Eric J Gonzales

Associate Professor
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Research and Background

I have research experience in modeling urban street networks, and my interests are in the operation, management, design, and safety of large-scale multimodal transportation systems. My PhD research focused on modeling traffic and public transportation in urban networks using the aggregate network models of traffic and transit operations. This research addresses the dynamics of traffic congestion and ways to manage congestion with coordinated prices for cars and transit. Key aspects of this research are modeling the operations and interactions between different modes of transportation as well as the behaviors of travelers who choose which mode to use and when to travel. A recent and ongoing area of research is demand-responsive transportation systems, including modeling paratransit systems and identifying ways to organized operations in order to minimize costs for operating agencies and users. We are developing efficient zoning and pricing strategies for ADA paratransit systems. A related project is modeling demand and supply of taxis in large cities, such as New York. Making use of large sets of GPS-tagged taxi trip records in New York, we have developed demand models that reveal land use and demographic characteristics that drive taxi use at different times of day. The models are also useful for identifying locations and times that taxis underserve the demand for the service. We have recent been looking at multimodal interactions at urban intersections, especially interactions between cars and pedestrians. A recent study of the effectiveness of education and outreach campaigns has demonstrated significant improvements in behaviors of drivers and pedestrians associated with safety at intersections. Another multimodal study investigates interactions between delivery trucks and traffic in urban areas, and we have developed models to quantify the effects of these interactions on intersection capacity and delay. These are all areas of ongoing research addressing mobility of people and goods in urban regions, and my research in this area is evolving to make use of emerging data sources to optimize systems for multiple sustainability objectives.