When making good planning, with which to efficiently carry out action in a transportation system, it is necessary to make a precise evaluation of its situation. To carry out the appropriate assessment of the state of transport, it is essential to compile all the available information, in order to later evaluate this data and obtain a clear conclusion of the aspects in which action must be taken, the necessary tools or methods and the way to put the intended action into practice. Knowing the current situation and understanding it helps to better predict the future or alternative situations.

Data can be collected from multiple sources that vary by project type and project location.

In Spain, one of the largest sources of data is the National Institute of Statistics "Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (Spain)") (INE), an autonomous body of the Ministry of Economy, whose objective is to produce statistics in accordance with the provisions of the National Statistical Plan. These statistics are available to citizens, companies, researchers, public and private organizations, and public administrations. They are generally reliable, consistent and certified statistics that cover all fields of study (physical environment, environment, demography and population, society, economy, agriculture, industry, services, etc.). In addition, the INE is responsible for the population census and the calculation of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Information from this organization can be obtained through different means:

• - Statistical information on the Internet.

• - Sale of publications.

• - Subscription to information by email or fax.

• - Files, Data Banks.

The INE has a “tailored requests” service, through which it is possible to make a query on the topic being studied. At the INE, they carry out specific processing according to the user's needs, searching their files through exploitations tailored to the data they have. The INE works at both a national and a local level, a fact that must be taken into account when searching for and requesting information from this body. As can be seen, key data can be obtained to understand the process of generating and attracting trips, since many of these variables (population, employment, motorization, age, etc.) are explanatory of trips.

The different Ministries also usually have databases, studies specific to their activity and various information that is made available to different users. The Ministries that normally have data related to transport-related activities are those of Development, Economy and Environment; and to a lesser extent those of Labor, Science and Technology and Public Administrations.

Likewise, most of the Authorities with powers in this matter usually have transport projects and studies. The autonomous communities collect information about their territories. In general, the most exhaustive data belong to studies carried out by city councils or autonomous communities (through their respective Public Transport Authorities, for example) with large and medium-sized cities, with the resources to carry them out. Precisely these cities are the ones that require actions in the transportation system, either to implement it for the first time, or to improve the existing system.

Other data that is required for the study of the current situation are those related to mobility. Information is used from household field work surveys, which are usually in the possession of organizations specialized in the sector, and these may be on a national, regional or local scale, depending on the scope of the study being carried out. Statistics on operators and traffic sectors are also important sources of information.

Once all the possible information has been collected, it is necessary to do a recapitulation, see what additional data is necessary and, in accordance with the deadlines and budgetary capacities, define the field work or campaigns for specific information collection.

As already indicated, territory and mobility are closely linked. Below are some activities to carry out in the transportation planning process for an area linked to physical space:

Delimitation of the study area.

Although the general delimitation of the area is prior to the collection of information, in order that this process is not done indiscriminately, only when the collection of all available information has been carried out can the area in which the transport activity is studied be precisely delimited. They can be one or several parts of the municipality, the entire municipality or a metropolitan area that encompasses several municipalities or part of them.

The decision to delimit one area or another as appropriate for study depends on multiple factors, but the most influential are the following:

• - The area of ​​influence of the transport to be analyzed. For example, if you want to carry out a study of a single bus, metro or light rail line within a city, the area affected by that line within the city must be delimited and it must be related to the rest of the areas of the city, but in a less in-depth way. If, on the other hand, the aim is to analyze the situation of a mode of transport or the entirety of transport in a region, it is most likely that the entire municipality or region will have to be observed.

• - The distribution and availability of information. It is important to know the administrative distribution of information and it is advisable to adjust as closely as possible to it in order to collect it and disseminate the results in the most effective way possible. It can be very useful to first analyze how the information is collected, since it is very tedious and difficult to redistribute the data in randomly delimited areas.

In most cases, the scope does not include the place of residence of transport users, who may be using its infrastructure and services even without residing there, but which are usually incorporated into the analysis. In this sense, it is necessary to highlight the interrelationship between the area of ​​study and those that surround it.

Zoning.

