Commuter Services
Managed by the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida

The 2013 Florida Commuter Choice Summit, sponsored by the Florida Department of Transportation, and hosted by the Center for Urban Transportation Research and the Southeast Chapter of the Association for Commuter Transportation (SEACT), was held April 11 and 12, 2013 at the University of South Florida Marshall Student Center in Tampa. The Summit is an annual event that includes innovative presentations on Transportation Demand Management topics and updates from the seven FDOT districts.  Recipients of the Florida Travel Choices Awards and Road Scholar (Commuter Choice) Certificates were recognized at the annual awards breakfast. Use the links below to download PDF copies of the presentations featured at the event.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Technology Quick Check: Technology is rapidly changing along with the daily commute. During this session, attendees learned about Open Trip Planner, and  the new TRAC-IT app developed and patented by CUTR. Presented by Dr. Sean Barbeau, Principal Mobile Software Architect for R&D, USF-CUTR.

Paying Commuters to Carpool: In 2009, FDOT District 6, in partnership with the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX), began a reconstruction project of the S.R. 826 (Palmetto Expressway) and S.R.836 (Dolphin Expressway) Interchange. In an effort to assist impacted commuters, South Florida Commuter Services (SFCS) created an incentive program to reward and motivate commuters to use alternative modes of transportation and developed a car sharing program to support alternative mode users. This session provided an overview of this innovative program. Presented by Jim Udvardy, Project Manager, South Florida Commuter Services.

The Effectiveness of Financial Incentives: This session explained the preliminary results of an on-going project that aims to find a better way to use financial incentives in TDM. Providing financial incentives to commuters to use alternative modes is preferred over other negative enforcements such as parking fees, which are politically difficult to implement. Incentives can make alternate modes much more attractive to commuters, but the form, amount, and structure can vary and have different impacts both on the cost of an incentive program to change travel behavior and on the effectiveness of the incentive program in bringing about these changes. Presented by Dr. Chanyoung Lee, Senior Research Associate, USF-CUTR.

Advanced Marketing Techniques – Evaluating the Basics of TDM Marketing: Despite what many of us have grown to believe and practice, marketing is much more than glossy brochures, clever radio ads, and billboards. This interactive session will ask you to rethink your strategic marketing efforts by critically examining TDM within the context of product development, pricing strategies, product delivery, promotion, and ultimately, consumer demand. Presented by Jeff Horton, Director, the Marketing Institute, Florida State University College of Business, and Cinthia Satornino, Marketing Ph.D. Candidate, Florida State University.

Friday, April 12, 2013

2013 Florida Travel Choices Awards

Commuter Choice Certificate Graduates

Sealing the Deal Through Employer Recognition and Rewards: TDM agencies partner with employers to find transportation solutions that improve the economic vitality and quality of life for their entire community. These employers are leaders implementing TDM benefits that include improvements to facilities, incentives, promotions, policies and more. During this innovative session, attendees learned about methods that get employers recognized for their efforts on a local and national level. Attendees also learned about the Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC) “BEST SITES,” a new designation that recognizes the Best. Moderated by Julie Bond, Senior Research Associate, CUTR.

1. Best Workplaces for Commuters – Julie Bond, Senior Research Associate, CUTR
2. Sealing the Deal Through Employer Recognition and Rewards – Christine Diaz-Pagan, Program Director, Commuter Services
3. Sealing the Deal Through Employer Recognition and Rewards – Courtney Miller, Program Manager, ReThink

Performance Measurement and Florida Commuter Assistance Programs: Two types of surveys were conducted for six of seven CAPs in Florida to assess the impacts of ride matching services on behavior and estimate the outcomes such as reduction of vehicle miles of travel (VMT). The general population survey measures advertising and promotion efforts of the CAPs overall and commute habits. The customer survey estimates the effects that the CAPs have had on commuting behavior. This session reviewed the results and fostered a discussion on opportunities for improvement. Presented by Phil Winters, TDM Program Director, CUTR and Michael Wright, Florida Department of Transportation.

Transportation – Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice: Healthy Savannah, an all-volunteer organization, works collaboratively and successfully with all Savannah, Georgia community sectors including local and state government, education, business, non-profit, and public health to bring healthier policies and choices to the entire community. In this session, attendees learned about achievements and future plans while gaining additional insights on how to do the same in their communities. Presented by Paula Kreissler, President/CEO, Wound Care Clinic – ESU, Inc.

University TDM Initiatives: Universities and colleges continue to be incubators for some of the more challenging and innovative TDM practices across the country. From car sharing to valet parking, this session explored the programs universities have implemented to balance the needs of both students and employers. Moderated by Daniel Deanda, RideOn Commuter Services.

