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.

 

On May 2, 2013   /   Commuter Choice Summit, Events, Travel Choices Awards   /   Leave a comment