M.A.T.S. 1965

Michael Isaachsen, now Director of Balance Research, then a young man growing up in that city, tells his story . . .

I was fascinated with the process whereby interviews with a sample of households could lead to predictions of the need for highway and railway infrastructure. I visited the offices of the Highways Department, where the American consultant was working, and was given some encouragement to study the system being used. The data was encoded into computer files and processed and tabulated in various ways.

The final report was made public in 1967, just after I had moved to Melbourne. I read in the papers in Melbourne that Adelaide was to get some freeways and that some railways would be closed, as the result of the survey and computerised calculations. I obtained a copy of the full report and read it closely.

The report gave some explanation of the methods, and some of the formulae which divided predicted demands over the various modes. But there was little detail and the formulae were not explained.

I took time off, travelled to Adelaide and visited the Highways office to ask for more detail. The formulae were explained, but certain factors (coefficients) were derived "by experience and judgement", as I recall it, which failed to satisfy me. As to the printouts and detailed data, the consultant was hesitant to give me any. But at the end, I was given a computer tape (half-inch tape on a 12 inch spool) with all the raw data on it.

I went back to Melbourne to find a computer and learn programming.

Monash University and CSIRO were able to allow me some time on their CDC3200 systems. I had to teach myself Fortran programming language. After some months I was able to get a printout which suggested that persons living and working where public transport was good tended to use their cars less. (Surprise!).

I developed an argument to illustrate how the predictions of the MATS Report might not truly reflect the behaviour of persons in the study.

Late in 1967 I submitted to the Minister of Transport for S.A. a critique of the study, in which I put the view that the proposed freeways, if built, would be well used but the alternative path of strengthening public transport might be just as satisfactory. Among other things I suggested a free city-centre bus to distribute passengers from the railway station, located on the city perimeter, to various parts of the city.

I have no reason to believe that the Minister took any notice of my work, but it was pleasing to note, some months later, that the freeway plan was not proceeding. And about two years later, a free city-centre bus was introduced.

As I write this in 2001, the original documents are unavailable, but I will put them on line if I can find them.

Michael Isaachsen