Engaging students in solving real-world transportation problems with GIS

Keywords: GIS, transportation, math, routing, public transit, Python, math, network analyst, school bus routing problem
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Bucknell University is located in a predominantly rural, agricultural area on the banks of the Susquehanna River in Central Pennsylvania. The student body of 3,600 is drawn from all 50 states and more than 60 countries, and is almost as large as the town (Lewisburg, PA - population 5,800) in which it is located. Bucknell’s faculty actively seek out opportunities to work with community partners, both to provide valuable expertise and assistance to local organizations and to give students hands-on experience grappling with issues that impact the local community. This paper presents work done by students in Prof. Nathan Ryan’s course Math 219 ‘Solving Industrial Problems’ in collaboration with Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way and the Lewisburg Area School District, focusing on students’ use of GIS software and other digital scholarship tools and methods. Course development was funded by a grant from PIC Math, a program supported by the Mathematical Association of America and the National Science Foundation with the goal of preparing mathematics students for careers by engaging them in research problems that come directly from industry. The course divided students into project groups, each having a real-world client with a specific problem to be addressed. Students in the School Bus Routing Problem (SBRP) group used ArcGIS Network Analyst to optimize K-12 school bus routes, while students in the Public Transit group developed materials for a feasibility study to show the need for and potential impact of a fixed route transit system in Central PA.