NTC Fall 2021 Newsletter by Morgan State University

The

N T C To d a y Fall 2021

The Morgan State University National Center for Transportation Management, Research & Development Newsletter

Director’s Message

Meeting with Secretary Pete

The COVID-19 Dashboard

5 Research

Spotlight

Machine Learning and Distracted Driving

istracted driving is a well-publicized problem, but identifying how and when a driver is distracted requires more precise science. NTC researchers have developed a model that uses machine learning to recognize whether drivers are distracted and determine the type of distraction – i.e., texting, a handheld or handsfree phone call, voice command, or putting on and taking off clothing or eating and drinking – with respect to the different types of roads and driving environments. “This research project, A Machine Learning Model for Driving Distraction Detection, built on a previous distracted driving project conducted here using our full-size driving simulator,” Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani, the principle investigator and director of the NTC, said. “Participants drove on several types of simulated roads while researchers distracted them in different ways.” The research has resulted in several publications and a utility patent. Both projects were funded by the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Highway Safety Office. Machine learning is a term that refers to computer programs that can learn from data, make a prediction, and classify a data set. Machine learning algorithms have been used in utilities management, vehicle-to-cloud communications, and health care. “Distraction is a complex problem because it occurs in three ways, and in combinations of those ways, all of which can contribute to a crash, and it can be deceiving,” Dr. Jeihani noted. Visual distraction – a billboard or something on the side of the road – takes a driver’s eyes off the road. Manual distractions occur when a driver takes their hands off the wheel, to unwrap a burger or take off a jacket. Cognitive distraction is when a driver thinks about something else.

Some distractions, like sending a text message, involve all three. To further complicate matters, a driver who is engaged in a distracting task is not always distracted, and one with both hands on the steering wheel might be lost in thought. Thanks to advances in technology, automotive manufacturers can implement more safety features, resulting in automated vehicles with applications that use a combination of data and hardware such as cameras and lidar sensors (a variable distance range measuring sensor) to make the driving experience as safe as possible. “The machine learning predictions and identification developed in this study contribute to such applications and to the development of after-market products,” Dr. Jeihani said. In the previous phase of the study, the mean value of variables such as speed, braking, steering, lane changing patterns, throttle, steering velocity, and distance from the center of the road were used to identify distraction behavior in different scenarios on different roads. This time, the researchers developed new variables that could formulate the sudden changes in driving behavior to better identify distraction behaviors. The driving performance data from the previous study were transformed to show the rate of change in driving performance in every second. One second was chosen for data analysis because time is such a crucial factor in distracted driving and crash risk. The best machine learning model demonstrated 72% prediction power in a validation set to distinguish hand-held call and voice-to-text distraction types. Fairly small data sets limited this study, and using more driving simulator or real-world data could improve the model. The entire report is available at 2020 10 13 DDML_FinalReport-.pdf (morgan.edu)

After 16 months at home, I’m writing this from

A Message from the NTC Director DR. Mansoureh Jeihani

campus. Returning created mixed feelings. On the plus side, it was wonderful to see colleagues face to face again. Those small interactions – a chat in the hallway, pulling up a chair to see a colleague’s computer screen without them having to share it – can be incredibly productive. It’s so nice to communicate with a smile instead of an emailed emoji. I think we all found our co-workers to be a welcome break from seeing no one but our spouses

and children! But I also felt guilty, knowing that once again I was getting in my car and increasing emissions and fuel consumption. Traffic certainly has returned to the Beltway, and I think we all miss those extra hours we gained by not sitting in it every day. Working remotely did have some pleasant surprises. Despite Zoom fatigue, using such platforms increased participation in meetings. People were more willing to attend, especially those who work in D.C., if they didn’t have to drive to do so. A meeting with a researcher overseas merely required coordinating time differences. Our National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) program, which went virtual for the first time, was able to include students from outside the region. We also put on our Steven Spielberg hats and began creating short videos as a new way to promote our research. As we move forward, blending remote and office work, we remain committed to excellence in research, developing a diverse workforce, and community outreach. We look forward to resuming our graduate internship program, hosting NSTI students in person, and seeking more funding for research. We plan to proceed at high speed, whether that’s due to our internet at home or the energy generated by being on campus.

Congratulations, Dr. Jeihani! Dr. Jeihani was formally named director of the National Transportation Center and the Urban Mobility & Equity Center on July 1.

