issue for passenger car drivers, the narrower lanes pose concerns for bus transit operators. This study analyzed data from the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the public transit provider in the Austin, Texas, area, to evaluate the influence of narrow travel lanes on bus crashes. It included a comprehensive review of literature, interviews with cities and transit agencies, an analysis to determine the correlation between lane width and target bus crashes (sideswipe, fixed-object, and mirror-to-mirror), and an assessment of the impact of a curb or parked car immediately adjacent to the narrow outside lane on bus crashes. The literature review and interview findings support a standard lane width of 11–12 ft for bus routes. The statistical analysis suggested that more target bus crashes were associated with narrower lane widths. A curb or parked car immediately adjacent to the outside lane was problematic regardless of whether the outside lane was less than 12 ft or not. Though narrower lane width could contribute to fewer catastrophic crashes because of the slower speeds, it increases the likelihood of certain bus crashes. Cities and transit agencies should work together to determine lane width to balance the needs of all road users.

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antora Mohsena Haque ◽  
Candace Brakewood ◽  
Shahrbanoo Rezaei ◽  
Anahita Khojandi

American cities have been implementing park-and-rides (PNRs) since the 1930s; however, there has been a recent resurgence of literature examining this type of transit station. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current literature on PNRs and directions for future research. PNR studies published in the last ten years were reviewed and text mining was applied to extract key themes. Six themes were identified. The two most common areas of research were network equilibrium and optimization (12 of 37 studies) and demand models (8 of 37 studies). This was followed by guidelines and best practices as well as comparative studies (6 of 37 studies each). Parking utilization had the fewest number of recent studies (3 of 37 studies). This review revealed that the majority of PNR studies were conducted in geographic areas with extensive transit services, most studies have focused on rail-based PNRs, and the most widely used method was multinomial logit. Some areas for future research include studying remote PNRs, examining bus-based PNRs, and assessing the impact of emerging modes on PNR utilization. This systematic review could assist planners and transit agencies in further improving sustainable PNR networks in their cities.


2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-96
Author(s):  
P. Kosiński ◽  
J. Osiński

Abstract The purpose of modelling a laminated windshield using the FEM is to provide a critical look on the way the adult headform impact tests are conducted in the process of motor vehicle certification. The main aim of the study is to modify the design of a laminated windshield in the context of a vehicle collision with vulnerable road users. The initial phase of the work was to develop a model of the adult headform impactor. The validation consisted in conducting a series of FEM analyses of the impactor certification testing according to the Regulation (EC) 631/2009. Next, the impact of the headform model on a windshield was analysed. The FEM model of laminated glass is composed of two outer layers of glass and an inner layer of polyvinyl butyral. FEM analyses of the impaction were performed at five points of the windshield characterised by various dynamic responses of the impactor and various patterns of glass cracking. In modelling the layers of glass, the Abaqus environment “brittle cracking” model was used. The following material models of PVB resin were considered: elastic, elastic-plastic, hyperelastic, and low-density foam. Furthermore, the influence of the mesh type on the process of glass cracking in a laminated windshield was analysed.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Shivani Naicker