It is common practice to carry out zoning of the delimited study area. The reason that justifies this procedure is, basically, to handle smaller volumes of information and leave the details of the distribution of transportation data for subsequent analysis. As zoning criteria, the following are fundamentally considered:

• - Adaptation to the administrative division, with the double objective of facilitating the use of information available at the time of carrying out the surveys and of obtaining the necessary data in possible projections of future scenarios.

• - Adaptation as far as possible to the zoning used in previous surveys or other studies that facilitates comparisons of temporary and action scenarios.

• - Limitation of the number of residents in each transportation zone. The distribution of the population by areas is analyzed and whether they widely exceed the established population limits per area (generally the limits are taken between 3,000 and 6,000).

The zoning that is initially outlined, with the previous conditions, may vary if in the process of carrying out the study it is considered necessary to do so. However, it is generally difficult to subdivide it into advanced phases of the project.

Territorial and urban structure.

Another important information to take into account is the territorial and urban framework in which the area to be analyzed is located, since this determines transportation and its entire socioeconomic environment.

Regarding the physical environment, it must be noted if there is a coastline, if there are significant elevations or depressions in the terrain, if rivers or streams circulate, if there are forest parks or wetlands, parks or gardens and all geographical features that are perceived to be notable; and we must highlight its characteristics and its position within the field. In short, it is essential to detail the morphology and geography of the area and take them into account when carrying out any analysis.

At the same time, it is necessary to take stock of the infrastructure that the region has: airports, ports, railways, highways and roads, urban roads, etc. Of all of them it is worth making a brief description of their characteristics and location.

To complete the information to be obtained in this section, it should be noted that it is also necessary to know the urban composition of the area, whether it is made up of one municipality or several. Describing the urban situation, the types of streets and their layout, accesses, the density of each area, etc., will help to have a complete perspective of the characteristics of transportation, as well as the functional areas (commercial, residential, tertiary, higher, industrial).

Short and medium-term forecasts of urban development produce impacts on demand. That is why it is very convenient to have studied the upcoming actions in urban planning and, above all, how they can affect transport demand both in the short and long term. And any modification in the established urban structure, no matter how slight it may seem, can produce a radical change in the behavior and habits of travel in the region. General urban planning plans (PGOU) or subsidiary regulations are the usual sources, although they may sometimes be obsolete, so contact with municipal or regional authorities is usually essential.

The analysis of the urban-territorial model must address basic issues for the development of a transportation system such as:

• - Ranges of city and core systems.

• - Functionalities and typologies.

• - Dependencies.

• - Planning ceilings.

• - Degree and speed of execution.

• - Others.

Equipment

Considering the services intended to serve the public, those that contain: can be considered as attractive potential travel areas.

• - Commercial attraction: shopping centers or roads with large commercial capacity.

• - Hospitality attraction: occurs in areas with a concentration of hotels and hostels.

• - Banking activities: As in the previous point, trips are attracted by the agglomeration of banks and savings banks.

• - Health activities: attract a large amount of travel, whether it is a hospital or a small health center.

• - Administrative attraction and general tertiary sector: The multitude of administrative procedures carried out generate displacements.

• - School and university attraction: It is one of the largest in volume. There are usually two categories: non-university studies that are dispersed throughout the territory and university studies, which are generally concentrated.

Socioeconomic and demographic analysis.

For the socioeconomic analysis, the necessary data comes from household surveys, demographic bulletins and analyzes of the same type, prior to the one being developed. This information tries to form an idea of ​​the characteristics of the population, the distribution and qualities of employment, the particularities of education and the levels of motorization in the studied area and the evolution of all these factors. These data are very basic and necessary for any study that wants to be carried out in the considered area:

• - Population: The most common data to carry out a transportation study are the number of inhabitants and their distribution. Another important fact is the density. In addition to these basic data, it is also convenient to look for data that allows us to observe the evolution of the population, both in the study area and in neighboring populations.