A Virtual Success: NSTI Inspires Next-Gen Transportation Workforce E

arly in the spring Queneia Harley-Burkeen, the newly hired education coordinator for the National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI), had to decide. Should NSTI, a four-week program to interest middle and high school students in transportation, be offered virtually or in person come July? What would a virtual NSTI look like without the signature field trips of previous years, and would Zoom-fatigued students sign up? Would an in-person program risk students' health and would the campus even be open by then? Harley-Burkeen opted for a virtual program, a decision that at first seemed limiting as restrictions were lifted but proved to be prescient as the Delta variant emerged. Twentyfive middle and high school students signed up for the program which was shortened to just four hours a day to avoid computer fatigue. "We selected an awesome group of students," HarleyBurkeen said. "I am so proud of their efforts to get the most out of the program. Every day students arrived ready to be engaged and contribute positively. They asked meaningful questions. This summer's NSTI just affirmed what I already knew to be true - kids will always thrive and have fun no matter what's stacked against them when compassionate adults provide safe, nurturing environments for them. Yes, even during a pandemic. And, yes, even via a laptop!" "Even if it's virtual forever, it's a fun, engaging program," Ayo Osunkiyesi, a middle school student, said. NSTI, now in its 24th year at Morgan, introduces students to STEM concepts needed for transportation and engineering. It's free, thanks to funding from the Federal Highway Administration and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration. This year the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sponsored a new module on commercial motor vehicles that focused on safety inspections, regulations and technology. Osunkiyesi said he particularly enjoyed learning about the commercial licensing requirements to drive large vehicles. He was also intrigued by ways to make roads safer for bikes. Praise Durojaiye, 12, said she plans to major in psychology and is interested in space, too, but "I was really intrigued by the different activities and how psychology is used in transportation." She added, "I really enjoyed that they gave us materials where we do hands-on activities." A favorite of all the students was building an individually designed NASCAR car with Legos.

Students also learned about electric vehicles. BGE sponsored a scavenger hunt in which students found and photographed chargers near their home, which entered them in a drawing to win prizes. Giant Food and Free Bikes 4 Kidz also supplied prizes. The program also incorporated SAT preparation, emphasized writing skills and addressed financial literacy. Dylan Redden, a high school student, said, "I thought the program was amazing. It's nice seeing people of color succeeding." He learned about the opportunities in the transportation field. "I didn't really know how many different and various jobs there are," he said. "The most interesting to me were the people who worked in ships that imported goods - and how much we rely on other countries." Ryann Samuel, 14, attended from Pennsylvania, and she most enjoyed the community of her fellow students. She's interested in becoming a lawyer but she also likes transportation. "I enjoyed our bridge-making activity," Samuel said. "I enjoyed that I could take it down and try a new activity to make it more stable." She added that the program also made her aware of the dangers of distracted driving. Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani, director of both the National Transportation Center and the Urban Mobility & Equity Center, which together administer NSTI, agreed. "I was amazed at how well the students engaged and interacted virtually," she said. "They were so interested and asked such good questions." Upon completion of NSTI, the students earned a stipend and, for 11th- and 12thgraders, if they eventually enroll in Morgan's B.S. degree program in Transportation Systems Engineering, a $1,000 scholarship. The virtual program concluded with - what else? - a virtual celebration. Focusing on safety, decision making and leadership qualities, keynote speaker Philip Thomas III, director of the Eastern Service Center Regional Office of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, said, "Safety is one of the most important roles of government ... we can't say we've done our job until there are zero highway fatalities ...In the highway safety world, we are hyperaware of using the term crash instead of accident because after all safety doesn't happen by accident." As students think about careers, he offered this advice: "If you're only thinking about your next step you have no idea where it will lead you, but if you think about where you want to go and then think backwards it will take you there."

Meeting with the U.S Secretary of Transportation The

U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, met with Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani, the director of the Urban Mobility & Equity Center (UMEC) and Dr. Oscar Barton Jr., the dean of Morgan State University’s Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. School of Engineering to discuss equity and how it impacts mobility for everyone. UMEC is a federally funded Tier 1 University Transportation Center housed at Morgan, a historically black college and university in Baltimore, Maryland, that offers degrees in Transportation and Urban Infrastructure Studies in its School of Engineering. The goal of the USDOT’s university transportation centers program is to conduct research that advances transportation and related technology. The program also develops the next generation of transportation professionals. Morgan also offers an urban setting that itself serves as a lab for studying urban mobility. As its name implies, UMEC’s research considers equity implications in all of its research.

