Implementation of Understanding the Impact of Autonomous Vehicles on Long-Distance Travel Mode and Destination Choice in Texas

The 0-7081 research project produces a model that forecasts long-distance demand by autonomous passenger and freight vehicles. It combines rigorous insight gained from literature, survey results, and a variety of data sets to predict a future 20+ years from now, where autonomous vehicles are readily available for all ground-based travel. Key findings thus far include 15+% added vehicle miles of travel (VMT) to the Texas and US networks, 10+% longer passenger-trip distances (within the state), and notable mode-share losses for freight rail and passenger air travel. While this project delivers complex long-distance travel-demand model specifications for passengers and freight, including all parameter estimates, the models are not yet ready for in-house applications by Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) personnel. The research team proposes an implementation project to put all passenger and freight-based travel demand equations and parameters (and various input files, like network distances and travel times, export demand volumes by industry, weight per container by industry) into a user-friendly TransCAD-based package for TxDOT employees to use in coming years. The team also proposes hosting several training sessions for TxDOT staff and stakeholders (like metropolitan planning organization (MPO) staff and their consultants, across the state and nation). In this way, TxDOT and its partners can run hundreds of diverse simulations over the coming years, thereby implementing this research work fully, while adding new forecasts and value for infrastructure maintenance and expansion, traffic management, and trade and travel support across the state and nation.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Completed
  • Funding: $159917
  • Contract Numbers:

    5-7081-01

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Texas Department of Transportation

    11th and Brazos Streets
    Austin, TX  United States  78701
  • Managing Organizations:

    Texas Department of Transportation

    11th and Brazos Streets
    Austin, TX  United States  78701
  • Project Managers:

    Dassi, Martin

  • Performing Organizations:

    Center for Transportation Research

    3925 W. Braker Lane
    Austin, TX  United States  78759
  • Principal Investigators:

    Kockelman, Kara

  • Start Date: 20221104
  • Expected Completion Date: 20231231
  • Actual Completion Date: 20231231

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01875313
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
  • Contract Numbers: 5-7081-01
  • Files: RIP, STATEDOT
  • Created Date: Mar 8 2023 3:09PM