1. University Transportation Alternatives: A Profile of NC State University – Michael Ousdahl, Transportation Planner, North Carolina State University
2. Trip Mitigation Programs – Jeff Horton, Florida State University/Commuter Services of North Florida
3. University TDM Initiatives – Ron Fuller, Transportation and Parking Services, University of Florida
4. USF Bull Runner – Rick Fallin, Parking and Transportation Services, University of South Florida

Ridematching – Do They Have an App for That?: Ride matching is the common denominator among most commuter assistance programs. In today’s world of on-demand information, bedroom programmers, and app developers, has traditional ride matching software met a new challenger or are such programs doing exactly what they can and should be doing? This session examined the variety of software packages available and how they continue to function as a tool for ride share agencies nationally. Moderated by Gina Javier, Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance.

1. No PowerPoint Presentation – Sandi Moody, Tampa Bay Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA)
2. Modal and Functional Integration – Elizabeth de Jesus, North Florida TPO
3. EZRide – M.J. Montgomery, Commuter Services/Tindale-Oliver & Associates, Inc.

Program

Electronic Copy of Program

Embassy Suites Information

Embassy Suites Tampa – USF is located at 3705 Spectrum Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612.  Their telephone number is 813-977-7066.

Driving Directions to USF Embassy Suites

Summit Location Information

The Summit will be in the USF Marshall Center’s  Oak Room (MSC 3707) on the third floor.  Map of USF Marshall Center.

Driving Directions to USF Campus Information Center (parking pass pick-up) with directions to USF Marshall Center

Transportation

USF’s Marshall Center is an easy walk from the Embassy Suites.  Walking Map to USF Marshall Center *The walking map begins at Alumni Drive.  From the Embassy Suites on Spectrum Boulevard, you will need to navigate through parking lots and grass to reach Alumni Drive.

Embassy Suites offers a free shuttle anywhere on campus. Inquire at the front desk and allow 10-15 minutes extra if you plan to take the shuttle.

The Bull Runner is USF’s on-campus transportation system.  You may ride the Bull Runner using your visitor pass (included in your welcome bag). Again, to reach the Bull Runner stops, you will need to navigate through parking lots and grass. Use BullTracker to find out exactly when the shuttle will arrive at your stop. *Route E runs from the Engineering stop in front of the CUTR building to the Marshall Center. From the Marshall Center back to CUTR/Embassy Suites area, use Route A to the Research&Development stop.   Bull Runner Routes Map

Parking on Campus

Visitor Parking Map *The USF Marshall Center is in red on the map, and the designated visitor parking areas in the Crescent Hill Parking Garage, Lots 3B, 3C, or 3D are purple. Parking passes need to be picked up at the Campus Information Center, circled in green on the map.

USF Smoking Policy

USF limits smoking on the USF Tampa campus to designated smoking areas only to help reduce the risks of secondhand smoke and help to ensure a healthier environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors. This new policy will cover CUTR and all buildings, grounds, parking lots and any property under the control of the USF Tampa campus. If you are a smoker, we respectfully ask that you abide by the USF Smoking Policy. We have provided a map for your convenience so you will know of the designated smoking areas on campus. Designated Smoking Areas 

Note: Embassy Suites is not covered by the USF Smoking Policy, but may have its own policy.

The 2012 Florida Commuter Choice Summit, sponsored by the Florida Department of Transportation, and hosted by the Center for Urban Transportation Research, was held April 12 and 13, 2012 at the University of South Florida Marshall Student Center in Tampa. The Summit is an annual event that includes innovative presentations on Transportation Demand Management topics and updates from the seven FDOT districts.  Recipients of the Florida Travel Choices Awards and Road Scholar (Commuter Choice) Certificates will be recognized at an awards ceremony. Use the links below to download PDF copies of the presentations featured at the event.

April 12, 2012

Recognition Programs for Employers – How to Get Employers and Politicians Excited About TDM. Both Commuter Assistance Program (CAP) staff and the employers they assist want others to know that the work they do is important and that they are making a difference for their organization. CAPs partner with employers to find transportation solutions that will not only make their company more successful, but improve the economic vitality and quality of life for their community. Recognition programs can help meet these needs and in doing so, motivate everyone involved in the TDM process. During this innovative session, attendees heard from a District that is recognizing and rewarding employers and from employers getting recognized for their efforts in return.