“We’ve conducted research into urban mobility issues such as the effect of COVID-19 on transit riders and operators, food deserts, equity in accessibility, shared bus and bike lane safety, pedestrian safety, and connected and autonomous vehicles, especially its effect on equity and mobility,” Dr. Jeihani noted. “At the meeting we presented how we research these issues and equity impacts, and then enjoyed a lively question and answer session with Secretary Buttigieg.” She added that “transformation and innovation are key outcomes in what we do,” and noted that as a minority-serving institution known for its transportation and engineering programs, “we want to do more and better.” Also, present were Dr. Robert Hampshire, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, and Ms. Dawn Tucker-Thomas, Senior Transportation Specialist and Federal Grants Manager, who happens to be an alumnae of Morgan.

The COVID-19 Dashboard

One of the many changes that COVID-19 engendered is how we process information – dashboards made

large chunks of COVID-related data accessible and understandable. As part of studying how the pandemic affected transit users, researchers at Morgan also developed a dashboard, which allows people to quickly compare Baltimore’s transit system during the pandemic to 10 other cities. The research project, The Effect of COVID-19 on Mobility and Equity: A Case Study on Transit Users in Baltimore, MD, examined changes caused by the pandemic to factors such as unlinked passenger trips, vehicle revenue hours and miles, vehicles operated in maximum service, and the unemployment rate. Both bus and rail were included. Researchers gathered data from transit agencies in St. Louis, Denver, Baltimore, Minneapolis, Houston, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Portland, Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C. This research provides insight into how the various agencies tried to balance providing service with the lost revenue from a drop in fares due to COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders.

The dashboard is online at https:// www2.morgan.edu/school_of_eng i n e e r i n g / r e s e a r c h _ c e n t e r s / u rban_mobility_and_equity_center/ research/ongoing_research/effect_of_ covid-19.html

Researchers also surveyed transit riders and operators about their experience using transit before and during the pandemic, learning everything from how well riders were able to social distance and how worried about COVID-19 they were to how they thought their activities would change after COVID-19. Participants indicated that even after the pandemic, they would be much less likely to go to a movie theater and they wanted to continue with online shopping, virtual meetings and teleworking.

5 Ongoing Projects Shared Bus/Bike Lane Safety Analysis: Assessing Multimodal Access and Conflicts Dr. Celeste Chavis, Dr. Cinzia Cirillo (University of Maryland)

Estimating switching times of Actuated Coordinated Traffic Signals: A deep learning approach Dr. Hesham Rakha, Seifeldeen Eteifa (both from Virginia Tech)

Investigating the Effect of Connected Vehicles (CV) Route Guidance on Mobility and Equity Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani, Dr. Ali Haghani (University of Maryland)

Impact of COVID-19 on Ridehailing and Other Modes of Transportation Dr. Jianhe Du, Dr. Hesham Rakha, (both from Virginia Tech)

The Effect of COVID-19 on Mobility and Equity: A Case Study on Transit Users in Baltimore, MD Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani, Dr. Celeste Chavis

Developing Optimal Peer-to-Peer Ridesharing Strategies Dr. Young-Jae Lee, Dr. Amirreza Nickkar

Multi-depot and Multi-school bus Scheduling Problem with School Bell Time Optimization Dr. Ali Haghani (University of Maryland)

Analysis of Bicycle and Pedestrian Crash Causes and Inventions Dr. Celeste Chavis, Dr. Young-Jae Lee, Dr. Seyedehsan Dadvar

A Comparative Study of Pedestrian Crossing Behavior and Safety in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., Using Video Surveillance Dr. Celeste Chavis, Dr. Kofi Nyarko, Dr. Cinzia Cirillo (University of Maryland) Integrated Optimization of Vehicle Speed Control and Traffic Signal Timing: System Development and Testing Dr. Hao Chen (Virginia Tech), Dr. Hesham Rakha (Virginia Tech), Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani EQUITABLE COMPLETE STREETS: Data and Methods for Optimal Design Implementation Dr. Cinzia Cirillo (University of Maryland), Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani, Dr. Paul Schonfeld (University of Maryland) Developing an Intelligent Connected Vehicle based Traffic State Estimator Dr. Hesham Rakha, Ahmed Abdelrahman, Dr. Hossam Abdelghaffar (all from Virginia Tech)

