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Projects

The National Center for Sustainable Transportation funds a variety of research grants, organized by our three research themes (Infrastructure Provision; Travel Demand; and Vehicle Technology), and by project type (applied research projects, white papers / research synthesis, seed grants, translational projects, dissertation grants, and graduate student-led research). 

Analysis of the Decision to Lease an Electric Vehicle and the Impact of Incentives on the Electric Vehicle Lease Market

  • Principal Investigator Scott Hardman, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
Using a choice model, the project will identify behavioral differences between those who purchase versus lease plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), discuss how the characteristics of a vehicle technology influence the decision, and will investigate the impact of incentives on the decision to lease a PEV.
Project Status
Complete

Coordinated Traffic Flow Control in a Connected Environment

  • Principal Investigator Petros Ioannou, Ph.D.
  • University of Southern California
This project will investigate how connectivity provided by vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle to vehicle (V2V) technologies can be used to develop traffic flow control systems that will enhance mobility and safety, and reduce queues at ramps with positive benefits to transportation efficiency and environment.
Project Status
Complete

The Ridesharing Routing Problem with Flexible Pick-up and Drop-off Points

  • Principal Investigator Maged Dessouky, Ph.D.
  • University of Southern California
One of the drawbacks of ridesharing is the extra inconvenience to the drivers and passengers of excessive detours to pick up new riders. The research team proposes to develop an optimization-based solution procedure to solve this problem based on iteratively solving the routing and pick up and drop off points.
Project Status
Complete

Evaluation of Goods Movement Battery Electric Vehicles and Port Equipment

  • Principal Investigator Chas Frederickson
  • University of California, Riverside

This project will investigate and evaluate the activity patterns and energy use of battery electric vehicles (BEV) and equipment that directly work in goods movement or work in the logistics relate

Project Status
Complete

Assessing the Potential Impacts of Toll Discounts on Zero-Emission Vehicle Adoption

  • Principal Investigator Adam Davis, Ph.D
  • University of California, Davis
In this project, the research team will assess the impacts of discounted express lane tolls on ZEV adoption statewide and specifically in disadvantaged communities and areas where these discounts will have the largest impact. The results of this analysis will be used to propose a discount system that will encourage ZEV adoption but not overly burden express lane infrastructure.
Project Status
Complete

Barriers to Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Transportation

  • Principal Investigator Giovanni Circella, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
The key objective of this contract is to inform the California Air Resources Board on the quickly evolving transportation patterns resulting from the deployment and adoption of emerging transportation technologies, and the disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and identify opportunities for reduction of vehicle miles travelled (VMT) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation.
Project Status
In Progress

Measuring, Analyzing, and Identifying Small-Area Vehicle Miles Traveled Reduction

  • Principal Investigator Susan Handy, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
This project will complete a minimum of three case studies of local communities that have experienced substantial changes in the transportation system and/or land development patterns to assess the change in VMT that has resulted; the forces contributing to transportation and land use changes, including local and/or regional policy changes, will also be examined.
Project Status
In Progress

Evaluating the Effectiveness of “Smart Pedal” Systems for Vehicle Fleets

  • Principal Investigator George Scora
  • University of California, Riverside
The research team will utilize the before/after “Smart Pedal” data to conduct a cost/benefit analysis of the top 2% of Caltrans Fleet vehicles which would benefit from “Smart Pedal” technology installation.
Project Status
Complete