I'm a Civil Engineer with a Master's in Road Engineering. I studied the specialization of Roads and Ph.D. in Engineering and Transport Infrastructures at the Technical University of Madrid in Spain. In 2011 I reached the full professor level at the University of the Andes-Venezuela. Currently in Colombia, I am an associate professor at the Pontifical Bolivarian University, linked to the GRINDIC research group since 2016.
( 01 )
Awards & Fellowships
March 01, 2017
Junior Researcher (COLCIENCIAS 2017-2019)
Distinction has been achieved as researcher in the indicated period
June 20, 2012
Consorcio Regional de Transportes Madrid Award
Regional Transport Consortium Award (CRTM in Spanish). X Congress of Transport Engineering. Granada. Spain. 2012.
September 01, 2006
Doctoral fellowship.
Awarded by the University of The Andes (Venezuela) to develop studies in the Program of Engineering and Transport Infrastructure at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain. Duration 4 years.
( 02 )
Education
June 03, 2011
Technical University of Madrid, Spain
Doctor by the Technical University of Madrid. Engineering and Transport Infrastructure Program. ETSIC. Spain.
December 14, 2003
Technical University of Madrid, Spain
Road specialist. XVII Road International Course. ETSIC. UPM. Spain.
March 28, 2002 and, June 1994
University of The Andes, Venezuela
-
Magister Scientiae in Road Engineering, University of the Andes, Venezuela, March 2002.
-
Civil Engineer, University of the Andes, Venezuela, June 1994.
( 03 )
Teaching
Currently
Advanced Traffic Management
I teach students to reduce, or at least contain, traffic congestion in urban environments by improving the efficiency of utilization of existing infrastructures. We typically seek solutions to congestion problems occurring on urban freeways and surface streets through advanced traffic software and data processing. Problems include both congestion caused by regular traffic patterns and traffic problems caused by stalled vehicles or other unpredictable incidents.
Currently
Transport Modelling and Trip Generation
The modeling is a computer-based representation of the movement of people and goods (trips) around a network within a defined ‘Study Area’ by socioeconomic and land-use characteristics. It provides a prediction of how trips will respond over time to changes in transport supply and demand, or due to the building of new infrastructure. The outputs should provide essential insight into understanding an existing or future problem, thereby supporting infrastructure design and its operational planning.
Currently
Transport Policy, Public Transport and Sustainable Mobility
It allows the basic access and development needs of individuals, companies, and society to be met safely and in a manner consistent with human and ecosystem health and promotes equity within and between successive generations. Is a key choice of transport modes to support a competitive economy and low harmful emissions.
( 04 )
Publications
March 12, 2022
The development of the Bucaramanga Metropolitan Area (BMA) under criteria focused on the expansion of residential and commercial sectors without considering transportation has produced a congested network and an increase in illegal mobility. A solution was articulating the city through the Metrolinea Integrated Transport System (MITS), which does not yet represent an optimal solution. Users prefer long-lasting trips by car rather than using public transportation. The absence of methods for assessing transportation deficiency in an agile manner more according to dynamic changes does not allow for making optimal decisions promptly. This research proposes a methodology that fuses a transport model using Visum software and a land-use model implemented in the Python language to analyze access to public transportation, i.e., using four integrated sub-models: transport, residential location, location of economic activities, and accessibility. Analysis of global equity using social indexes to measure the level of need for service and infrastructure was key to proper territory modeling. Results indicate where MITS is inefficient and could be useful to assess future behavior considering socio-economic variables, land use, and new infrastructure.
​
[pdf] [bibtex]
​
January 01, 2016
A simple methodology is proposed to quantify the operating parameters of urban transport systems using GPS technology of low cost. Parameters such as travel time, speed, and delay were analyzed at a grade-separated busway without overtaking and with traffic signals. A mistake of up to 10% by distance increase was reduced substantially by applying an algorithm. GPS data and corrective method were validated and state-space-speed models were obtained for the route characterization and can be useful for optimization. Fuzzy c-means clustering was used for speed datasets.
