Use the Drive time tab to select the time of day options, speed units to display, restrictions (hard or soft), drive time algorithm and snap tolerance options.
- To set time of day options, click the Time of Day Options drop-down menu to choose the time of day and the day of the week or a specific day.
- Choose the drive-time algorithm. You can choose from Standard Drive Times (Fastest) or Detailed Drive Times. This globally sets the type of drive time algorithm in an applicable wizard such as drive time trade areas or threshold area trade area drive time rings.
- Standard Drive Times (Fastest) - This algorithm uses the hierarchy of a network dataset as it solves. This diminishes the number of roads that must be searched in the solve process and therefore makes solving a service area layer much faster. Generalized polygons are generated quickly and are fairly accurate, except in the fringes. The generalizing of polygons may result in islands of unreached elements being covered.
- Detailed Drive Times - This algorithm uses the network dataset without a hierarchy. Detailed polygons model the service areas more accurately. Expect detailed polygons to take noticeably longer to generate than generalized polygons.
- Business Analyst Online API - This algorithm uses the hierarchy of a network dataset as it solves. Generalized polygons are generated quickly and are fairly accurate, except in the fringes.
If generating drive time areas in an urban area with a gridlike network, the difference between generalized and detailed polygons would be minimal. However, for mountain and rural roads, the detailed polygons may present significantly more accurate results than generalized polygons.
- Modify your street network snap tolerances if necessary. Set your minimum and maximum distance where a point snaps to a road segment. For example, if a site prospecting point is placed near a new development without existing roads, the point will snap to the nearest street segment within the selected tolerance to begin an analysis.
- Click OK to save your preferences or click a different tab to set other preferences.