Abstract. This presentation summarizes the application of transit data to improve the transit model validation in the Southeast Florida region. Through innovative and comprehensive use of five recently-collected transit on-board surveys, the region’s transit model was updated to reflect existing transit travel patterns. In addition, several sensitivity scenarios provided additional evidence that the model was well validated.

Background. The Southeast Florida Regional Planning Model (SERPM) 6.7 encompasses Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties in Southeast Florida. The SERPM 6.7 Transit Model is being updated to reflect the findings of five recently-collected transit surveys: 2008 Tri-Rail (Southeast Florida’s commuter rail system), 2009 Metrorail (urban rail system), 2010 Palm Tran (Palm Beach County’s local bus system), 2010 Broward County Transit (Broward County’s local bus system), and 2010 I-95 Express Bus (express service into Miami CBD). These five surveys represent to most comprehensive collection of transit travel data ever assembled in the region. The SERPM 6.7 Transit Model will be used for New Starts and transit corridor studies in Southeast Florida.

Process. Four key steps in the model calibration and validation will be discussed in this presentation. These steps highlight the effective and innovative use of transit on-board survey information:

1. Utilizing the survey data to determine the extent of meaningful path competition,

2. Utilizing the survey data to arrive at a pathbuilding and mode choice structure reflective of actual transit behavior,

3. Utilizing the survey data for a comprehensive mode choice calibration and validation, and

4. Utilizing longitudinal data to conduct several sensitivity tests to analyze the model’s sensitivity of Tri-Rail boardings to key transportation variables.

This process represents a unique and innovative use of transit survey data. This reflects one of the first times that survey data has been used to verify path competition and used as a basis to determine the path and mode choice structures. The mode choice calibration process was very detailed in its attention to capturing transit travel markets. Together with sensitivity testing, this process has been very successful in developing, calibrating, and validating a transit model that accurately reflects the major transit travel markets in Southeast Florida.