• - Employment: The existing employment in a territory determines the number of trips made for work purposes in it. Specifically, the number of jobs in each transportation zone must be analyzed, as well as the number of employees. In this way, areas that are clearly attractive for employment and those that, on the contrary, are areas with a high volume of resident labor factor, can be identified. The best source for this information has traditionally been household transportation surveys in Spain.

• - Studies: The number of school and university places as well as the population of the lowest age ranges are key factors in determining which areas can potentially generate and attract trips for study reasons. The number of study places and the number of students residing in each area are observed and with them the ratio of places / students is established, which will allow comparison between some areas and others.

• - Motorization: Motorization influences the way in which a trip is made more than in determining the total number of trips. However, if motorization is interpreted as an indicator of the income of the area analyzed, it could also explain the total number of trips.

• - Transportation demand management.

• - Traffic engineering (transport) "Traffic engineering (transport)").

• - Transportation engineering.

• - Traffic engineering (transport) "Traffic engineering (transport)").

• - Transportation modeling.

• - Last mile mobility.

• - Bus stop.

• - Transport.

• - Vehicular traffic.

• - Public transportation.

• - Rural transport.

• - (the initial definition comes from this document).

Organizations

• - Embark.

• - ITDP - Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.

• - CEDEX (Center for studies and experimentation of public works) - Transportation planning.

• - College of Civil, Canal and Port Engineers.

Magazines

• - Urbano Magazine. Chilean urban transportation magazine.

• - Local Transport Today. UK Urban Transport Magazine (in English).

• - Transportation Magazine 3. Online urban transportation magazine.

• - Light Rail Transit Association. Tramways & Urban Transit Magazine (in English).

• - Transport, systems and technology.

Software to help public transport operations

• - Integrated IT Platform for the planning, control and optimization of vehicle fleets in public transport / waste management / cargo transport / geo-marketing / e-government / retail companies.

• - Comprehensive control system applied to the public transport bus network.

• - Planning, programming and control systems for transportation operations.

The main lines of work of the planner are:

• - Knowledge of the different means of transportation and their characteristics.

• - Analyze the demand that exists in each mode of transport.

• - Plan the networks and their relationship with the environment (stops, routes and frequency).

• - Design priority systems for public transportation.

• - Analyze the needs of the stations (services, access, location,...).

• - Intermodality studies.

• - Environmental impact study.

• - Public transportation strategies and planning.

When making good planning, with which to efficiently carry out action in a transportation system, it is necessary to make a precise evaluation of its situation. To carry out the appropriate assessment of the state of transport, it is essential to compile all the available information, in order to later evaluate this data and obtain a clear conclusion of the aspects in which action must be taken, the necessary tools or methods and the way to put the intended action into practice. Knowing the current situation and understanding it helps to better predict the future or alternative situations.

Data can be collected from multiple sources that vary by project type and project location.

In Spain, one of the largest sources of data is the National Institute of Statistics "Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (Spain)") (INE), an autonomous body of the Ministry of Economy, whose objective is to produce statistics in accordance with the provisions of the National Statistical Plan. These statistics are available to citizens, companies, researchers, public and private organizations, and public administrations. They are generally reliable, consistent and certified statistics that cover all fields of study (physical environment, environment, demography and population, society, economy, agriculture, industry, services, etc.). In addition, the INE is responsible for the population census and the calculation of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Information from this organization can be obtained through different means:

• - Statistical information on the Internet.

• - Sale of publications.

• - Subscription to information by email or fax.

• - Files, Data Banks.

The INE has a “tailored requests” service, through which it is possible to make a query on the topic being studied. At the INE, they carry out specific processing according to the user's needs, searching their files through exploitations tailored to the data they have. The INE works at both a national and a local level, a fact that must be taken into account when searching for and requesting information from this body. As can be seen, key data can be obtained to understand the process of generating and attracting trips, since many of these variables (population, employment, motorization, age, etc.) are explanatory of trips.

The different Ministries also usually have databases, studies specific to their activity and various information that is made available to different users. The Ministries that normally have data related to transport-related activities are those of Development, Economy and Environment; and to a lesser extent those of Labor, Science and Technology and Public Administrations.

