Travel Demand

The NCST develops and assesses strategies to promote multi-modal travel and reduce car dependence in urban, suburban, and rural settings for both passenger and goods movement, as well as the potential of these strategies to improve accessibility to jobs, housing, and other activities for disadvantaged populations. Studies have evaluated strategies for shifting travel from solo driving to more efficient, low-carbon modes, including transit, walking and biking, and “new mobility” services, such as ride-hailing, bike-sharing, and micro-transit. Other studies have addressed the implications for vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) of “logistics sprawl,” automated cars, and highway capacity. 

A National Assessment of the Air Quality and Health Impacts of Vehicle Travel and Electrification: Phase 1 Near Roadway Impacts and Equity Analysis

  • Principal Investigator Gregory Rowangould, Ph.D.
  • University of Vermont
This project will address limitations in the current literature surrounding air quality impacts of vehicle traffic, especially in underserved communities. The team will employ a refined near-roadway emission exposure surrogate that balances spatial precision and computational burden to estimate changes in exposure levels and health risks and the distribution of these burdens over time as EV adoption increases.
Project Status
In Progress

Advancing Active Transportation Project Evaluation

  • Principal Investigator Dillon Fitch-Polse, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
In this project, the researchers will conduct data collection and analysis to supplement the California AT Benefit-Cost Tool (or "the BC Tool").
Project Status
In Progress

Assessing Electric Vehicle Benefits in a Rural, Cold, and Mountainous Region

  • Principal Investigator Dana Rowangould, Ph.D.
  • University of Vermont
This study will collect real-world driving data in the mountainous and largely rural northern state of Vermont to determine how plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) use and performance differ across these contexts and for different vehicle types.
Project Status
In Progress

Changing Markets for Commuter and Suburban Rail

  • Principal Investigator Kari E. Watkins, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
The goal of this project is to understand barriers to potential ridership including a dearth of first- and last-mile connections, reliability of service, bicycle and pedestrian facilities near stations, cost, changes in attitudes, changes in demand for travel (induced by work from home preferences), and station level amenities including parking.
Project Status
In Progress

Comparing REAP and AHSC: State-defined versus regionally-defined funding strategies for affordable housing linked to multi-modal transport

  • Principal Investigator Elisa Barbour, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
This research project will compare key elements of program design, administration, and projected benefits from the Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) and Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) programs, with the aim of considering how and whether a state-led strategy (AHSC) differs from regionally-designed strategies (through REAP), in furthering SB 375 goals through funding that allocated for similar specific purposes.
Project Status
In Progress

Envisioning Micromobility as Public Transit: Two intervention studies in the living lab of Davis, California

  • Principal Investigator Kari E. Watkins, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
To begin to envision micromobility as serving existing public transit and acting as public transportation itself, the researchers will examine the role of pricing on micromobility demand. In this project, the researchers will conduct two pricing-focused field experiments, partnered with the micromobility operator, SPIN, and a railway operator, Capitol Corridor.
Project Status
In Progress

Equity Concerns Related to Induced Travel and Mitigation

  • Principal Investigator Jesus Barajas, Ph.D
  • University of California, Davis
This project will develop guidance for evaluating sociodemographic disparities from the impacts of State Highway System expansion projects and associated vehicle miles traveled (VMT) mitigation strategies.
Project Status
In Progress

Exploring Induced Travel Effects from Other Projects

  • Principal Investigator Jamey Volker, PhD
  • University of California, Davis
The purpose of this project is to explore the induced travel effects of categories of roadway expansions not currently covered by the Induced Travel Calculator, including minor arterials, interchanges, on- and off-ramps, and non-general-purpose facilities.
Project Status
In Progress
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