GROUND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IMPLICATIONS OF AIRLINE SHUTTLE PASSENGERS

The authors have researched ground transportation characteristics of passengers using the Air-Shuttle services provided at LaGuardia Airport by Eastern Airlines, Inc. The research establishes relationships between characteristics of shuttle passengers, comprising about 15 percent of all LaGuardia enplanements, and the other passengers using LaGuardia Airport and Eastern Airlines facilities. Because of the importance business travelers place on convenient scheduled service with minimum interruption from checking into and out of the system, it is anticipated that shuttle-type airline service concepts will emerge in the more heavily traveled air corridors in the future. Data from field surveys have been analyzed relative to the impacts that shuttle travelers at LaGuardia have on the road system, parking facilities, and curb frontages at terminal buildings. Results indicate that shuttle passengers have parking durations about 50 percent less than other terminal passengers and that their parking space demands are about 40 percent less than other system passengers. Other details as to arrival modes, parking durations, vehicle occupancy, duration of parking at curb frontages, and a profile of the shuttle passenger are given.