The emergence of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) digital era is relentlessly morphing habits of social interaction and conducting business. Organizations within the multitude of sectors which constitute a nation’s economic engine are forced to respond to this evolution. Governments the world over are under constant pressure to improve the efficiency and overall effectiveness of the means by which services are delivered to citizens. Public eservice is an interactive internet based service provided by Government to their citizens. Some of these services include viewing and payment of utility bills, application for new services such as, water and electricity, renewal of motor vehicle licences, supplier registrations, submission of tenders, reporting of faults and viewing of buildings plans. As Government gears up to heed the call for growing service delivery demands against the backdrop of 4IR, there has been a marked accelerated effort in the implementation of several information and communication technology (ICT) based constituent service delivery systems. In crafting and optimizing such systems, business analysis is a crucial early stage. Literature portrays largely ineffective business analysis as a major contributing factor to the alarming high failure rate of modern day public eservices systems. Compounding the above is a lack of widely accepted practice guidelines and a scarcity of robust academic literature supporting business analysis in the public eservices domain. This dissertation is driven by the primary aim of the development of a business analysis framework specifically for public eservice projects. Following a critical analysis of literature, a set of components are distilled to form a theoretical framework of practice guidelines. The components derive from knowledge areas deemed critical for business analysis and present essential tasks, tools and techniques for Business Analysts plying their expertise in public eservices projects. The Design Science methodological approach further hones the framework after an iterative process of feedback and adjustment. A handful of Business Analysts are purposively selected for focus group participation and serve as change agents in the Design Science cycle. The Design Science cycle evolved the business analysis framework to an eventual seven components namely, Project Committee, Business Analysis Plan, Requirements Analysis, Business Collaboration, Requirements Changes, Solution and BA Review. The ADVIAN classification method provides an analytical tool for identifying the relationships between these components and the components that are vital for the effectiveness of the framework. The impact of change to one component on the other components is highlighted and this analysis confirms the robustness of the inclusion of components in the eventual framework. Further, the results of the ADVIAN analysis provides foresight into the impact of changes made to the framework when tailoring to a specific project. This will be of value to project teams wanting to utilize the framework across eservice projects. The use of ADVIAN shows the impacts of changes to the components of the framework when components are altered. It shows the impact of each component on the other. By understanding the current challenges faced by public eservices, it is hoped that the developed framework will offer a contribution to the gap in the business analysis domain with particular focus on the public eservice systems.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 226-242
Author(s):  
Keri Szejda Fehrenbach ◽  
Amy S. Ebesu Hubbard

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the neutrality literature and suggests areas ripe for future research. Design/methodology/approach – The authors reviewed journal articles on the topic of neutrality in mediation, which included theoretical viewpoints and empirical research on practicing mediators’ understanding of neutrality. Findings – The review of literature revealed that party perspectives are largely missing from current neutrality literature. Two potential concepts emerged from the authors' review of literature that could potentially influence parties’ attributions of mediator neutrality: symmetry and transparency. Symmetry refers to the equal treatment of parties, whereas transparency refers to providing an explanation of past or future behavior. Research on whether symmetry and transparency are key influences on party assessment of mediator neutrality could make a significant contribution to the field. Research limitations/implications – The authors call on researchers with diverse methodological perspectives to examine, from the party’s perspective, important questions regarding the meaning of neutrality, mediator strategies to successfully enact neutrality and the impact of neutrality on mediation outcomes. Originality/value – Neutrality is arguably one of the most important concepts to the mediation field. Despite its significance to the field, only limited research has been conducted to better understand how neutrality is enacted in practice. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature and provides a launching point for future research.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aysha Albastaki ◽  
Abdulaziz Isa Aljawder

Abstract The 2019 Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19) first appeared in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019 and has disseminated rapidly to almost every region of the world to become a pandemic. COVID-19 is initiated by severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV-2. The principal signs and symptoms are related to the respiratory and cardiovascular systems; however, the nervous system is another primary target of this devastating disease, according to numerous case reports and some reviews that have been published. Moreover, neurosurgical issues have also been dramatically affected. This comprehensive review aims to summarize the impact of COVID-19 on neurosurgical issues. In addition, we aim to serve as a reference for neurosurgeons dealing with neurosurgical cases of the disease. The article emphasized neurological display of COVID-19, neurosurgical practice, contagion control and precautions, residency, and education in neurosurgery, neurosurgeons' mental health. In addition to that, the article also provides some recommendations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-58
Author(s):  
Kristin Funk

This critical review of literature evaluates the impact of COVID-19 on health and mental health care delivery in rural Indiana, specifically the move to increased telehealth services. Telehealth has been a mostly positive experience for patients and providers. However, many Indiana residents are without the option of telehealth due to underdeveloped infrastructure that is necessary to support broadband access. This disparity is evidence of a larger social and health justice issue and illuminates a call to action for social workers on all levels to collaborate with community members, government agencies, and local programs to push the issue towards the public health arena and to promote broadband access as a human right.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Williams ◽  
Marcial Lamera ◽  
Aleksander Bauranov ◽  
Carole Voulgaris ◽  
Anurag Pande

