Day 7 - WK 2

Uploaded GPS data from RET participants and started looking at driving patterns and routes.  Jesse and I discussed how do we take the dat we have collected and put it in a format that we can begin looking at routes that are similar and where routes intersect and are duplicated.  We discussed van sharing which is offered through DART and the cost benefits associated with the program. I read several times in the literature research that one of the large social barriers to ridesharing seems to be the loss of time in schedules drivers are afraid of losing.  One study suggests that drivers will not be willing to rideshare if it creates a more than 10 minute deviation in their commute.  Looking at my own commute daily to UNT I see how drivers know their routes and plan their schedules without much flexibility, I know I can leave by 8:15 am and I will have time to stop for an iced tea or coffee and arrive at UNT by 9:00 am.  I know approximately how long it takes me during each portion of the trip and where I am most likely to see slowdowns and alternative routes as well.  I have also noticed other members of the RET stopping at the same location each morning as well.  I began to wonder if ridesharing even the last few miles would have a noticeable benefit in the carbon footprint over the 6 week period? Jesse and I worked with Jason to import some of the data into Excel and start looking at ways we can interpret the data and look for patterns and where tracks intersect. We will need to look at the difference between points using the time, date latitude and longitudes of tracks. After lunch we had a representative from National Instruments teach us how to use LabView and a myDAQ to do do an activity with Audio.