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. 

Implementing and Evaluating Machine Learning Algorithms for Bikeshare System Demand Prediction

  • Principal Investigator Mehdi Azimi, Ph.D.
  • Texas Southern University
This research project will develop models for Houston bikeshare system demand prediction at the station level by leveraging data on station activities. Accurate prediction of bikeshare demand has the potential to transform the way these systems are managed and integrated into urban transportation networks, leading to improved efficiency, customer satisfaction, and sustainability.
Project Status
In Progress

Incorporating Infrastructure and Vehicle Technology Requirements, Changes in Demand, and Decarbonization Policies' Considerations into Freight Planning

  • Principal Investigator Miguel Jaller, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
This research aims to develop an equitable and sustainable freight‐oriented land use methodology to support future planning activities, facilitate the integration of freight activity across urban, suburban, and rural areas, and facilitate the transition of heavy‐ and medium‐duty vehicles toward zero‐emission. The project will analyze freight distribution patterns considering supply and demand and estimate social, environmental, and labor impacts in different communities.
Project Status
Complete

Investigating Transportation Decarbonization through Transit and Rideshare Electrification: A Scenario Analysis with Large-Scale Models

  • Principal Investigator Mehdi Azimi, Ph.D.
  • Texas Southern University
This project utilizes the Department of Energy's Systems and Modeling for Accelerated Research in Transportation (SMART) workflow to evaluate potential outcomes of electrification policies, specifically for transit and rideshare systems. This will be accomplished by harnessing a large-scale agent-based activity-based transportation modeling tool designed for the Houston Metropolitan Area.
Project Status
In Progress

Investigation of the Abilities and Limitations of Travel Demand Modeling in Informing Decision-Making

  • Principal Investigator Susan Handy, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
This project will investigate the capabilities and limitations of Travel Demand Models by delineating their ability to accurately forecast project outcomes and determining how susceptible model analyses are to bias. The findings inform policymakers of the opportunities and limitations in relying on TDMs as regulatory tools.
Project Status
In Progress

Lessons Learned on Mobility as a Service (MaaS): Exploring Opportunities and Barriers for the U.S. Context

  • Principal Investigator Giovanni Circella, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
This project will review Mobility as a Service (MaaS) experience from abroad and investigate the lessons learned on the way MaaS works, the various levels of integration possible on the MaaS platform, the type of transportation services that are offered, and the way (bundle) payments and fare integration are handled.
Project Status
In Progress

Monitoring Active Transportation Demand and Safety with Computer Vision

  • Principal Investigator Dillon Fitch-Polse, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
This research will validate video- and LiDAR-based sensors to collect active transportation count data for modeling system level active transportation volume in Davis, California as a pilot for other cities and agencies.
Project Status
In Progress
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