presentation

Supporting Infrastructure for Zero-Emission Trucks in California: A Data-Driven Simulation Approach Using an ALNS-VRP Framework

published journal article

A Case for Race and Space in Auto Ownership Modeling: A Los Angeles County Study

Abstract

Auto ownership behavior is driven by complex relationships that can vary dramatically across different traveler groups and communities. Differences in auto ownership among racial groups have been of particular interest, given ongoing efforts to advance equity in transportation outcomes. There are a number of studies documenting racial disparities in auto ownership associated with racial and ethnic residential clustering, termed “automobile mismatch.” Yet, these differences in auto ownership behavior by race and residential location are virtually never considered in models of travel behavior, despite calls for the consideration for race in transportation planning and decision making. This study aims to bridge the gap between understandings of the connections between race and space and transportation outcomes, using Los Angeles County as a case study. A series of auto ownership model specifications are used to investigate statistical connections between the racial and ethnic categories of residents, and neighborhoods, revealing systematic variations across racial and spatial dimensions. The composite model, which includes racial and spatial indicators, outperforms the base model, suggesting that the inclusion of race and space explains significantly more information on variations in auto ownership and provides a superior fit to the data. Our findings also suggest that the exclusion of racial and spatial indicators may lead to overestimation of certain effects, and may completely misrepresent the importance of certain household, individual-level, and built environment effects in explaining auto ownership preferences. Given the increasing attention to equity and representation in transportation outcomes, models that exclude considerations for race and space may be poorly positioned to support meaningful transportation equity analyses.

published journal article

Transitioning Ridehailing Fleets to Zero Emission: Economic Insights for Electric Vehicle Acquisition

Abstract

Under California’s Clean Miles Standard (or SB 1014), transportation network companies (TNCs) must transition to zero-emission vehicles by 2030. One significant hurdle for TNC drivers is the electric vehicle (EV) acquisition and operating costs versus an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. This study therefore evaluates net TNC driving earnings through EV acquisition pathways—financing, leasing, and renting—along with EV-favoring policy options. Key metrics assessed include (1) total TNC income when considering service fees, fuel costs, monthly vehicle payments, etc., and (2) the time EVs take to reach parity with their ICE counterparts. Monthly comparisons illustrate the earning differentials between new/used EVs and gas-powered vehicles. The analyses employs TNC data from 2019 to 2020 suggesting that EV leasing is optimal for short-term low-mileage drivers; EV financing is more feasible for those planning to drive for TNCs for over two years; EV rentals are only optimal for higher mileages, and they are not an economical pathway for longer-term driving. Sensitivity analyses further indicate that EV charging price discounts are effective in shortening the time for EVs to reach cost parity over ICEs. Drivers may experience a total asset gain when reselling their TNC vehicle after two to three years.

preprint journal article

Political Preferences and Transport Infrastructure: Evidence from California's High-Speed Rail

Abstract

We study how political preferences shaped California’s High-Speed Rail (CHSR), a largetransportation project approved by referendum in 2008. Voters’ support responded significantly to the projected economic gains in their tract of residence, as measured by a quantitative model of high-speed rail matched to CHSR plans. Given this response, a revealed-preference approach comparing the proposed network with alternative designs identifies strong planner’s preferences for political support. The optimal politically-blind design would have placed the stations nearer to California’s dense metro areas, where it was harder to sway votes, thus increasing the projected economic gains.

published journal article

Can Governments Streamline Environmental Impact Analysis to Promote Transit Oriented Development? Evidence from California

Publication Date

March 1, 2025

Author(s)

Bailey Affolter, Jamey Volker, Nicholas Marantz, Susan Pike, Graham DeLeon

Abstract

California’s seminal Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008—Senate Bill (SB) 375—includes two provisions specifically intended to help streamline transit-oriented development (TOD) projects through environmental review (California SB 375, 2008). One provision exempts qualifying TODs from environmental review entirely. The other provision streamlines environmental review for qualifying projects. This study explores the use and effect of those provisions. It first quantifies how much and where the provisions have been used. It then uses interviews and email communications with planning and development practitioners to explore why streamlining is used, whether streamlining actually helps reduce the time, cost, and uncertainty of permitting TOD projects, and how streamlining could be improved to better facilitate TOD projects. The study finds that SB 375 streamlining is a mixed bag. Neither streamlining provision has been used extensively. The full exemption appears to have been avoided because its costs and complications outweigh any streamlining benefit, though the more limited streamlining provision was regarded as having at least some utility. It also found that SB 375-streamlined projects might not be fulfilling SB 375’s more fundament goals—reducing vehicle kilometers traveled and greenhouse gas emissions. The clearest lesson for policymakers is to reduce the eligibility requirements for environmental review streamlining provisions.

