University of South Florida

Program Information

CUTR’s Transit Management and Innovation (TMI) Program focuses on research and technical assistance to transit agencies, local governments and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) in addressing technical and policy issues in transit management and planning, transit operations, and transit data collection and analysis. TMI conducts a number of programs and research activities in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Researchers in the program all have past experience in a transit operations environment, resulting in applied research with solutions and innovations that are relevant to transit professionals.

Program Areas

The TMI program has six focus areas:

• APTS Technology Development, Procurement and Evaluation
• Transit Development Planning
• Transit Operations Planning
• Management Support and Strategic Planning
• Transit Professional Networks (Planning and Marketing)
• Public Involvement

Advanced Public Transportation Systems (APTS) Development
The Resource for Advanced Public Transportation Systems (RAPTS) at www.rapts.cutr.usf.edu has provided technical assistance to 12 Florida transit agencies to enhance operations, efficiency and customer support. Technical assistance activities include:

• Definition of Business Objectives for Technology Improvements
• Technology Procurement
• Technology Evaluations
• Systems Integration
• Data Mining and Management
• Technology Transfer Activities

Transit Development Planning
Throughout the State of Florida, the CUTR TMI program continues to meet the needs and challenges of Transit Development Plans (TDPs) that are unique to Florida transit agencies. CUTR is especially sensitive to the expanding mobility and economic development needs of Florida as population growth and development patterns strain the State’s transportation infrastructure. The following list highlights some of the agencies that CUTR has prepared TDPs for:
































Transit Operations Planning
Transit operations planning is one of the most esoteric aspects of transit planning and relates to the process for developing Transit Development Plans, feasibility studies for new transit services, and the analysis of existing transit networks in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. One aspect of transit operations planning in which CUTR has most attempted to assist transit agencies is in the area of transit route network development

When developing service plans for Major Transit Development Plan updates, the operations planners here at CUTR attempt to identify the most needed improvements, develop a priority scheme for most important improvements, and then develop detailed service plans that are used to determine vehicle replacement and expansion needs, capital expenditures and operating expenditures for the ten year period. This is completed by determining the annual revenue hours (if any) needed for improvements and new routes and then determining costs based on operating costs per hour and capital needs.

Finally, operations planners at CUTR have conducted technical assistance for transit agencies needing to verify that service cuts or reduction modifications have the least negative impact for transit customers.

Management Support and Strategic Planning
TMI provides various transit management services that assist in developing organizational strategies, team-building and coordinated communication processes.

As Florida’s urbanized areas expand and new urbanized areas are created with each decennial Census, CUTR’s TMI program has expanded its involvement in helping communities grapple with regionalism in the context of transit planning, facilities and infrastructure, and new transit services that extend beyond jurisdictional borders.

Transit Professional Networks
The TMI program provides networking opportunities for planning and marketing professionals through its two networks – the Florida Transit Planning Network (FTPN) - www.ftpn.cutr.usf.edu and the Florida Transit Marketing Network (FTMN) - www.fl-exchange.com. Each network provides users with an informational website, a listserv for communication, bi-annual newsletters, and the development of the planning and marketing sessions at two major transit-related conferences each year – the Florida Public Transportation Association (FPTA) Annual Conference and the FDOT/FPTA/CUTR Professional Development Workshop.

Public Involvement
The TMI Program provides the following services in the area of public involvement:

• Public Involvement Plans (PIP)
• Public Outreach activities
• Conducting public workshops
• Market Research
• Marketing Campaigns
• Customer Satisfaction Surveys