Likewise, most of the Authorities with powers in this matter usually have transport projects and studies. The autonomous communities collect information about their territories. In general, the most exhaustive data belong to studies carried out by city councils or autonomous communities (through their respective Public Transport Authorities, for example) with large and medium-sized cities, with the resources to carry them out. Precisely these cities are the ones that require actions in the transportation system, either to implement it for the first time, or to improve the existing system.

Other data that is required for the study of the current situation are those related to mobility. Information is used from household field work surveys, which are usually in the possession of organizations specialized in the sector, and these may be on a national, regional or local scale, depending on the scope of the study being carried out. Statistics on operators and traffic sectors are also important sources of information.

Once all the possible information has been collected, it is necessary to do a recapitulation, see what additional data is necessary and, in accordance with the deadlines and budgetary capacities, define the field work or campaigns for specific information collection.

As already indicated, territory and mobility are closely linked. Below are some activities to carry out in the transportation planning process for an area linked to physical space:

Delimitation of the study area.

Although the general delimitation of the area is prior to the collection of information, in order that this process is not done indiscriminately, only when the collection of all available information has been carried out can the area in which the transport activity is studied be precisely delimited. They can be one or several parts of the municipality, the entire municipality or a metropolitan area that encompasses several municipalities or part of them.

The decision to delimit one area or another as appropriate for study depends on multiple factors, but the most influential are the following:

• - The area of ​​influence of the transport to be analyzed. For example, if you want to carry out a study of a single bus, metro or light rail line within a city, the area affected by that line within the city must be delimited and it must be related to the rest of the areas of the city, but in a less in-depth way. If, on the other hand, the aim is to analyze the situation of a mode of transport or the entirety of transport in a region, it is most likely that the entire municipality or region will have to be observed.

• - The distribution and availability of information. It is important to know the administrative distribution of information and it is advisable to adjust as closely as possible to it in order to collect it and disseminate the results in the most effective way possible. It can be very useful to first analyze how the information is collected, since it is very tedious and difficult to redistribute the data in randomly delimited areas.

In most cases, the scope does not include the place of residence of transport users, who may be using its infrastructure and services even without residing there, but which are usually incorporated into the analysis. In this sense, it is necessary to highlight the interrelationship between the area of ​​study and those that surround it.

Zoning.

It is common practice to carry out zoning of the delimited study area. The reason that justifies this procedure is, basically, to handle smaller volumes of information and leave the details of the distribution of transportation data for subsequent analysis. As zoning criteria, the following are fundamentally considered:

• - Adaptation to the administrative division, with the double objective of facilitating the use of information available at the time of carrying out the surveys and of obtaining the necessary data in possible projections of future scenarios.

• - Adaptation as far as possible to the zoning used in previous surveys or other studies that facilitates comparisons of temporary and action scenarios.

• - Limitation of the number of residents in each transportation zone. The distribution of the population by areas is analyzed and whether they widely exceed the established population limits per area (generally the limits are taken between 3,000 and 6,000).

The zoning that is initially outlined, with the previous conditions, may vary if in the process of carrying out the study it is considered necessary to do so. However, it is generally difficult to subdivide it into advanced phases of the project.

Territorial and urban structure.

Another important information to take into account is the territorial and urban framework in which the area to be analyzed is located, since this determines transportation and its entire socioeconomic environment.

Regarding the physical environment, it must be noted if there is a coastline, if there are significant elevations or depressions in the terrain, if rivers or streams circulate, if there are forest parks or wetlands, parks or gardens and all geographical features that are perceived to be notable; and we must highlight its characteristics and its position within the field. In short, it is essential to detail the morphology and geography of the area and take them into account when carrying out any analysis.

At the same time, it is necessary to take stock of the infrastructure that the region has: airports, ports, railways, highways and roads, urban roads, etc. Of all of them it is worth making a brief description of their characteristics and location.

To complete the information to be obtained in this section, it should be noted that it is also necessary to know the urban composition of the area, whether it is made up of one municipality or several. Describing the urban situation, the types of streets and their layout, accesses, the density of each area, etc., will help to have a complete perspective of the characteristics of transportation, as well as the functional areas (commercial, residential, tertiary, higher, industrial).