​
[pdf] [bibtex]
January 01, 2016
The trip generation model (TGM) is the first step in transportation forecasting, it is useful for estimating travel demand because it can predict travel from or to a particular land use. Typically, the analysis focuses on residential trip generation as a function of the social and economic attributes of households, but nonresidential land use suggests other variables. Travel generator poles such as Private schools, Semi-private, and Public; have not been studied in Venezuela. The TGMs are shown by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) of EE.UU, are typically used and could be inappropriate. By using stepwise regression and transformation of data, were found high correlation coefficients and substantial improvements in the variability of data from several schools. The trip generation rates (TGRs) by transportation mode: walking, motorcycle, public transport, and cars, can be compared and be included in the Ibero-American Network of travel attractor poles.
​
January 01, 2015
Statistical models to examine the response spacing of drivers under the effects of wireless telephone use in the proximity to an intersection were found. The method is a forward stepwise regression that allows knowing the most influential predictors. To determine the worst driving performance of distracted drivers in front of a traffic signal that can change from green to yellow and then to red, a probability study of collision risk and change in velocity was performed. To achieve these goals, a dataset of young, middle-aged, and older participants, who were exposed to different call conditions in a driving simulator, was used.
​
December 19, 2014
It is proposed A dwell-time model at the bus stop that predicts the transportation capacity of the Transmilenio bus system based on operating parameters. Measurements are performed on Troncal Norte experiments high demand for travelers across the network. Operates with high-capacity buses that run along exclusive lanes, through to intersections controlled by traffic signals. Field techniques developed and tested in previous works for evaluation of the main parameter (dwell-time). The methodology is widely known (Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual).
​
[pdf] [bibtex]
December 19, 2014
In many studies of transportation is required to estimate trips that generate certain land use, and to measure their impact on adjacent streets. Typically, when the data cannot be obtained directly, or by planning approach, parameters suggested by the Trip Generation Handbook (TGH) of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) are used. However, the use of these parameters in places outside its application scope might not be appropriate. Therefore, this work proposes research aimed to obtain trip generator models for different land uses, through random sampling, in schools of the Libertador municipality, in Mérida-Venezuela. Evaluated transportation modes are private car, school transport, public transport, motorcycle, and travel on foot. Data collection methodology presented a redundancy problem, due to quantifying trips made by different people in the same vehicle; this requires a change in future surveys. However, the incorporation of occupation indices and statistical analysis help to quantify trips by mode making inferences about the population. The influence of the socio-economic level in mode choice is evidenced, resulting in useful trip generation rates that can be compared and incorporated into the Red Iberoamericana database as a contribution.
​
January 13, 2013
There were two main goals in this investigation; first, modeling capacity for articulated buses in Arterials, and, second, the analysis of the representative parameters and their interrelationships about the degree of reserve and bus lane segregation. Two cases in Madrid-Spain are considered, and a third in Merida-Venezuela: In Madrid, bus lines 27 and 70, and bus line 1 of the Trolleybus Transport System (TTS), a unique line in Merida. These systems are selected under basic criteria that simplify the analysis: a similar mode that suppresses inherent factors from vehicle design; bus stop infrastructure using two fare payment methods; and bus lanes with different reserve degrees and segregation elements. The available methodology in the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (TCQSM) was used, and a solid bus dwell-time assessment due to boarding and alighting passengers –as the most influential parameter in the capacity– was measured. These new prediction laws were considered in the methodology. Results show the effectiveness of each system and allow the calculation of the maximum theoretical capacity and its variability range in a robust form. The work is part of a wider project to analyze the influence of reserved bus lanes on operational parameters.
​
January 01, 2012
A bus dwell-time model is obtained using a robust statistical evaluation of boarding passenger data at stops. This model is a change from the generally accepted linear model (i.e., dwell time increases at a fixed rate of time per passenger). The statistical analysis proves the validity of the potential model. This model was derived from a large number of observations on Line 27 of the Transports Municipal Company in Madrid, Spain. The data were gathered by observers who could attest to the influence of occasional incidents in the boarding process. This model can be used to evaluate line capacity more accurately. The analyzed lines were selected according to two basic criteria: routes with high demand and routes with similar vehicle types with an onboard payment method. A large proportion of the fares on the two lines come from monthly passes that require magnetic validation.