TMN Highlights
AITPM 2023/2024 Year in Focus
Steven Piotrowski, Chair, AITPM TMN
What were your highlights of FY23/24?
The AITPM conference is always the highlight of the annual calendar for me. The modelling workshop, Bill Allen’s keynote address and the YPN debate were three events that stood out in my mind.
The annual TMN planning day where all TMN members congregate in one place to plan the year ahead was another highlight. This year, the event was hosted in Brisbane by QUT. Thanks to Shams Yasmin for organising it and to the AITPM for supporting the event financially.
We also released the latest version of our Pedestrian Modelling Guidelines. Thank you to John Webster and John Richardson and all the others who contributed to this document.
What was your favourite event(s) of the year?
I may be a bit biased (because I helped organise this particular event) but for me, my favourite event was an in-person event held in November 2023 in Perth: “Looking Back on the Road Reserves Review and the Metropolitan Transport Strategy” which featured speakers Nick Bursey, Richard McKellar, Ian Ker and Emmerson Richardson. We are always planning for the future but we do not look back and try to learn from mistakes of the past often enough. There is a tremendous amount of experience held by those who have retired from the profession, and I think we should try to tap into this wealth of knowledge more often.
What would you like to achieve as Chair of the TMN from 2023-25?
One thing that I would personally like to see is the establishment of a “Transport Modelling Hall of Fame”. It could also take the form of a Lifetime Achievement Award for Transport Modelling. There are many worthy individuals who have contributed an enormous amount to the profession in Australia during their careers who deserve this honour.
Which partners, sponsors and stakeholders did you work with to achieve your outcomes?
We are grateful to all the sponsors who support the TMN and the AITPM. Without them, none of what we do would be possible. I am particularly grateful to SMEC who allow me to spend a considerable amount of time on AITPM and TMN activities during business hours.
What are the burning or emerging transport and industry issues that you're seeing in modelling?
Great question. There are several but I will restrict my comments to just two.
Firstly, in the strategic modelling area, several government agencies have decided to build Activity-Based Models and others are considering it. These types of models are very expensive to build, are highly complex and have excessive run times. Although they have the potential to provide answers to difficult questions, there are several challenges for their widespread use which have not yet been (and may never be) resolved. It remains to be seen whether our traditional trip-based models will be replaced by these new models or whether we will need to run multiple model types in parallel for different purposes. It will also be interesting to compare the outputs of both models with another emerging model type: tour-based models. We will be taking a “Deep Dive” into ABMs during a session at the Modelling Workshop at the AITPM annual conference in Perth in August where we will explore some of these issues.
Secondly, there seems to be an increase in the amount of criticism of models and modellers from non-modellers. No doubt some of this criticism is valid: the challenge for modellers is to be as clear and transparent as possible with model outputs, assumptions and limitations. Unfortunately, we are sometimes asked to use a particular model for a task to which is it not suited – with disappointing results. We are often constrained by unrealistic timeframes and budgets for the work that we are asked to do.
Some of these issues will be discussed at the Modelling Workshop at the AITPM conference in Perth at the session: “Strategic Models, Helpful or Harmful, Continuing the Discussion”. Watch this space.
What is the focus for the TMN in FY24/25?
We will continue with the traditional TMN annual activities: hosting modelling related in-person and online webinars in each state and territory and helping to organise the Modelling Workshop at the annual conference.
As described earlier, I am keen to establish an Australian Transport Modelling Hall of Fame in FY25.
Other initiatives planned for FY25 include:
- advocacy for a higher sample size and more regular and standardised Household Travel Surveys to collect better data for model calibration.
- developing a better understanding of the issues and opportunities around land use forecasting.
- contributing to the AITPM’s Decarbonisation Working Group.
- continuing our mutually beneficial association with the NZ Model Users Group (NZMUGS).
- continuing to support the successful AITPM online conference series.
- establishing and share an online library of transport modelling guidelines.
- continuing to seek opportunities to improve practice through better education.
- continuing to promote the TMN’s Code of Conduct.
- making better use of social media (particularly LinkedIn) to promote TMN events.
Are there any acknowledgments you'd like to share?
I would like to acknowledge the contribution of several individuals including:
- Immediate Past Chair Nick Veitch who successfully implemented a new TMN governance framework.
- Other Past Chairs who have contributed greatly to the evolution of the TMN including Dave Keenan, Richard Isted, & Peter Kartsidimas.
- Lindsay Oxlad who has contributed enormously over the years to the TMN. He continues to act above and beyond the call of duty by sponsoring TMN events out of his own pocket.
- Andrew Leedham, Derrick Hitchins, Craig Wooldridge and James Parrott for their encouragement and support over many years.
- Simon Kinnear for his ongoing work on agendas and minutes as TMN Secretary.
- Mariya Maslova for her work as TMN Treasurer.
- Everyone on the TMN who contributed to the Code of Conduct.
- Kirsty Kelly and her team for all the good work that they do.
- All of our sponsors for their generous support of TMN events and the annual Modelling Workshop.