Short and medium-term forecasts of urban development produce impacts on demand. That is why it is very convenient to have studied the upcoming actions in urban planning and, above all, how they can affect transport demand both in the short and long term. And any modification in the established urban structure, no matter how slight it may seem, can produce a radical change in the behavior and habits of travel in the region. General urban planning plans (PGOU) or subsidiary regulations are the usual sources, although they may sometimes be obsolete, so contact with municipal or regional authorities is usually essential.

The analysis of the urban-territorial model must address basic issues for the development of a transportation system such as:

• - Ranges of city and core systems.

• - Functionalities and typologies.

• - Dependencies.

• - Planning ceilings.

• - Degree and speed of execution.

• - Others.

Equipment

Considering the services intended to serve the public, those that contain: can be considered as attractive potential travel areas.

• - Commercial attraction: shopping centers or roads with large commercial capacity.

• - Hospitality attraction: occurs in areas with a concentration of hotels and hostels.

• - Banking activities: As in the previous point, trips are attracted by the agglomeration of banks and savings banks.

• - Health activities: attract a large amount of travel, whether it is a hospital or a small health center.

• - Administrative attraction and general tertiary sector: The multitude of administrative procedures carried out generate displacements.

• - School and university attraction: It is one of the largest in volume. There are usually two categories: non-university studies that are dispersed throughout the territory and university studies, which are generally concentrated.

Socioeconomic and demographic analysis.

For the socioeconomic analysis, the necessary data comes from household surveys, demographic bulletins and analyzes of the same type, prior to the one being developed. This information tries to form an idea of ​​the characteristics of the population, the distribution and qualities of employment, the particularities of education and the levels of motorization in the studied area and the evolution of all these factors. These data are very basic and necessary for any study that wants to be carried out in the considered area:

• - Population: The most common data to carry out a transportation study are the number of inhabitants and their distribution. Another important fact is the density. In addition to these basic data, it is also convenient to look for data that allows us to observe the evolution of the population, both in the study area and in neighboring populations.

• - Employment: The existing employment in a territory determines the number of trips made for work purposes in it. Specifically, the number of jobs in each transportation zone must be analyzed, as well as the number of employees. In this way, areas that are clearly attractive for employment and those that, on the contrary, are areas with a high volume of resident labor factor, can be identified. The best source for this information has traditionally been household transportation surveys in Spain.

• - Studies: The number of school and university places as well as the population of the lowest age ranges are key factors in determining which areas can potentially generate and attract trips for study reasons. The number of study places and the number of students residing in each area are observed and with them the ratio of places / students is established, which will allow comparison between some areas and others.

• - Motorization: Motorization influences the way in which a trip is made more than in determining the total number of trips. However, if motorization is interpreted as an indicator of the income of the area analyzed, it could also explain the total number of trips.

• - Transportation demand management.

• - Traffic engineering (transport) "Traffic engineering (transport)").

• - Transportation engineering.

• - Traffic engineering (transport) "Traffic engineering (transport)").

• - Transportation modeling.

• - Last mile mobility.

• - Bus stop.

• - Transport.

• - Vehicular traffic.

• - Public transportation.

• - Rural transport.

• - (the initial definition comes from this document).

Organizations

• - Embark.

• - ITDP - Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.

• - CEDEX (Center for studies and experimentation of public works) - Transportation planning.

• - College of Civil, Canal and Port Engineers.

Magazines

• - Urbano Magazine. Chilean urban transportation magazine.

• - Local Transport Today. UK Urban Transport Magazine (in English).

• - Transportation Magazine 3. Online urban transportation magazine.

• - Light Rail Transit Association. Tramways & Urban Transit Magazine (in English).

• - Transport, systems and technology.

Software to help public transport operations

• - Integrated IT Platform for the planning, control and optimization of vehicle fleets in public transport / waste management / cargo transport / geo-marketing / e-government / retail companies.

• - Comprehensive control system applied to the public transport bus network.

• - Planning, programming and control systems for transportation operations.