Potential Effects of Composition and Structure of Dynamic Message Sign (DMS) Messages on Driver Behavior and Their Decision to use Freeway Incident Management (FITM) Routes Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani Development of a Maryland State Specific Preferred Crash Modification Factor (CMF) List Dr. Celeste Chavis, Dr. Young-Jae Lee, Dr. Seyedehsan Dadvar A Comprehensive Study on CMV Safety Using ITS in Work Zones on Freeways and Arterials Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani Bicyclist Longitudinal Motion Modeling Dr. Hesham Rakha (Virginia Tech), Dr. Karim Fadhioun (Virginia Tech), Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani

New Projects Impact of COVID-19 on Ride-hailing and Other Modes of Transportation Dr. Jianhe Du, Dr. Hesham Rakha, (both from Virginia Tech) Integrated Optimal Transit Network Design with MaaS Implementation Dr. Young-Jae Lee, Dr. Amirreza Nickkar The Typology of Transportation Accessibility: A Qualitative and Quantitative Meta-Analysis Dr. Hyeon-Shic Shin User Preference Analysis for Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) and Its Impact in Maryland Dr. Young-Jae Lee, Dr. Hyeon-Shic Shin, Dr. Paul Schonfeld (University of Maryland) Optimum Connected Vehicle Speed Control on Signalized Roadways in Mixed Flow Dr. Hao Chen (Virginia Tech), Dr. Hesham Rakha (Virginia Tech), Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani, Dr. Eazaz Sadeghvaziri Fare-Free Public Transportation: A full-scale real-world experiment in Arlington, Virginia Dr. Cinzia Cirillo (University of Maryland), Dr. Hesham Rakha (Virginia Tech) Analysis of Interrelated Network Improvement Alternatives Dr. Paul Schonfeld (University of Maryland), Dr. Hesham Rakha (Virginia Tech) Investigating Walking and Biking Activities Among Low-Income Americans Dr. Eazaz Sadeghvaziri, Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani Occupant Protection Technologies and Protecting Occupants with Disabilities Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani, Dr. Eazaz Sadeghvaziri Educating the Public about Distracted Driving and Evaluating Distraction-Preventing Technologies Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani, Dr. Eazaz Sadeghvaziri

2021 Completed Projects

Adoption and Diffusion of Electric Vehicles in Maryland Dr. Cinzia Cirillo, Dr. Javier Bas (both from University of Maryland) E-Bikes' Effect on Mode and Route Choice: A Case Study of Richmond, VA Bike Share Dr. Celeste Chavis, Dr. Vanessa Frias-Martinez (University of Maryland) Equity in Accessibility to Opportunities: Insights, Measures, and Solutions based on Mobile Device Location Data Dr. Lei Zhang (University of Maryland) Dr. HyeonShic Shin, Project Manager Dr. Sepehr Ghader and Project Team Aref Darzi, Guangchen Zhao, Aliakbar Kabiri (from University of Maryland) Estimating Traffic Stream Density Using Connected Vehicle Data Dr. Mohammad Aljamal, Dr. Hossam Abdelghaffar, Dr. Hesham Rakha (all from Virginia Tech) A Study of the Impact of Ride-hailing on Public Transit Ridership Helena Breuer, Dr. Jianhe Du, Dr. Hesham Rakha (all from Virginia Tech) How Mobility and Accessibility Affect Crime Rates: Insights from Mobile Device Location Datav Dr. Lei Zhang, Mofeng Yang, Guangchen Zhao, Aref Darzi, Sepehr Ghader (all from University of Maryland) Identifying the State-Specific Distracted Driving Target Group Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani

For a complete list and reports on all completed UMEC projects, please visit: Completed Research (morgan.edu)

2021 Achievements

Dr.

Celeste Chavis deserves three-fold congratulations! In September, she and her team at Morgan were selected as one of 14 partner institutions to participate in a $15 million, five-year project funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to reduce food waste in the U.S. In August, as a co-PI, she had been awarded a $658,942 NSF grant to research Interoperable Transportation Service Roaming System for Transportation Disadvantaged Populations. Finally, she embarked on her most ambitious project of all – mom to Vivienne Elaine Jean who arrived at 1 a.m. on Oct. 15. A team of TUIS students won 2nd place in the AAAS HBCU Making and Innovation Showcase 2021. They created a robot guide dog. The team members are: Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani Dr. Eazaz Sadeghvaziri Ramina Javid Steve Sylvester Dunsin Fadojutimi

UMEC Director Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani was a panelist for the C2M2 5th Annual Fall Conference on Oct. 15 where she led a breakout session on HBCU leadership and partnership.

