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Back to SearchBy unlocking and analyzing "invisible" transportation movement patterns through big data, we can see how people really use space, and incorporate these behavioral pattern insights to mold the urban fabric and enable better journeys.
Courtney Gosselin, our new Transportation Market Sector Leader in Western Canada, explains how movement analytics, such as user/passenger modelling are improving the ability to design scenario concepts and outcomes, and what that means for our transportation networks over the long-term.
What’s trending in how we use data to improve our transportation systems?
One of the biggest buzz words of 2021 is frictionless transportation. Frictionless transportation seeks to harmonize all mobilities across the entire transport ecosystem to ensure the most efficient movement of goods and people. By unlocking and harnessing big, crowdsourced data, such as cell phone GPS analytics, Point of Sale data, and IoT (Internet of Things), we are gaining a more in-depth view into the macro and microlevel of transportation systems and where they break down, or friction exists.
Through data scientists, logistics and spatial analysts, we learn more about how human behavior influences this complex ecosystem and can recommend smart strategies resulting in a more sustainable network over time.
This rich data can help us understand a myriad of transportation and infrastructure logistics such as:
- Goods Movement – analyzing the efficiency of ports, to rail to truck driver behavior in the shipment of short and long-haul shipments.
- Crowd Dynamics – Employing movement strategies to respond to new pandemic protocols and manage crowds in venues and buildings during peak hours.
- Transit Networks – Fine-tuning vertical circulation components such as elevators and escalators to improve the system's functionality and decrease commute times.
- Visitor and Spending Patterns- Using several rich datasets that can help attractions better understand the retail user and visitor catchment, visitor segmentation, travel itineraries and how best to deliver a compelling marketing proposition.
- Mobility as a Service –Solutions built on blockchain: mass transit/ferry/aviation authorities could establish a real-time, complete view of all the networks in the region it serves—coordinating scheduling, connections, reservations and other services across these different mobility systems. Removing or reducing security gates and payment checkpoints, key friction points and delay within these systems are lessened.
This fine-tuning of the transport ecosystem and new digital interventions opens opportunities for engineers and designers to focus less on friction, reducing commute times and function, and more on improving the customers' journey and overall experience.
Is there a risk or downside to this emphasis on big data?
We are coming into an age where we have more data than we have ever had on movement and trade, which is exciting. However, we need to be mindful that the data often reflects a "constructed" and "manufactured" network – one we design for the user, but that may not always represent the way people want to move or the most efficient way to move people and goods.
Data is a powerful tool if we ask the right questions and know how to collect and utilize the data.
What new insights are emerging from these data sources, and what impact will they have?
By unlocking and analyzing the "invisible" transportation movement patterns through big data, we see the serendipity of how people really use space and can verify against what we assumed to be true.
For planners, this unlocks not only the trip origins and endpoints but all the punctuations in between, from the grocery store to the coffee shop, the urban plaza, childcare pick-ups and beyond. It's an exciting time for designers to understand their customer's journeys and experiences as they move between modes, whether in the last mile or the pre-mile.
What are the defining features of the Transportation/Transit industry in Western Canada?
Western Canada represents a geographically diverse and large Canadian market to service. It encompasses the rolling prairies, the Rocky Mountains and coastal shores. Given the region’s scale, there is an even bigger focus on improving connectivity at the megaregion scale. We aspire to connect metro regions through new services, such as the hyperloop and high-speed rail transport, to the northern tech sector of Vancouver-Seattle-Portland and the business resource sectors of Edmonton to Calgary. We are also looking to meet the growing demand for goods and services from our BC-based ports to the grain terminals of Saskatchewan. We are focused on ensuring logistics, road and rail networks are maintained and upgraded.
What excites you about this role and joining GHD?
GHD offers a truly integrated service delivery approach, from digital E-Solutions to big data Movement Strategies and our core advisory, design and engineering talent. I feel GHD as a company represents the framework needed to deliver intelligent transportation systems and infrastructure globally.
Personally, I am committed to our clients to make the best decisions with future infrastructure investments, using sound data-driven solutions.
Meet Courtney
An urban and transportation planner, Courtney has always been fascinated by how people move and how behavioral patterns influence and mold the urban fabric. As a 15+ year city builder, Courtney has experience managing large design transit and transportation delivery teams, overseeing a broad portfolio of Transit, Ports, Rail and Road infrastructure projects for her clients. Courtney employs movement analytics, such as user/passenger modelling and big data, to help her clients better understand various design scenario concepts and outcomes to ensure their capital's best investment.
