Transit Ridership Prediction for Student-Centric Communities: A Case Study of Unitrans and UC Davis

This research addresses the unique challenges faced by transit agencies serving college settings, where most riders are students with distinct travel patterns. We focus on Unitrans, a transit agency serving the City of Davis and UC Davis campuses. Fluctuations in student enrollment, class schedules, and university-provided transportation services pose difficulties in predicting ridership. With data from transit agency, campus enrollment records, and the UC Davis Campus Travel Survey, our goal is to develop a tailored ridership prediction model suited to college-town dynamics. This model will also account for the impact of socio-demographics and student living locations on transit usage. Anticipated outcomes include insights that can inform more strategic transit planning and policy decisions, benefiting both students and the broader community.

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