book/book chapter

Pandemic Transit: A National Look at the Shock, Adaptation, and Prospects for Recovery

Abstract

While the COVID-19 pandemic in some way affected every person and enterprise on the planet, the temporary hollowing out of concentrated economic, political, and cultural agglomerations in cities dealt a devastating and potentially enduring blow to the public transit systems that depend on them for so many of their customers. This chapter draws on a survey of 72 U.S. public transit systems and semi-structured interviews with 12 transit agency staff, both conducted in the late summer and early fall of 2020, to consider how the pandemic shocked the transit industry at the outset, and how the industry adapted to deliver transit services. It finds that: transit agencies adapted quickly, and many of their changes are now standard operating procedure; the pandemic tended to affect large and small transit agencies differently; transit’s role as a social service provider took on increased visibility and importance; and financial collapse has been averted, but funding shortfalls may become a pressing issue in the years ahead when federal emergency funding runs out. It concludes that while transit systems have adapted remarkably to dramatic change and that federal funding has largely forestalled fiscal crises, the longer term future of public transit in the U.S. remains very uncertain.

policy brief

Which Pandemic-Induced Changes in Work and Commuting Are Sticking, and What Does this Mean for Public Policy?

Publication Date

April 1, 2025

Author(s)

Fariba Siddiq, Brian D. Taylor

Abstract

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, most workers were tied to fixed locations and schedules, often necessitating long, stressful commutes that researchers have linked to reduced productivity, and lower overall well-being. During the pandemic, the need for social distancing, together with ongoing advances in communication technologies, led many firms and employees to embrace remote and hybrid work arrangements. Now, in the post-pandemic era, many employees prefer these arrangement and are resisting employers’ “return-to-office” mandates. What is the state of working from home and commuting post-pandemic? This study examined this question using data from the 2022 National Household Travel Survey.

published journal article

Supply-side challenges and research needs on the road to 100% zero-emissions vehicle sales

Abstract

This review paper delves into the supply-side challenges and considerations for transitioning to 100% zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), weaving together an analysis of batteries, vehicle production, charging infrastructure, and relevant supply-side policies. The study begins by examining the innovations and environmental impacts of lithium mining and recycling, highlighting the need for robust frameworks to ensure sustainable battery production. The exploration of vehicle production reveals important issues regarding labor dynamics and global competitiveness. The investigation into charging infrastructure reveals complexities in deployment models and access, reflecting broader societal and economic considerations. Lastly, a critical evaluation of policies across various jurisdictions provides insights into the effectiveness and potential improvements needed to support the ZEV transition. The study emphasizes the need for coordinated efforts and further research, particularly in areas such as end-of-life considerations for batteries and the alignment of international production standards. The findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the supply-side landscape for ZEVs and underscore the essential research directions to ensure a responsible and successful electrification of the transportation system.

policy brief

Bike Theft: Estimating the Magnitude and Impacts on Bicycling Behavior Policy Brief

Publication Date

March 1, 2025

Author(s)

Trisalyn Nelson, Achituv Cohen, Lizzy Schattle, Dillon Fitch-Polse

Abstract

As cities invest in bicycle lanes to encourage active transportation, it may also be important to ensure safe bicycle parking and other measures of theft prevention. The magnitude of the problem is largely unknown, but it may be substantial given the ease of breaking bike locks, the potential for resale, and the challenges for law enforcement. Also, studies have shown that bike theft can deter a person from bicycling more in the future due to the difficulty replacing the bike or because they are concerned about another theft. To better understand the impact of theft on cycling behavior and assist cities to determine where and how to invest in bike infrastructure and other strategies to ensure that all Californians have access to bicycling, this study conducted a survey of bicycle thefts and recoveries. The study produced suggestions for the State’s Active Transportation Program, and other funding programs for bicycling.

blog

How a Charging-As-A-Service Model Could Support and Expand Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Abstract

California aims to dramatically increase its electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, but faces significant challenges. A new business model called charging-as-a-service (CaaS) could help overcome these obstacles and support the state’s ambitious climate goals.