Sunshine Corridor Partnership Ridership Study

Services Provided:  Travel Demand Modeling, Visitor Demand Modeling, Ridership Forecasting, Calibration/Validation  

Insight is the lead ridership forecasting firm, assisting the Florida Department of Transportation District 5 (FDOT-D5), for a multi-rail project in Orlando, Florida. The Sunshine Corridor Partnership is a team of agencies and companies working together to expand rail in Central Florida. The Partnership consists of FDOT, four counties, the City of Orlando, BrightLine (a private inter-city passenger rail company), Universal Studios, and other agencies. 

Insight is assisting FDOT and the Partnership by conducting a ridership study, which will evaluate the ridership potential for planned commuter rail services in the Sunshine Corridor.  The Partnership is 

working to bring both commuter and inter-city rail to the Sunshine Corridor. The proposed extension to the existing SunRail commuter system would connect the Orlando International Airport to the Orange County Convention Center (one of the nation’s largest), with connections to the International Drive business district and Universal Studios, and potentially Walt Disney World. This corridor is unique because it includes 6 of the top 12 theme parks in the world, over 70,000 hotel/resort rooms, nearly 90,000 jobs, and the 8thbusiest airport in the country.

Insight is developing models customized to the corridor’s airport passengers and Central Florida’s attractions. First, a regional Simplified Trips on Project Software (STOPS) transit model is being developed to estimate average weekday and commuter ridership. Second, a customized air passenger model is being developed, using a 2023 Air Passenger Survey, to evaluate transportation options to/from OIA for both residents and visitors. Third, inter-city rail passengers are being distributed to their final destinations using a network assignment approach. 

As the Partnership continues, Insight is iteratively updating its ridership estimates to support technical analysis and decision making.