School Transit and Accessing Public School in Detroit

Students in the Detroit Public Community Schools District (DPSCD) have the highest rate of chronic absence (missing 10% or more of school days) among large districts in the United States. Additionally, students in DPSCD are among the poorest students in the country, often lacking access to reliable personal transportation or public transit to facilitate getting to school. Although DPSCD offers school-sponsored transit, only 30% of K-8 students were eligible for such transit in 2018 to 2019. Through the use of multilevel modeling, we sought to identify the association between eligibility for school-sponsored transit and attendance. Our findings indicated that there was a negative association of small magnitude between eligibility for school sponsored transit and school attendance. This counterintuitive finding may highlight the fact that transit eligibility is not sufficient to mediate the negative relationship between student poverty and attendance, and transit eligibility does not guarantee regular use of school-sponsored transit.

Behaviour Analysis of Left-Turning Mopeds at Signal Controlled Intersections – A Case Study in Yancheng City

Mopeds (electric bicycles and light motorcycles) are commonly used as a personal transportation mode in China. However, the understanding of characteristics of left-turning mopeds at signal-controlled intersections has been relatively limited. To bridge this gap, firstly, this paper proposed a video conversion method of moped movement data acquisition. Then, a method of data accuracy verification was introduced by comparing the results between the field experiment and the video conversion method. Secondly, the ideal traffic space for left-turn mopeds from different entrances was defined to analyse the characteristics of the left-turning mopeds at intersections. Further, three indicators, namely, transverse distance, the proportion of left-turning mopeds with crossing behaviour, and the average number of avoidance behaviour, were proposed and used to analyse the asymmetrical characteristics behaviour, crossing behaviour, and avoidance behaviour. Finally, based on empirical data collected from five signal-controlled intersections, the proposed methods and behaviours were analysed. This paper provides both a valid method of obtaining the position data of mopeds and a reliable basis for improving the safety of left-turning moped riders at urban signal-controlled intersections.

The Electric Vehicle Transition and the Economics of Banning Gasoline Vehicles

Electric vehicles have a unique potential to transform personal transportation. We analyze this transition with a dynamic model capturing falling costs of electric vehicles, decreasing pollution from electricity, and increasing vehicle substitutability. Our calibration to the US market shows a transition from gasoline vehicles is not optimal at current substitutability: a gasoline vehicle production ban would have large deadweight loss. At higher substitutability, a ban can reduce deadweight loss from vehicle mix and adoption timing inefficiencies. A cumulative gasoline vehicle production quota has smaller deadweight loss, and an electric vehicle purchase subsidy is more robust to regulator misperceptions about substitutability. (JEL H23, L51, L62, L94, Q53)

Kampanye Komunikasi Ecotransport dalam Mengurangi Transportasi Pribadi

Ecotransport Indonesia is still fresh with diverse activities, from walking, public transportation, and cycling. The thing that is most crowded with the people of Bandung is cycling. Based on this phenomenon, the problem in this research is formulated as follows: (1) How does ecotransport plan a communication campaign program about reducing personal transportation? (2) How does ecotransport choose media as a publication tool? (3) Why does ecotransport use a persuasive approach in the communication campaign to reduce personal transportation? Researcher using qualitative case studies. Data collection techniques used in this study were interviews with key informan, observation, and literature. The results of this study are: The results obtained from this research are (1) the planning of the campaign carried out by determining the issues raised, one of which is in the discipline of driving, setting goals to provide education about environmentally friendly transportation or by other names Ecotransport, determining the message delivered to the public, this audience from Ecotransport which is not only focused on the community but also on the government as well and the strategy used is communication that is done face-to-face and persuasive through social media but still not maximized. (2) Media publications include conducting talk shows on the radio, in addition to making e-posters uploaded through social media. (3) The use of face-to-face communication to provide clear explanations will protect the environment. Abstrak. Ecotransport Indonesia ini terbilang masih fresh dengan kegiatan yang beraneka ragam, dari berjalan kaki, transportasi umum dan bersepeda. Hal yang paling ramai diikuti oleh masyarakat kota Bandung adalah bersepeda. Berdasarkan fenomena ini, masalah dalam penelitian ini dirumuskan sebagai berikut: (1) Bagaimana ecotransport merencanakan program kampanye komunikasi tentang pengurangan transportasi pribadi? (2) Bagaimana ecotransport memilih media sebagai alat publikasi? (3) Mengapa ecotransport menggunakan pendekatan persuasif dalam kampanye komunikasi untuk mengurangi transportasi pribadi? Peneliti menggunakan studi kasus kualitatif. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah wawancara dengan informan kunci, observasi, dan studi pustaka. Hasil yang diperoleh dari penelitian ini adalah (1) perencanaan kampanye yang dilakukan adalah menentukan isu yang diangkat salah satunya adalah dalam disiplin berkendara, penyusunan tujuan untuk memberikan edukasi mengenai transportasi ramah lingkungan atau dengan nama lain Ecotransport, menentukan pesan yang disampaikan kepada khalayak publik, khalayak dari Ecotransport ini yang tidak hanya terfokus kepada masyarakat saja melainkan kepada pemerintah juga dan strategi yang digunakan adalah komunikasi yang dilakukan secara face-to-face dan persuasive melalui media sosial dan hasilnya belum maksimal. (2) Media publikasi yang dilakukan yaitu melakukan talkshow di radio, selain itu dengan membuat e-poster yang diunggah melalui media sosial. (3) Penggunaan komunikasi secara tatap muka ini untuk memberikan penjelasan yang jelas akan menjaga lingkungan sekitar.

