VISUM is a comprehensive, flexible software system for transportation planning, travel demand modeling and network data management. VISUM is used on all continents for metropolitan, regional, statewide and national planning applications. Designed for multimodal analysis, VISUM integrates all relevant modes of transportation (i.e., car, car passenger, truck, bus, train, pedestrians and bicyclists) into one consistent network model. VISUM provides a variety of assignment procedures and 4-stage modelling components which include trip-end based as well as activity based approaches.
VISUM
is a
PC-based program using MS Windows and offers data and image exchange in
the
Windows environment via clipboard or interfaces to industry standard
formats.
In addition, VISUM has an open object-oriented concept that enables
users to
program their own applications using Visual Basic or the programming
language
of their choice.
PTV Vision® is more than just traditional demand modelling. Our software integrates demand modelling with microscopic traffic simulation (VISSIM), providing transportation professionals with the most complete suite of analysis tools. To round out the software package, VISUM includes embedded components from other leading software packages: ArcGIS™ from our business partner ESRI for better GIS integration; and TRAFFIX™ from our partner Dowling & Associates for Level-of-Service and capacity analysis.
VISUM is used to build conventional four-step models for regional and state-wide planning while also serving as a powerful analysis and data management tool for traffic engineers and transportation planners. A unique strength is detailed public transportation service planning, with a data model for routes and schedules that goes far beyond traditional demand models.
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| Flexible
display and printing of flow maps |
Isochrones: analysis
of travel times over the network |
Thematic maps of
travel demand |
The VISUM graphical user interface (GUI) makes it easy to learn and easy to use. The interactive editor for all network objects includes single and multiple selections. Users can efficiently design consistent network scenarios very rapidly. VISUM includes integrated "Undo" and "Redo" commands that restore network integrity after a complex series of user interactions and network modifications. Even data for large models can be easily accessed and controlled out of VISUM’s GUI. All model steps, such as assignment or distribution, can be interactively started from the menu. With the print preview mode users can access a what-you-see-is-what-you-get view. VISUM is extremely flexible in display and powerful in map design.
One of the most exciting feature of VISUM is its ability to merge GIS-data and transportation data into a common database with several layers including: Traffic Analysis Zones and jurisdiction boundaries; transportation network with connectivity, street centerlines, intersection turns and transit routes; user defined attributes and user defined object classes; and back-ground maps. In addition the linkage to the personal geo database of ESRI or shape files can be used to populate additional geography layers in VISUM which then can be intersected and buffered with the transportation network of VISUM.
This GIS integration enables networks to be coded in a geographically accurate way. Network links are not simple straight lines but can have a specific shape described by a polyline. Another advantage of the GIS integration is that users do not need other GIS software for post-processing and presentations. VISUM alone is sufficient to design powerful maps including flexible legends. Only a few steps are necessary to make use of the many visual options. To enrich the graphical capabilities all standard vector formats as well as image and bitmap formats can be imported.
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| Thematic
mapping including GIS layers |
VISUM provides a COM interface based on MS Windows technology and can be integrated with other COM-compliant Windows products like MS Office and ArcGIS. Users can program applications using Python, Visual Basic (VBA, VBS, VB) or other programming languages (C, C++). Based on this concept, VISUM is an open system that enables users to create and run customized pre-processing and post-processing utilities and to control advanced multi-stage model runs.
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| Model
Scripting in VBA |
The network model of VISUM is composed of layers of different object classes commonly used for transportation demand modeling:
All of these objects contain standard attributes and user definable attributes. VISUM has a powerful editor for all of these objects. You can change the shape, as well as the attribute data of every single object interactively. Creating a transit (Public Transport) route is just a matter of a few mouse clicks. In addition to the single change, you can change multiple objects at a time. This feature is extremely useful when it is combined with the powerful selection tools. For import and export purposes, VISUM allows users to describe the entire network in a relational database. As a result it is easy and efficient to exchange with MS Access, MS Excel, ArcGIS, MapInfo and other software products with relational databases.
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| Interactive
network editing |
A unique feature of the interactive network editor is the automated network consistency check. These checks are performed in the background after each operation. For example, splitting a link or renumbering a node that is used by a transit route will automatically update the transit route data as well.
During the process of network editing, VISUM also offers “undo” and “redo”. The user can undo a sequence of complex operations like, deleting multiple nodes and links, changing attributes of single or multiple objects or rerouting a transit line.
Thanks to network management of VISUM, even editing across all the different network objects layers, strict consistency is always insured. This means that all network layers match each other at any time and the network is always ready for routing and assignment.
VISUM offers users both advanced highway and transit (Public Transport) assignment procedures.
The highway assignment simultaneously loads multiple modes (i.e., car, taxi, trucks) and offers the following procedures:
VISUM allows weights on zone connectors which provides better levels of calibration for side streets and intersection volumes. These weights can be applied in the assignment, as soft or hard constraints, equivalent to the TMODEL MPA.
For transit assignment VISUM offers two different families of procedures:
All methods create multiple path alternatives for every OD pair. All transit paths can be multi-modal (e.g. P&R-bus-train-walk). All assignments are time dynamic, reflecting varying service and path choice and demand variations during the day.
