MICROCOMPUTER SOFTWARE FOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

A survey was conducted of a number of U.S. metropolitan planning organizations and private-sector software providers. The results indicate that many types of microcomputer software useful to transportation planners are available and are being used by planners, especially in smaller- and medium-sized regions, to plan more effectively and efficiently. The largest group of microcomputer programs implement sketch-planning transportation analysis methods that do not require detailed network coding and processing. Other common areas of application are traditional urban planning methods, aids for providing transportation services such as shared-ride matching, means of predicting transportation-related impacts, and project programming and budgeting aids. A number of programs are also available that broaden the support base for using microcomputers and developing application programs for use in transportation planning. This group of programs includes interfaces with other computing hardware, travel surveying aids, statistical and data processing programs, and system development programming aids. Based on the survey of available transportation planning software, a number of observations and recommendations are made concerning the ideal future development of the area. The broad range of microcomputer systems needs to be recognized--from home-style personal computers to multiuser supermicrocomputers. Also, all program developers should adopt the goal of developing portable software, both among different computers and among different planning agencies. Finally, strong emphasis should be placed on developing ways to use microcomputers effectively as smart terminals that can access the wealth of transportation software available on larger computers.