FORECASTING DEMAND FOR PERIPHERAL PARK-AND-RIDE SERVICE

A method of estimating the usage of peripheral park-and-ride services is demonstrated in this study. The purpose of such a method is to evaluate the demand potential of alternative park-and-ride service operations. The data used in this study are based on a license plate survey conducted in the two peripheral park-and-ride lots in the Albany area. Results of graphical and regression analyses in this study indicate that differences in travel time, cost, and distance for the park-and-ride mode and the alternative mode (e.g., automobiles) as well as the geographic location of the parking lot have a bearing on whether a park-and-ride service is able to attract patronage from its potential service ara. An example appliation of the regression model is demonstrated in which the expected number of park-and-ride users from one of the service subareas of a peripheral parking lot is estimated when the Albany service is expanded from state employees only (as is now the case) to the general public.