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| Quick
assignment flow analysis |
VISUM covers the entire model chain from generation to destination and mode choice to assignment. The user can define flexible destination and mode choice models. VISUM provides menu-driven (i.e., without scripting) calibration and execution of 4-stage models. But models can also be defined by scripting in any COM-compatible programming language, e.g. in Visual Basic. This enables users to call functions from the rich COM library of VISUM, as well as add their own program code into the model loop.
Combined iterations of assignment, destination and mode choice are recommended and will reach high level of convergence thanks to the sophisticated assignment procedures in VISUM.
For advanced users there is also an advanced activity-based approach. It builds trip chains (or journeys) from activity programs, allows the use of demand stratifications and takes into account that there are mode choice constraints along a trip chain.
VISUM also features an interactive matrix editor that easily manages large trip tables and performs all basic matrix operations with one or multiple matrices.
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| Interactive
matrix editing |
VISUM is the only demand-modeling package that stores all paths after assignment and makes them available in several analysis functions:
VISUM is equipped with an interactive editor for transit routes. The transit routes are consistently integrated with the rest of the transportation network.
The network model differentiates between the abstract stop in the schedule and multiple physical stop locations in the network. The description of service can be as detailed as in a scheduling system, including route variations, time profiles, schedules and varying service frequencies.
VISUM can also estimate transit system capacity based on vehicle types and perform a sophisticated estimation of operational cost and revenue.
Also available is a schedule optimization feature which minimizes transfer time and minimizes fleet size.
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| Transit
modeling |
To support the use of time-dynamic approaches, VISUM automatically adds a time stamp to all data, including a 24-hour clock and if the user wishes even different weekdays or a calendar. Thus network attributes, travel demand and all assignment results are stored as time-dependent variables.
Time-dynamic assignment procedures are available for transit and highway. The dynamic assignment algorithm handles multiple OD-matrices layered in time slices as well as time-dependent demand profiles. If travel paths are time-dynamic, VISUM considers the effects of capacity constraints that occur only at certain times of day and computes downstream metering and upstream spill-back.
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| Degree
of saturation for two time periods |
During highway assignment, delays can be computed for nodes (intersections) in addition to links. There are several approaches for node delay. One planning oriented approach defines capacity constraints for intersections as a function of node type, link class ranking, relation to major flow, and movement type (left, right, through, U-turn).
Another approach is inherited from the TMODEL software, deriving delays from a node capacity that is applied to some or to all turns.
The third approach uses additional inter-section data such as signal timing and intersection geometry. The embedded TRAFFIX™ module computes intersection delays and LOS (level of service) conforming to several editions of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) and other LOS standards (e.g., ICU).
Intersection delay and LOS can either be used during the assignment process, or simply be generated as post-assignment statistics. This capability in combination with the integrated NCHRP 255 turn flow post-processing procedure makes VISUM a very efficient analysis tool for infrastructure planning projects such as Major Investment Studies (MIS) and Corridor Studies.
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| Intersection
Level of Service |
The PTV Vision suite integrates macroscopic analysis in VISUM with microscopic traffic simulation in VISSIM. Both programs work together seamlessly, saving valuable time and reducing error. Travel demand volumes can be determined in VISUM and then exported into microscopic simulation. VISUM can also export consistent microscopic networks for VISSIM. Together, the two programs help to analyze the effectiveness of transportation scenarios including mode shift, regional route choice and operational impacts. VISUM users can incorporate the microscopic detail of VISSIM to obtain a better understanding of critical and congested parts of the network. Or, they can use VISSIM only as a graphical post-processor to produce 3D visualizations of their results. The PTV Vision suite is unique in its integration of macroscopic planning and microscopic traffic analysis. It opens exciting new opportunities to planners as well as to traffic engineers to combine the strength of the two different approaches in order to produce the most accurate analysis.
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| Integrated
microsimulation using VISSIM |
VISUM InformationServer enables users to share the model data and evaluations over an organizational intranet or the internet. The access to modelled data requires only an internet browser. In this way, transportation models become accessible for persons without training in the use of modelling software. This wide audience can include other planners within the organization, clients, stakeholders or the general public.
VISUM InformationServer can be con-figured to provide different levels of access for different types of users. Sharing common data between organizations will increase the benefit of transportation models.
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| Pedestrian
accessibility in a dense network |
PTV provides road networks in high navigation quality from our partner NAVTEQ.
An import module for TMODEL networks allows for a seamless upgrade from TMODEL to VISUM. In addition, VISUM includes automated interfaces for all other travel demand forecasting software packages including TransCAD, CUBE, and EMME/2.
VISUM can also import and export other industry standard formats like SHP, Access, and UTDF (SYNCHRO™).
VISUM for modeling complex networks (e.g. the European network)
VISUM displays regional PuT travel demand
VISUM PrT flows in the city displaying POIs, car parks, hospitals, hotels etc.
VISUM compares traffic flows and saturation at different time periods
VISUM-VISSIM interface: Simulation software imports saturation data
VISUM PuT service planning - stop catchment areas