Dr. Jeihani toured the Aberdeen Proving Ground test bed facilities with representatives from MDOT in October.

If you'd like to watch a 5-minute video showcasing our 2021 National Summer Transportation Institute, check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsVvAS-nMJQ

2021 Achievements Hats off to:

- Dr. Amirezza Nickkar and Dr. Young-Jae Lee who will be presenting Developing an Optimal Multi-Driver Multi-Rider Peer-to-Peer Ride Matching Problem Algorithm at the 101st Transportation Research Board in January.

- Nashid Khadem and Drs. Hyeon-Shic Shin, Young-Jae Lee, and the University of Maryland’s Drs. Young Choi and Paul M. Schonfeld who also will present at TRB; their paper is "Optimal Options for The Fresh Food Deliveries In Baltimore Food Deserts. - Dr. Samira Ahangari, who also will present her paper at TRB, “Driving Simulator Study of The Effectiveness of An EcoSpeed-Control (Esc) System Via Different Types of Eco-Speed-Guidance (Esg) In The Vicinity Of Multiple Signalized Intersections.” The article, co-authored by Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani, grew out of Dr. Ahangari's thesis. - Drs. Nickkar and Lee and Morgan alum Dr. Seyedehsan Dadvar, whose article Impact of Automated Vehicles on Optimal Demand-Responsive Feeder Transit Network Design was published in the International Journal of Urban Planning and Smart Cities. - Drs. Nickkar and Lee also had Developing an Optimal Algorithm for Demand Responsive Feeder Transit Service Accommodating Temporary Stops accepted by the Journal of Public Transportation. - Dr. Eazaz Sadeghvaziri, Ramina Javid, Dusin Fadojutimi and Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani. Their invited student paper Investigating the Number of Bike Share Program Usage Among Different Races has been chosen for presentation at the 101st Transportation Research Board. - Dr. Celeste Chavis, Elliot Sloate, Yifan Yang, Nashid Khadem, Vanessa Frias-Martinez; E-bikes’ Effect on Mode and Route Choice: A Case Study of Richmond, VA Bike Share as been chosen for presentation at the 101st Transportation Research Board.

We're Hiring Graduate Students! Do you have some background in one or more of these skills: * programming *advanced Excel * technical writing * planning * equity * GIS * electrical engineering? We could use you for our research projects. We are also looking for graduate or undergraduate students to help with data collection. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani at 443-885-1873, mansoureh.jeihani@morgan.edu, CBEIS 327E.

You can watch our previous webinars on our youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ4GSAlNdKTKz6qhWqH1hQA

Want to do something new and exciting ?!?

If interested, scan this code or go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/ 1FAIpQLSdOex-N81MpwvciTYbpkXUG8oRVwYIoeKdlT8Z_sMcGCl-

Get paid and have fun! Drive an advanced driving simulator and get paid $15 for each hour you drive!` The Department of Transportation & Infrastructure Studies is seeking qualified individuals for research studies using a driving simulator, which provides a realistic driving environment in a virtual highway system. Applicants will be expected to drive the simulator about 3 hours and must have a valid driving license (Class C).

*Please be advised we follow Covid-19 protection guidelines, including social distancing and wearing a mask at all the times in the University. *You are required to be fully vaccinated. *Your appointment may be canceled and/or rescheduled if COVID-19 restrictions change. *Please cancel/reschedule your appointment if you are having potential symptoms of COVID-19 or you were exposed to an individual who tested positive.

Contact: mdkab1@morgan.edu or mansoureh.jeihani@morgan.edu / 410-781-1477 About the Center

National Transportation Center National Transportation Center Morgan State University 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane CBEIS 327 Baltimore, MD 21251

The National Transportation Center (NTC) at Morgan State University is committed to transportation research and education that support the well-being and economic development of communities. It is home to the Urban Mobility & Equity Center, a Tier 1 University Transportation Center.

Staff Dr. Mansoureh Jeihani Director

email@morgan.edu

Anita Jones Project Planner

Nancy Jackson Editor

LinkedIn: National Transportation Center and the Urban Mobility & Equity Center Twitter: @NTCMorgan Facebook: @MorganTransporationResearch Instagram: @ntcumec

Sonia McDonald Secretary

Dr. Eazaz Sadeghvaziri Postdoctoral Research Associate Queneia Harley-Burkeen Education Coordinator Ramina Javid Newsletter Design