Behavior Insights for an Incentive-Based Active Demand Management Platform

Most current Travel Demand Management(TDM)programs such as vanpooling,ridesharing,or transit focus on managing travel demand of specific groups of commuters but are limited in effectively managing demand for automobile drivers,who are unable or unwilling to participate in such programs.This paper highlights results from a pilot field study conducted in a large west coast city experiencing major traffic congestion,and documents results of the use of an incentive-based active demand management(ADM)system focusing on automobile commuters.The system,called“Metropia,”predicts future traffic conditions,applies a proprietary routing algorithm to find time-dependent shortest paths for different departure times,and,based on user request,provides automobile travelers with multiple departure times and route choices.Each of these travel choices are assigned points values,with higher points(and thus more valuable rewards)available for travelling during off-peak times and less congested routes,and lower points available for peak traffic travel times.The goal of this ADM system is to improve traffic flow and commuter travel times citywide,alleviating heavily congested areas without the use of new roadway construction by incentivizing travelers to change their travel behavior and avoid traffic congestion.The level of rewards points available to users(commuters)by the system depends on the travelers’behavioral change degree and their contributions to traffic congestion alleviation.This system was implemented in Los Angeles,Calif.,USA,as a small scale pilot field study carried out beginning April 2013 and lasting for 10 weeks.Results from this field study show the system is able to accurately predict travel time with Relative Mean Absolute Error(RMAE)as low as 15.20%.Significant travel behavior changes were observed which validate the concept of using incentives to influence people’s travel behavior.Furthermore,field study results show 20%travel time can be saved for people who changed their travel behavior.

Emission Patterns under Alternative Congestion and Motor Vehicle Pollution Mitigation Policies in Shanghai

As a megacity with thriving economy, Shanghai is experiencing rapid motorisation and confronted with traffic congestion problems despite its low car ownership. It is of value to look into the policies on emission control of motor vehicle and congestion reduction in such a city to explore how to reconcile mobility enhancement with the environment. Results of a dynamic simulation displayed time paths of emissions from motor vehicles in Shanghai over the period from 2000 to 2020. The simulation results showed that early policies on emission control of motor vehicle could bring about far-reaching effects on emission reduc- tion, and take advantage of available low-polluting technologies and technical innovation over time. Travel demand management would play an important role in curbing congestion and reducing motor vehicle pollution by calming down car ownership rise and deterring inefficient trips as well as reducing fuel waste caused by congestion.

Travelers'attitudes toward carpooling in Lahore:motives and constraints

Traffic congestion has become a critical issue in developing countries,as it tends to increase social costs in terms of travel cost and time,energy consumption and environmental degradation.With limited resources,reducing travel demand by influencing individuals’ travel behavior can be a better long-term solution.To achieve this objective,alternate travel options need to be provided so that people can commute comfortably and economically.This study aims to identify key motives and constraints in the consideration of carpooling policy with the help of stated preference questionnaire survey that was conducted in Lahore City.The designed questionnaire includes respondents’ socioeconomic demographics,and intentions and stated preferences on carpooling policy.Factor analysis was conducted on travelers’ responses,and a structural model was developed for carpooling.Survey and modeling results reveal that social,environmental and economic benefits,disincentives on car use,preferential parking treatment for carpooling,and comfort and convenience attributes are significant determinants in promoting carpooling.However,people with strong belief in personal privacy,security,freedom in traveling and carpooling service constraints would have less potential to use thecarpooling service.In addition,pro-auto and pro-carpooling attitudes,marital status,profession and travel purpose for carpooling are also underlying factors.The findings implicate that to promote carpooling policy it is required to consider appropriate incentives on this service and disincentives on use of private vehicle along with modification of people’s attitudes and intentions.

Public Attitudes Towards Policy Instruments for Congestion Mitigation in Shanghai

Congestion causes many externalities for the society, including time delays, excessive fuel consumption, air pollution, noise and safety concerns. In Shanghai, various policy options have been explored, piloted or applied; however, not all of them may be understood and accepted by the public. A survey was conducted to investigate people＇s attitudes towards several policy options. The main findings reveal that Shanghai residents are resistant to certain policies, such as congestion charges, higher parking charges in congested areas and car restrictions. Instead, they favor public transport provisions. The paper suggests that there is a case for promoting public transport and more efficient trips when the car ownership is still low, and for investing in a policy of educating the public on the ＇true＇ costs and causes of congestion before embarking on ,an intensive policy of congestion charges or restrictions.

Travel time reliability with and without the dynamic use of hard shoulder:Field assessment from a French motorway

Traffic management aims to ensure a high quality of service for most users by decreasing congestion and increasing safety. However, uncertainty regarding travel time decreases the quality of service and leads end-users to change their routes and schedules even when the average travel time is low, Indicators describing travel time reliability are being developed and should be used in the future both for the optimization and the assessment of active traffic management operation. This paper describes a managed lane experience on a motorway weaving section in France - hard shoulder running operation in rush hours. The paper is focused on travel time reliability indicators and their use for reliability assessment. It provides some discussions about the advantages and drawbacks of reliability indicators under different traffic conditions. It particularly shows the difference between using buffer times and buffer indexes. The paper also discusses the difficulty of interpreting the skew of travel time distribution for travel reliability,

Oasis City

Local tour guide witnesses how Jiayuguan has transformed from an industrial city into a comfortable and livable place