1. Best Workplaces for Commuters for Florida Commuter Assistance Programs – Julie Bond, CUTR
2. Getting Local Officials Excited about Commuter Assistance: Program Ambassadors Program and Best Workplaces for Commuters – Christine Diaz-Pagan, Commuter Services of Southwest Florida/URS
3. Best Workplaces for Commuters: The Tindale-Oliver Experience (Creative Ways to Market the Program to Employees – Laura Everitt, Tindale Oliver & Associates, Inc.
4. Leave the Car Parked in the Driveway: Achieving Alternative Methods of Transportation – Erin Bryce and Stan Frank, City of North Port, FL

Federal Initiatives in Support of TDM. Demand management continues to evolve from responding to hot button topics of the day like energy crisis and expanding the focus beyond commuters to a more systematic integration of TDM in the way transportation agencies will operate in the future. Internationally recognized TDM expert, Eric Schreffler, shared his perspectives of where demand management is headed in the US and abroad.

Snap, Crackle, and TDM Pop Marketing. This session was designed to learn more about basic strategies to help invigorate your promotional marketing efforts, including an overview of FDOT-supported resources. This session provided tools to help you re-imagine your approach to marketing with an emphasis on marketing aesthetics and visual branding. – Jeff Horton, The Marketing Institute, Florida State University

April 13, 2012

Commuter Choice Certificate Graduates

2012 Florida Travel Choices Awards

Bus Rapid Transit and Managed Lanes: Miami and Minneapolis have implemented managed toll lanes on their interstate highways through a USDOT funded program known as the Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) Program. The Miami project is known as the I-95 Express Lanes, and the Minneapolis project is known as the I-35W MnPass Lanes. A portion of the UPA funds were set aside for enhanced bus service in the managed lanes. Brian Pessaro (CUTR) presented on what impacts these managed lanes have had on bus service. Registered 3+ carpools, vanpools and hybrids are allowed to use the 95 Express lanes in Miami toll-free. Robyn Chiarelli (FDOT) presented on the toll-free usage of the lanes, and the marketing and outreach efforts that have been implemented to support the goal of reducing traffic congestion on I-95.

1. Bus Rapid Transit and Managed Lanes – Brian Pessaro, CUTR
2. Managed Lanes Experience of South Florida’s 95 Express – Robyn Chiarelli, Florida Department of Transportation District 4

Show Me the Money – Show Me the Results: This presentation reported on progress of the ongoing effort to estimate the aggregate effects and effectiveness of six of Florida’s Commuter Assistance Programs. The focus was on the chain of interactions from recruiting customers to matching them into carpools and vanpools; customer satisfaction; and on measures of performance (reductions in vehicle trips, emissions, and fuel use). – Ed Hillsman, CUTR and Michael Wright, Florida Department of Transportation

Program

Electronic Copy of Summit Program

Embassy Suites Information

Embassy Suites Tampa – USF is located at 3705 Spectrum Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612.  Their telephone number is 813-977-7066.

Driving Directions to USF Embassy Suites

Summit Location Information

The Summit will be in the USF Marshall Center’s  Oak Room (MSC 3707) on the third floor.  Map of USF Marshall Center. 

Driving Directions to USF Campus Information Center (parking pass pick-up) with directions to USF Marshall Center

Transportation

USF’s Marshall Center is an easy walk from the Embassy Suites.  Walking Map to USF Marshall Center *The walking map begins at Alumni Drive.  From the Embassy Suites on Spectrum Boulevard, you will need to navigate through parking lots and grass to reach Alumni Drive.

Embassy Suites offers a free shuttle anywhere on campus. Inquire at the front desk and allow 10-15 minutes extra if you plan to take the shuttle.

The Bull Runner is USF’s on-campus transportation system.  You may ride the Bull Runner using your visitor pass (included in your welcome bag). Again, to reach the Bull Runner stops, you will need to navigate through parking lots and grass. Use BullTracker to find out exactly when the shuttle will arrive at your stop. *Route E runs from the Engineering stop in front of the CUTR building to the Marshall Center. From the Marshall Center back to CUTR/Embassy Suites area, use Route A to the Research&Development stop.   Bull Runner Routes Map

Parking on Campus

Visitor Parking Map *The USF Marshall Center is circled in red on the map, and blue arrows point to the designated visitor parking areas in the Crescent Hill Parking Garage, Lots 3B, 3C, or 3D. Parking passes need to be picked up at the Campus Information Center, circled in green on the map.

USF Smoking Policy

USF limits smoking on the USF Tampa campus to designated smoking areas only to help reduce the risks of secondhand smoke and help to ensure a healthier environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors. This new policy will cover CUTR and all buildings, grounds, parking lots and any property under the control of the USF Tampa campus. If you are a smoker, we respectfully ask that you abide by the USF Smoking Policy. We have provided a map for your convenience so you will know of the designated smoking areas on campus. Designated Smoking Areas  

Note: Embassy Suites is not covered by the USF Smoking Policy, but may have its own policy.