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The purpose of the current research effort is to develop a framework for a better understanding of commuter train users’ access mode and station choice behavior. Typically, access mode and station choice for commuter train users is modeled as a hierarchical choice with access mode being considered as the first choice in the sequence. The current study proposes a latent segmentation based approach to relax the hierarchy. In particular, this innovative approach simultaneously considers two segments of station and access mode choice behavior: Segment 1—station first and access mode second and Segment 2—access mode first and station second. The allocation to the two segments is achieved through a latent segmentation approach that determines the probability of assigning the individual to either of these segments as a function of socio-demographic variables, level of service (LOS) parameters, trip characteristics, land-use and built environment factors, and station characteristics. The proposed latent segment model is estimated using data from an on-board survey conducted by the Agence Metropolitaine de Transport for commuter train users in Montreal region. The model is employed to investigate the role of socio-demographic variables, LOS parameters, trip characteristics, land-use and built environment factors, and station characteristics on commuter train user behavior. The results indicate that as the distance from the station by active forms of transportation increases, individuals are more likely to select a station first. Young persons, females, car owners, and individuals leaving before 7:30 a.m. have an increased propensity to drive to the commuter train station. The station model indicates that travel time has a significant negative impact on station choice, whereas, presence of parking and increased train frequency encourages use of the stations.

We analyze a polling system with multiple stations (queues) attended by a cycling server, in which a setup occurs only when the queue that is polled by the server has one or more customers present. Although such systems are appropriate for modeling numerous manufacturing and telecommunication systems, their analysis is not well developed in the literature. We provide an exact analysis for the 2 station model and present two approximation schemes to determine the mean station waiting times for models with 3 or more stations. We show that some approximate models which have been proposed in the literature for providing upper bounds on the mean station waiting times do not always yield upper bounds. Extensive numerical tests indicate that a simple average of the two approximation schemes yields a close estimate of the true mean station waiting time. This average-of-approximations procedure appears to be robust for a large range of parameter values.

This article focuses on the use of airships to provide Wi-Fi broadcasting. Park an antenna high in the stratosphere and then relay signals to and from devices below. Such an airborne transceiver could blanket urban areas with wireless coverage more cheaply than satellite-based alternatives while avoiding the need to build forests of mast-mounted base stations on the ground. This spring engineers at Sanswire Networks, an Atlanta-based Wi-Fi provider, plan to test a prototype of a high-tech airship that they claim could supply mobile communications service to major metropolitan areas for as long as 18 months at a stretch. Beyond standard financial and political difficulties, these projects face formidable technical difficulties. INSET: CONTINUOUS COVERAGE.