Syllabus academic year 2007/2008
FORCES BEHIND TRAFFIC GENERATIONVTT131

Higher education credits: 7,5. Grading scale: TH. Level: G2 (First level). Language of instruction: The course might be given in English. VTT131 overlap following cours/es: VTT130, VTVF05, VTT130 och VTVF05. Optional for: V4tp. Course coordinator: Univ.lektor Karin Brundell Freij, karin.brundell-freij@tft.lth.se, Trafikteknik. Recommended prerequisits: VVB090 Infrastructure systems; FSM032. The course might be cancelled if the numer of applicants is less than 10. Assessment: A passing grade requires attendance at base-group meetings, satisfactory public transport exercises (group project) and an individual home assignment. Grading is based on the group’s public transport exercise, but can be adjusted a step upwards or downwards depending on the individual’s home assignment. Further information: The teaching is based on problem based learning (PBL). If less than ten students, the course might be cancelled. Home page: http://www.tft.lth.se/sv/kurser.htm.

Aim
The intention is to give the student an insight into public transport planning and the forces behind the demand for transport, and the ability to apply this to future changes

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

· be familiar with the historical development and driving forces behind transport, as well as how these can affect transport in the future

· possess knowledge of different types of traffic forecasting methods that are used in the planning, and an understanding of how the prerequisites of forecasting models affect the usability of the results

· understand the role of public transport in the society and the importance of the different factors in public transport

· be able to analyse how model formulation and prerequisites of a forecasting model affect the usability of the results

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

calculate the demand for passenger transport with different means of transport in simple scenarios

· design a smaller public transport network and analyse its consequences

· with the point of departure in the above knowledge and understanding, be able to analyse the effects different types of changes can have on the extent of transport work and distribution of trips among the modes of transport

· present a public transport investigation orally and in writing and argue for the results.

· apply a scientific approach to a given problem, formulate hypotheses, argue and communicate in a group.

Contents
The course is divided into four main themes.

Traffic and Society: Historic development and fundamental driving forces behind transport needs.

Traffic forecasts: traffic volume calculation, and distribution of trips in terms of area, transport mode and route. The interconnection of model principles, model prerequisites and forecast results.

Public Transport: Public transport’s role in society, different travel groups, and line-network planning.

Passenger transport today: possibilities of affecting driving forces, extent, distribution of trips among transport modes and surveys of travelling habits.

The course work is both individual and in groups. Lectures are alternated with base group meetings according to the PBL method and exercises. A literature seminar is included

Literature
Recommended litteratur :
O’Flaherty, C A (1997) Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering. Arnold, London.
Institution of Highway and Transportation (1997) Transport in the Urban Environment, London (finns även på CD)
In addition to this, the students are assumed to find more litterature within given subjects.