Development of the Graphical User Interface and Improvement and Streamlining of NYMTC's Best Practice Model

Jim Lam, Andres Rabinowicz, Srini Sundaram, Caliper

Kuo-Ann Chiao, Mohammad Rashid, Ali Mosheni, NYMTC

Bob Donnelly, Surabhi Gupta, PB

TRB Applications Conference, May 18, 2009

Development of the Graphical User Interface and Improvement and Streamlining of NYMTC's Best Practice Model• Improve Usability and Applicability

• Move to the Latest Versions of Model Software (TransCAD)

• Exploit Features of New Model Software Procedures

• Streamline and Optimize Model Code• New Graphic User Interfaces• Adapt to Multiple Hardware Environments• Multi-threading and Distributed Processing• Public, Web-Access to Model Outputs

Background

• BPM is implemented in C programs, GISDK script, other software, and TransCAD modeling software

• BPM requires 2 CPUs and 3-4 gigabytes of RAM

• BPM is deployed on a dated version of TransCAD (4.5, updated to 4.8)

• BPM has long running times• Previous experiments and new

developments suggest massive speedups are possible.

Improving Usability and Applicability

• Lessen hardware requirements for some users

• Create a full-featured User Interface• Scenario and File Management• Automated Reporting and Output

Manager• Create a superfast version for

production

FlowChart GUI

• Easy to View Model Stream• Easy to Use• Easy to Create new Scenarios

Flowchart

Example Snapshots of Interface

Model Run Time Comparisons

Processor: Intel Xeon 4-Core Processor, 3.0GHZ, RAM Memory: 3 GB Hard Drive: ~300GB 10,000 RPM in Raid 0 configurationOS: Windows XP Professional, 32-bitModel: Highway only 3-Loop FeedbackTransCAD 4.5: Current BPM Model run times (on a slower

machine)TransCAD 4.8: Model Run after new GUI interface and model

update to TransCAD version 4.8TransCAD 5.0: Model run after new flowchart GUI interface,

update to TransCAD version 5.0, and softwareand model performance enhancements,before Distributed ProcessingDistributed Assignments saves ~ 1-1.5 extra hours

TransCAD 4.5 TransCAD 4.8 TransCAD 5.0Run Time ~32 hours 11 hrs. 34 min 7 hrs. 15 min

Model Version

Model Run Time Comparisons

Model Run Time Comparisons for 1 Loop5.0 Times 4.8 Times Savings Percent

Step Time (minutes) Time (minutes) Time (minutes)Loop 1HAJ Inputs 3.93 3.93 0 0%HAJ 3.18 2.82 -0.36 -13%MDC 96.06 153 56.94 37%Forecast External Trips 0.02 0.02 0 0%Forecast Impedance 0.45 n/a n/a n/aForecast Truck Trips 2.16 18.62 16.46 88%Forecast Van Trips 1.08 4.95 3.87 78%PAP 5.23 12.87 7.64 59%External Replace 0.11 n/a n/a n/aAssignment and Skims 24.97 27.5 2.53 9%Total 137.19 223.71 87.08 39%

Software and Model Enhancements

• Faster Procedures• Multithreading• Code Optimization• Minimization of Inputs and Outputs• Potential for even more performance

enhancements with 64-bit TransCAD– More available memory– Better multithreading with I7 processor

and Vista– Some processes (i.e. matrix processing)

much, much faster

Automated Reports and Graphics

Automated Reports and Graphics

Automated Reports and Graphics

Interactive Reports

• Link reports of flows, congestion, speeds, etc.

• TAZ/Demographic reports• Network reports (Origin-to-

destination paths and travel time diagrams)

Dynamic Web Application

• Provide Key Input Data and Model Output to the Public

• Datasets and starter maps created by interactive reports

• Interactive Queries & Reports• Custom Map graphics

Example Snapshots of Web Browser

Ongoing Work

• Integration of newest BPM version into interface

• Inclusion of transit portions of model– Development of newer more accurate

NYCTA transit networks– Development of better methods of

access/egress/transfer links– Development of better transit assignment

(e.g. equilibrium pathfinder) methods– Handling of route/platform/parking

capacities