All Research Products

The National Center for Sustainable Transportation's primary output from research is reports and white papers. Many projects also produce a Project Brief to summarize and highlight the policy and/or research findings and implications. NCST research also produces journal articles, conference papers, books, dissertations, theses, presentations, and posters. The NCST has also created various tools that can be used by policymakers and practitioners, such as models, calculators, and planning tools.

Exploring Microtransit Adoption and its Impacts on Transportation Access for Underserved Populations

Research Product Type

Research Report

This project evaluates a broad range of factors influencing microtransit adoption and travel behavior among underserved populations using original revealed choice survey data collected from February – May 2024 with online and intercept surveys.

Industrial Ecology and the Just Transition: Lithium extraction, manufacturing, and end-of-life management for electric vehicle batteries

Research Product Type

Dissertation / Thesis

This dissertation examines clean energy supply chains in the context of the just transition and circular economy frameworks, focusing on a central technology for zero-emissions transportation: lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for electric vehicles (EVs). The author focuses on three phases of the LIB life cycle: mineral extraction, component and cell manufacturing, and end-of-life management.

Bikesharing and other micromobility services can improve connectivity between affordable housing communities and transit

Research Product Type

Policy Brief

A team at the University of California, Davis, conducted a case study in Sacramento, California, to explore bikesharing as an option for connecting affordable housing residents with transit services. This brief summarizes the findings from that research and provides implications for the field.

Rural travel burdens in the United States: Unmet need and travel costs

Research Product Type

Associated Publication

Using the 2017 National Household Travel Survey, this study quantifies and compares travel burdens in rural versus nonrural communities in the United States.

Dataset: Enhanced Accounting for Item Cost Variability in AASHTOWare Project Software Dataset

Research Product Type

Data

This is the dataset for project "Enhanced Accounting for Item Cost Variability in AASHTOWare Project Software" (GT-DG-S22-74)

Dataset: Dataset of air travelers’ ground transportation choice at four airports in Northern California

Research Product Type

Data

This dataset is collected during the project "Air travelers’ Ground Transportation Choice at Four Airports in Northern California."It contains the survey responses regarding the use of the four airports in Northern California.

Sensor placement considering the observability of traffic dynamics: On the algebraic and graphical perspectives

Research Product Type

Dissertation / Thesis

Traffic sensors serve as one of the most important sources for such data by providing an accurate and reliable general picture of the traffic system. In this dissertation, a new sensor location model is developed to maximize the observability of link densities in a dynamic traffic network described using a piecewise linear ordinary differential equation system.

Sensor placement considering the observability of traffic dynamics: On the algebraic and graphical perspectives

Research Product Type

Associated Publication

In this paper, the authors present a new sensor location model that aims to maximize observability of link densities in a dynamic traffic network described using a piecewise linear system of ordinary differential equations.

Exploring the Environmental Sustainability and Social Equity Benefits of Micromobility Services

Research Product Type

Dissertation / Thesis

This dissertation consists of six studies that explore the environmental sustainability and social equity implications of micromobility services, separately and together. The studies compiled in this dissertation examine the implications of travel behavior for environmental sustainability through the lens of equity.

Synthetic Fleet Generation and Vehicle Assignment to Synthetic Households for Regional and Sub-regional Sustainability Analysis

Research Product Type

Research Report

In this study, a modeling framework was developed to generate high-resolution synthetic fleets, for use with synthetic household modeling in activity-based travel models, by integrating various data sources.

Mobility, Energy, and Emissions Impacts of SAEVs to Disadvantaged Communities in California

Research Product Type

Research Report

This study delves into the energy and emissions impacts of Shared Autonomous and Electric Vehicles (SAEVs) on disadvantaged communities in California.

Dataset: Synthetic Fleet Generation and Vehicle Assignment to Synthetic Households for Regional and Sub-regional Sustainability Analysis

Research Product Type

Data

This is the dataset for the project "Synthetic Fleet Generation and Vehicle Assignment to Synthetic Households for Regional and Sub-regional Sustainability Analysis" (GT-DOT-716).

Results of the 2023-2024 Campus Travel Survey

Research Product Type

Research Report

The 2023-24 survey collected data from 4,774 people affiliated with UC Davis about their travel to campus.

Parameters Driving Concrete Carbonation at its End-of-Life for Direct Air Capture in Transportation Projects

Research Product Type

Research Report

In this work, a literature review of key parameters that can facilitate desired CO2 uptake for transportation projects at their end of life is conducted and an initial meta-analyses of data from the literature to inform CO2 uptake for individual projects is performed.

Smart Charging of Electric Vehicle Fleets: Modeling, Algorithm Development, and Grid Impact Analysis, with Emphasis on Fleets of Transit and Heavy-Duty Freight Vehicles

Research Product Type

Research Report

To address the challenges of electric grid stress and fleet operator costs associated with commercial electric vehicle fleets, this report presents a highly flexible smart charging algorithm for managing EV fleets that arrive and depart from a common depot on a schedule.

Enhanced Accounting for Item Cost Variability in AASHTOWare Project Software

Research Product Type

Dissertation / Thesis

This study applies bootstrap analysis to historic transportation project item cost data to develop improved estimates of item cost-confidence bounds for use in transportation project cost uncertainty analysis (a component of lifecycle analysis).

Air Travelers’ Ground Transportation Choices at Four Airports in Northern California

Research Product Type

Research Report

To add insights into air travelers’ ground transportation choices, this study collected a dataset with a survey administered among travelers using four major airports in Northern California in the post-pandemic era.

Democratization of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: Analyzing EV Adoption by Vehicle and Household Characteristics Using Synthetic Populations

Research Product Type

Research Report

This report discusses an EV adoption model that employs synthetic population at the census tract level to show the effect of vehicle body type on EV spatial distribution and home-charging access in California.

EV Carsharing Information and Resources Dashboard

Research Product Type

Planning Tool

This dashboard is a collection of information about how electric vehicle (EV) carsharing has been successfully implemented in California to improve the mobility of individuals and communities.

Learning Drivers’ Utility Functions in a Coordinated Freight Routing System Based on Drivers’ Actions

Research Product Type

Research Report

This study highlights the potential of a coordinated routing system to enhance urban traffic efficiency by dynamically adjusting incentives based on drivers’ choice data and driver behavior.