Transportation Planning

  • The M3 Motorway cutting at Twyford Down

    Report

    Road traffic demand elasticities: A rapid evidence assessment

    This study presents findings of a rapid evidence assessment of literature to better understand the factors driving road transport demand for both passengers and freight.

    Jan 15, 2015

  • Events @ RAND Audio Podcast

    Multimedia

    Self-Driving Vehicles

    At this October 2014 event at RAND, information scientist Nidhi Kalra discusses the social, environmental, and policy implications of driverless cars.

    Oct 28, 2014

  • News Release

    News Release

    Economic Development Not the Only Influence on Personal Car Use

    Although countries with high levels of economic development generally have more personal automobile travel than less-affluent nations, income is not the only factor that determines a nation's demand for cars.

    Jul 18, 2014

  • Stop sign in Russia

    Research Brief

    Driving in the Future in Developing Countries

    Automobility -- travel in personal vehicles -- varies between countries. This brief summarizes a study of the factors besides economic development that affect automobility and how automobility might evolve in developing countries.

    Jul 15, 2014

  • Mototransport (bicycle cars) in New Delhi, India

    Report

    Exploring the Future of Driving in Developing Countries

    The level of automobility, or travel in personal vehicles, varies among countries. By determining the factors besides economic development that have affected automobility in developed countries, researchers can predict how automobility might evolve in developing countries.

    Jul 15, 2014

  • Congressional Briefing Podcast

    Multimedia

    A New Way to Pay for Transportation: Exploring a Shift from Fuel Taxes to Mileage-Based User Fees

    In this June 2014 Congressional Briefing, Liisa Ecola discusses growing shortfalls in federal and state funding for surface transportation programs, and the potential of mileage fees (rather than fuel taxes) to reduce those shortfalls while also reducing traffic congestion, harmful emissions, and excessive road wear.

    Jun 26, 2014

  • Automobile traffic backs-up as it travels north from San Diego to Los Angeles along Interstate Highway 5 in California

    Commentary

    Make HOT Lanes Permanent

    The first HOT lanes in L.A. have improved traffic flow and travel time reliability, are fair to users of the facilities, have improved transit service and have generated revenue needed to fund those improvements from voluntary toll payments.

    Apr 23, 2014

  • A driverless electric vehicle at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore

    Commentary

    With Self-Driving Cars, Promise Outweighs Peril

    The promise of autonomous vehicles is finally near to being realized and the substantial benefits to society in terms of safety, mobility, and fuel economy cannot be ignored. It is not too early for policy makers to begin to think about the challenges that lie ahead.

    Jan 29, 2014

  • Report

    Report

    PRISM 2011 Base: Demand Model Implementation

    This report documents the implementation of the demand models in the PRISM strategic transport model for the West Midlands region of the UK.

    Jan 28, 2014

  • Report

    Report

    PRISM 2011 Base: Frequency and Car Ownership Models

    This report documents the re-estimation of the frequency and car ownership models in the PRISM strategic transport model for the West Midlands region of the UK.

    Jan 28, 2014

  • Report

    Report

    PRISM 2011 Base: Mode-Destination Model Estimation

    This report documents the re-estimation of the mode-destination models in the PRISM model for the West Midlands region of the UK. The models for some purposes represent access mode and station choice, and time of day choice for car drivers.

    Jan 28, 2014

  • News Release

    News Release

    Self-Driving Vehicles Offer Potential Benefits, Policy Challenges for Lawmakers

    Self-driving vehicles offer the promise of significant benefits to society, but raise several policy challenges, including the need to update insurance liability regulations and privacy concerns such as who will control the data generated by this technology.

    Jan 6, 2014

  • One of Google's self-driving cars picturesd in a parking lot.

    Research Brief

    How to Best Realize the Social Benefits of Autonomous Vehicle Technology

    The auto industry has been moving toward more autonomous vehicles for years. Policymakers could benefit from an examination of the technological advances in this area, their benefits and risks, and the potential effects of various regulations — as well as the absence of regulation — on the development of this technology.

    Jan 6, 2014

  • Congressional Briefing Podcast

    Multimedia

    The Future of Mobility: Transportation 2030

    In this December 2013 Congressional Briefing, Johanna Zmud and Peter Phleps illustrate two distinct scenarios for the future of mobility 17 years from now and how choices that policymakers make today will affect the future of mobility in America.

    Dec 3, 2013

  • cars in a traffic jam under blue sky

    Report

    Copenhagen Area Transport Model Extended to Enable Congestion Charging

    To assess congestion charging policies where the charge varies according to the time of day, the Ørestad Transport Model (OTM) for the Greater Copenhagen area has been extended to predict the choice of time of travel for car drivers.

    Nov 20, 2013

  • illustration of cars, trucks, buses, and helicopter traveling in a city

    Blog

    What Mobility Might Look Like in the U.S. in 2030

    Mobility — the ability to travel from one location to another — may look very different in the United States in the year 2030. Three key drivers differentiate possible scenarios: the price of oil, the development of environmental regulations, and the amount of highway revenues and expenditures.

    Oct 28, 2013

  • depiction of fast-moving traffic at night

    Report

    Scenarios Examine Future of Mobility in the United States

    What might one expect for the future of mobility in the U.S. in 2030? A six-step scenario development process resulted in two thought-provoking scenarios that address this question, and three key drivers differentiate the scenarios: the price of oil, the development of environmental regulation, and the amount of highway revenues and expenditures.

    Oct 24, 2013

  • Report

    Report

    Manchester Motorway Box: Post-Survey Research of Induced Traffic Effects: Model Estimation

    This report describes the development of discrete choice models to support analysis of the induced traffic effects resulting from the completion of the M60 Manchester Motorway Box in the UK.

    Jul 22, 2013

  • Aerial photo of highway

    Commentary

    Consider Taxing Miles Traveled

    Mileage-fee rates could be structured to reduce congestion, harmful emissions and excessive road wear, and the enabling technology could support a range of value-added services offering greater convenience and safety for motorists, writes Keith Crane.

    Apr 19, 2013

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Expediting Future Technologies for Enhancing Transportation System Performance

    STREAM is a process that transportation agencies can use to identify, assess, shape, and adopt new and emerging technologies to help achieve long-term system performance objectives.

    Jan 1, 2013