Utilizing One-Way Valve to Optimize Turbocharger Performance on a Blended EGR Engine

Internal combustion engines will be a part of personal transportation for the foreseeable future. One recent trend for engines has been downsizing which enables the engine to run more favorably over regulatory drive cycles. Another shift due to downsizing is the increase in engine power density which leads to problems with engine knock. One way to reduce the knock propensity of engines is by introducing Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) into the combustion chamber. Exhaust Gas Recirculation also helps improve fuel economy and can reduce NOX emissions. EGR reduces volumetric efficiency which places challenges on the boosting system. LP-EGR helps to lower backpressure and improves scavenging which helps reduce knock and operate at a high efficiency at the low-speed and high-load conditions. At high-speed, and high-load operation however, LP-EGR operation can choke the compressor. This would mean that the turbocharger would need resizing to allow a higher mass flow at these higher speed-load conditions. The HP-EGR helps by reducing the flow rates to the compressor at the higher speed-load conditions which avoids compressor choke and permits a full load performance while retaining a smaller, more transient capable turbocharger. The concept of a one-way valve in the HP-EGR Loop has been explored in this paper. During HP-EGR operation, pressure pulsations drive the intake air back through the HP-EGR Loop and limit the maximum amount of HP-EGR. A one-way valve would prevent any backflow and permit a greater HP-EGR flow for a given average delta pressure. For a given EGR rate, this enables a wider throttle position and thus better controllability at the higher speed-load conditions. Engine testing with the one-way valve suggested that the HP-EGR rate at the high speed/load condition was nearly doubled while reducing the PMEP with an improvement in the Brake Specific Fuel Consumption . Additionally, this led to more reasonable actuator positions in terms of the EGR valve and the intake throttle to ensure better controllability.

System optimization demonstrator for aircraft propulsion technology using fuel cells

In order to help accelerate transition to sustainable and eco-friendly personal transportation in a single engine piston aircraft category we’ve developed a simulation software platform of hydrogen powered aircraft for further research and development. Measurements were carried out on a real reference airplane Cessna 172 R and were crosschecked with an airplane flight manual as well as a computer flight simulation. We also focused on a software-based safety and economy optimization by components usage ratio improvement and inflight energy production and transfer limitations.

Unsettled Topics Concerning Human and Autonomous Vehicle Interaction

This report examines the current interaction points between humans and autonomous systems, with a particular focus on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), the requirements for human-machine interfaces as imposed by human perception, and finally, the progress being made to close the gap. Autonomous technology has the potential to benefit personal transportation, last-mile delivery, logistics, and many other mobility applications enormously. In many of these applications, the mobility infrastructure is a shared resource in which all the players must cooperate. In fact, the driving task has been described as a “tango” where we—as humans—cooperate naturally to enable a robust transportation system. Can autonomous systems participate in this tango? Does that even make sense? And if so, how do we make it happen?

COVID-19 Antibodies and Outcomes Among Outpatient Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients

Background: Maintenance hemodialysis patients are particularly vulnerable to infection and hospitalization with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. Due to immunocompromise and clustering in outpatient dialysis units, the seroprevalence of COVID-19 antibodies in this population is unknown and has significant implications for public health. Little is also known about their risk factors for hospitalization. Methods: Three outpatient maintenance hemodialysis units affiliated with a major teaching hospital in the New York area were studied. We determined rates of SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positivity, SARS-CoV-2 IgG seropositivity, hospitalization, and mortality. Results: Of 367 patients, 28.3% had either SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity or PCR positivity. Prevalence across the three units was 6.7%, 32.3%, and 69.6%. Those who were either antibody or PCR positive were significantly younger (65 vs 69 years, p=0.046), and had higher prevalence of black race (43.3% vs 29.7%, p = 0.001) and Hispanic ethnicity (31.7% vs 11.8%, p < 0.001) compared to those who tested negative. Higher positivity rates were also observed among those who took taxis and ambulettes to and from dialysis, relative to those who used personal transportation. Antibodies were detected in all PCR positive patients testing who underwent serologic testing. Of those that were seropositive, 31.8% were asymptomatic. The hospitalization rate based on either antibody or PCR positivity was 34.6%, with a hospital mortality rate of 33.3%. Aside from COPD, no other variables were more prevalent in hospitalized patients. Conclusions: We observed significant differences in rates of COVID-19 infection within three outpatient dialysis units, with universal seroconversion. Among patients with ESRD, rates of asymptomatic infection appear to be high, as do hospitalization and mortality rates.

UTT: A Conceptual Model to Guide the Universal Design of Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are closer to becoming a reality in changing the landscape of commercial and personal transportation. The launch of these vehicles come with the promise of improved road safety, reduced traffic fatalities, and enhanced mobility. However, there are questions as to whether the design of AVs will meet the needs of everyone, including people with disabilities and older adults. We argue that there exists no conceptual model that guide sthe inclusive design of autonomous vehicles to benefit all intended users. This paper proposes such a model, called the User Transportation-Activity Technology (UTT) model, which supports the inclusive design of AVs. We present a review of current models of assistive technology design and their drawbacks followed by an introduction of the UTT model and its application in AV design. This paper may benefit researchers, designers, and developers of autonomous vehicles interested in addressing accessible design issues in such vehicles.