nashid khadem

A food desert is an area with limited access to healthy and affordable food. This study evaluates various alternatives of a last-mile fresh food delivery system to address issues of limited access to fresh food sources for individuals living in so-called food deserts. Six different combinations of five transportation modes – truck, e-bike, shared-ride, pop-up truck, and third-party delivery car – and a locker facility system, are evaluated to determine the total delivery cost to serve a food desert area. The characteristics of each transportation mode are presented, and the total costs of delivery, including user costs, are computed for a case study area in Baltimore. The Network Analyst extension in ArcGIS 10.6 is used to estimate travel time, distance and costs. The results show that delivery by a third party is the most cost-effective, followed by trucks and e-bikes. The shared-vehicle and pickup bus alternatives are the most expensive. On the other hand, deliveries made by pop-u...

With the advent of connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technology, there is an increasing need to evaluate driver behavior while using such technology. In this first of a kind study, a pedestrian collision warning (PCW) system using CAV technology, was introduced in a driving simulator environment, to evaluate driver braking behavior, in the presence of a jaywalking pedestrian. A total of 93 participants from diverse socio-economic backgrounds were recruited for this study, for which a virtual network of downtown Baltimore was created. An eye tracking device was also used to observe distractions and head movements. A Log logistic accelerated failure time (AFT) distribution model was used for this analysis, to calculate speed reduction times; time from the moment the pedestrian becomes visible, to the point where a minimum speed was reached, to allow the pedestrian to pass. The presence of the PCW system significantly impacted the speed reduction time and deceleration rate, as it i...

Montgomery County Police Department in Maryland hosted a cannabis intoxication impaired driving lab, to evaluate the driving behavior of medical marijuana users, pre and post cannabis consumption. A portable driving simulator with an eye-tracking device was used where ten participants drove a virtual network in two different events: a traffic light changing from green to yellow and the sudden appearance of a jaywalking pedestrian. An accelerated failure time (AFT) model was used to calculate the speed reduction times in both scenarios. The results showed that the participant speed reduction times are lower i.e., they brake harder post cannabis consumption, when they encounter a change in traffic light whereas there is no statistical difference in speed reduction times pre and post cannabis consumption, when they encounter a jaywalking pedestrian. The gaze analysis finds no significant difference in eye gaze pre and post cannabis consumption in both events.

In contemporary times, bike sharing programs are gaining importance as an influential transportation mode in both urban and rural areas. They are also used as a vital transportation mode on university campuses which serve as a healthy and environmentally-friendly transportation system. However, having an appropriate location for a bike station is important, so as to maximize the benefits of the service. This study used an origin–destination (O-D) matrix to identify appropriate bike station locations at the Morgan State University campus. The O-D matrix analysis identifies three locations Cumming Hall/University Health Center, Rawling Hall, and Center for Built Environment and Infrastructure Studies as the most appropriate locations to start a pilot, which will serve most of the campus (students, faculty, staff) and connect them to the maximum number of facilities at Morgan State University. The O-D matrix takes into account the occupancy or population of individual buildings based o...