Assessing the Effectiveness of MBTA Commuter Rail using GIS

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Assessing the Effectiveness of MBTA Commuter Rail
using GIS
Boston Metropolitan Area

• Silvia Petrova Kristopher Kuzera
• IDCE 388 GIS Local Planning
• Final Project - Spring 2004

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Introduction

• Metropolitan Boston is serviced by an extensive
  network of commuter trains (11 lines).

• In 2000, MBTA commuter rail provided service to
  119 stations with plans to expand to additional
  communities within the upcoming years.

• 1.5 of the commuting population of Massachusetts
  commutes by rail.

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Objective

• The objective is to assess the effectiveness of
  the MBTA commuter rail system.

• Effectiveness is determined as an appropriate
  number of weekday inbound trains stopping at each
  station in order to service the amount of
  allocated commuters (sample data available).

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Commuter Statistics per Line
http//www.mass.gov/eotc/facts/charts/facts_commut
erchart.html
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Assumptions

• Commuter population boards at the nearest
  commuter station (Thiessen polygons).
• Population within a distance to the nearest
  stations is equally distributed.

• Commuters are identified as only traveling
  inbound to Boston on a weekday.

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Population Density per Census Tract (sq. km.),
2000
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MBTA Sample Commuter Density per Census Tract
(sq. km.), 2000
Commuter Density is heavily concentrated in the
south-west suburbs of Boston.
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MBTA Sample Commuters per Census Tract, 2000
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MBTA Sample Commuter Density within 100 Km. of
Boston, 2000
Most sample commuters live within the 10 to 20km
buffer.
Commuter Density per 10km buffer
0.04
1.48
13.78
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MBTA Sample Commuters per Station, 2000
Sample commuters are allocated to the nearest
station.
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MBTA Weekday Inbound Trains per Station, 2000
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MBTA Sample Commuters per Weekday Inbound Train,
2000
Stations in yellow have more number of trains per
commuters allocated to that station.
Stations in dark blue have fewer number of trains
per commuters allocated to that station.
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What have we learned?

• The southern region of Boston has generally more
  commuters than the northern region.
• There are far fewer trains per commuters
  accommodating the southern region.
• A solution would be to increase the number of
  trains to these stations or to build additional
  stations to service these commuters.

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Problems Encountered

• Data of exact number of passengers boarding at
  each station was unavailable, only sample census
  data per town.
• Data is limited to within Massachusetts and does
  not include neighboring states and out of state
  stations (Providence).
• Train schedules for 2000 were unavailable so
  number of trains from today were used.

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Any questions?