Efficient Mobility Portfolio Schemes for Integrated, Intermodal, and Incentivized Shared Transportation

Research Lead: R. Jayakrishnan

UC Campus(es): UC Irvine

Problem Statement: Flexible transportation options such as ridesharing, carsharing, and bikesharing can be effective feeders for public transportation service because these new options have higher accessibility to travelers’ origin and destination. The private sector that now plays an increasing role as a component of urban transportation can augment public transportation accessibility. In other words, Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) and Mobility Service Providers (MSPs) can be complementary modes to transit system by providing shared use of transportation capacity. This option requires a matching algorithm between drivers and riders. An integrated platform can identify various travel options and recommends travelers with tailored information. Some options might have a route consisting of multiple modes (i.e., ridesharing-transit-bikesharing) while others might suggest a detour.

Project Description: This projects will study the benefits of a smart mobility portfolio which is a trip planning system integrating multiple travel modes and including an incentive scheme. A smart mobility portfolio can provide time-dependent trip plans across multiple modes that include several options such as shared-cars, shared-rides, bikesharing, bus/rail transit and combinations of travel modes. Four main components of this system are: 1) to identify travel options for achieving efficiency under current traffic conditions and supply conditions, 2) to calculate proper amounts of incentive to attract people to choose one of the options, 3) to provide travelers with the best travel options among these alternatives, and 4) to examine the impact of the proposed method to entire transportation systems and to update the parameters in the model. Encouraging people to change their current travel behavior through the smart mobility portfolio platform, we expect the improvement of traffic network efficiencies and the contribution to eco-friendly environment by reducing traffic congestion.

Status: In Progress

Budget: $55,201