Edge lane roads (ELRs), also known as advisory bike lanes or advisory shoulders, are a type of shared street where two-way motor vehicle (MV) traffic shares a single center lane, and edge lanes on either side are preferentially reserved for vulnerable road users (VRUs). This work comprises a literature review, an investigation of ELRs’ operational characteristics and potential road user interactions via simulation, and a study of crash data from existing American and Australian ELRs. The simulation evaluated the impact of various factors (e.g., speed, volume, directional split, etc.) on ELR operation. Results lay the foundation for a siting criterion. Current American siting guidance relies only upon daily traffic volume and speed—an approach that inaccurately models an ELR’s safety. To evaluate the safety of existing ELRs, crash data were collected from ELR installations in the US and Australia. For US installations, Empirical Bayes (EB) analysis resulted in an aggregate CMF of .56 for 11 installations observed over 8 years while serving more than 60 million vehicle trips. The data from the Australian State of Queensland involved rural one-lane, low-volume, higher-speed roads, functionally equivalent to ELRs. As motor vehicle volume grows, these roads are widened to two-lane facilities. While the authors observed low mean crash rates on the one-lane roads, analysis of recently converted (from one-lane to two-lane) facilities showed that several experienced fewer crashes than expected after conversion to two-lane roads.


Author(s):  
Himanshu Joshi ◽  
Deepak Chawla

This chapter is aimed at understanding how KM impact organizational performance. The chapter discusses KM perspectives, specially KM in public sector organizations, its dimensions and impact on performance. A review of literature and focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted. The sample was drawn from cross-section of various industries like manufacturing, power, pharmaceutical, etc. Some personal interviews were also conducted. Based on the review of literature, FGD, and personal interviews, an instrument was designed encompassing various statements related to KM as well as performance. Since there are not many public sector enterprises in India which are formally implementing KM, a convenience sampling was used. The study employs a mixed-method approach for data collection and appropriate statistical techniques are used to meet the objectives. The study proposes a conceptual framework for understanding KM dimensions and its impact on performance improvements. At the end of the chapter, recommendations for public sector companies for enhancing organizational performance are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matilde de Albuquerque Veloso Machado ◽  
Bjelle Roberts ◽  
Brian Li Han Wong ◽  
Robin van Kessel ◽  
Elias Mossialos

Background: Vaccines have been contributing to eradicate or drastically reduce the incidence of common diseases. Simultaneously, vaccine hesitancy is considered among the top ten global health threats. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a tremendous impact on health, economics, and society worldwide, while also reinforcing faulty beliefs about the necessity of vaccine programs as a whole. This study aims to synthesise evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vaccine hesitancy.Methods: A scoping review of literature between 1 January 2020 and 1 August 2021 was performed.Results: COVID-19 vaccine acceptance decreased from more than 70 to <50% in 8 months starting from January 2020. Healthcare professionals demonstrate higher rates of vaccine receptivity than the public, which was more influenced by (social) media. The circulation of misinformation was associated with increased fear of side effects related to COVID-19 vaccines. Regarding other vaccines coverage, parents' intentions to vaccinate their children against influenza increased 15.8% during the COVID-19 pandemic so far. Nonetheless, the number of vaccines administered decreased, influenced by factors like fear of being exposed to the virus at healthcare facilities and restrictions.Conclusions: Several efforts should be undertaken to improve vaccine acceptance and coverage now and beyond the pandemic to optimal population protection.


2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-156
Author(s):  
Györgyi Nyikos ◽  
Gábor Soós

The complexity of public procurement and the related controls are a significant issue that public authorities are facing in Hungary. The “fear” of being controlled by state authorities and EU auditors is affecting decisions in public procurement. However, research on the effects of such a system is largely absent. The purpose of the article is to explore the functioning of the control system related to EU funded public procurements and to examine its actual and potential impact on the purchases of public authorities. The method is first an introduction of the features of the control system and then the analysis of data from the relevant bodies in order to see the effect of controls and possible difficulties with the system. The results show that despite the seemingly positive impact on the regularity of procedures, the interference in the decisions of public authorities and the delays caused are problematic. It is therefore suggested that the Hungarian government should consider streamlining the control process such as through checks based on samples or focusing on the most risky procedures. The research is the first academic analysis of data related to public procurement control in Hungary, yet it can already inspire the Hungarian and other governments to review the effectiveness of such procedures and to reduce administrative burdens for public authorities as much as possible.


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