Feasibility of a Regional Rail Model for Chicago's Metra Based on Station-level Analysis
Session Number
Project ID: BHVSO 17
Advisor(s)
Dr. Ian Savage, Northwestern University
Discipline
Behavioral and Social Sciences
Start Date
17-4-2024 8:15 AM
End Date
17-4-2024 8:30 AM
Abstract
In recent years, Chicago's commuter rail service, Metra, has spoken of moving to a regional rail model, characteristics of which are more train service throughout the day as opposed to schedules centered around AM and PM peaks associated with commuters, and more frequent service overall. Reasons for this shift include the pandemic and the shifts to virtual work it caused, as well as an increase in non-work-related and "reverse commute" trips. For this model to succeed, Metra will need to determine which stations are most conducive to such a model, based on several factors, including total ridership, ratio of off-peak to total ridership, and change in ridership from 2006 to 2018, as determined by variables such as population density, total population, and median income.
Feasibility of a Regional Rail Model for Chicago's Metra Based on Station-level Analysis
In recent years, Chicago's commuter rail service, Metra, has spoken of moving to a regional rail model, characteristics of which are more train service throughout the day as opposed to schedules centered around AM and PM peaks associated with commuters, and more frequent service overall. Reasons for this shift include the pandemic and the shifts to virtual work it caused, as well as an increase in non-work-related and "reverse commute" trips. For this model to succeed, Metra will need to determine which stations are most conducive to such a model, based on several factors, including total ridership, ratio of off-peak to total ridership, and change in ridership from 2006 to 2018, as determined by variables such as population density, total population, and median income.