Efficient Mobility for Rural Communities

Rural communities face unique transportation challenges due to low population density, dispersed destinations, and limited resources. Efficient mobility requires strategies that both optimize existing transit systems and embrace innovative service models. This project integrates two lines of research that can support efficient mobility and access to active modes and destinations in rural areas. The first focuses on right-sizing rural transit fleets and the second, on analyzing modal shifts from shared-use mobility services.  On the vehicle procurement side, rural agencies must balance capital and operating costs, service quality, and reliability while meeting the capacity needs of their riders. When procuring vehicles, rural transit operators choose between transit buses, cutaways, vans, and minivans of various sizes. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages regarding capital costs, operating costs, performance, service quality, and ability to meet the needs of their users. This study builds upon previous research to develop spreadsheet-based user tools that can help rural agencies and state departments of transportation (DOTs) make these decisions. This research improves upon the decision tools developed in a previous study by incorporating new models for the capacity needs of rural transit. Previous decision tools provide guidance on the types and sizes of vehicles to procure but they lack the ability to estimate capacity needs for individual agencies. This study develops a vehicle procurement decision model that incorporates a more sophisticated capacity needs analysis. The result will be a tool that estimates capacity needs of an agency and provides guidance on the number, types, and sizes of vehicles that can best meet that capacity need while improving efficiency and meeting the unique needs of the transit agency.  A second tool to be developed by the study is an optimization tool. The study will improve upon a previously developed optimization model by incorporating more detailed estimates for lifecycle costs of different types and sizes of vehicles. The study will consider transit buses, cutaways, vans, and minivans of different sizes and seating capacities and include more detailed analysis of the operating costs for each vehicle type and the overall lifecycle costs. This will be incorporated into an optimization model that will minimize total costs, including capital and operating costs, for an agency while meeting capacity needs and service requirements and considering the impact of the fleet configuration on service quality.  At the same time, emerging technology-enabled shared-use services—such as ridesourcing, microtransit, bikesharing, and carsharing—are transforming mobility in rural areas. By analyzing National Household Travel Survey data and documenting real-world deployments, the study will evaluate adoption patterns, service models, and performance outcomes of rural shared-use systems. This analysis will identify factors contributing to the success or failure of shared-use mobility initiatives and provide actionable strategies for rural agencies and policymakers .

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $189,086.00
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3552348329

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Center for Efficient Mobility

  1111 Rellis Parkway
  Bryan, Texas  United States  77807
• Project Managers:

  Ocon, Monica

• Performing Organizations:

  North Dakota State University

  P.O. Box 6050
  Fargo, ND  United States  58108-60050
• Principal Investigators:

  Mattson, Jeremy

• Start Date: 20260220
• Expected Completion Date: 20270731
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers
• Source Data: 03-15-NDSU

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Mobility; Optimization; Procurement; Ridesharing; Rural transit; Transit authorities; Transit vehicle operations
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01983768
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)
• Contract Numbers: 69A3552348329
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Mar 24 2026 2:22PM