Understanding How Heterogeneity in Travel Needs and Perceived Mode Availability for Non-Commute Trips Are Addressed in Transportation Planning in California

This research investigates how heterogeneity in travel needs and perceived availability of transportation modes for non-commute trips are addressed within transportation planning processes in California. While transportation research and planning have traditionally focused on commute travel, non-commute trips constitute a substantial and complex share of daily mobility. These trips, including those for shopping, exercise, healthcare, and social participation, are essential for household maintenance and well-being, yet remain comparatively understudied and insufficiently addressed in planning and service provision. Using a qualitative approach, this study evaluates transportation planning practices through semi-structured interviews with agency representatives across multiple levels of governance in California. It examines how non-commute travel needs and perceived mode availability are incorporated into data collection, modeling, and decision-making processes. The analysis identifies key limitations, highlights emerging practices, and assesses opportunities for improving transportation planning frameworks. By integrating behavioral insights with planning analysis, this research provides empirical evidence on how non-commute travel is currently represented in practice and where gaps persist. It also considers how evolving work arrangements and technology-enabled activities are reshaping travel patterns and how the planning process is adapting to these evolving trends. The findings offer actionable recommendations to enhance planning processes and better support non-commute travel within transportation systems.

• Record URL:
  • https://ncst.ucdavis.edu/project/understanding-how-heterogeneity-travel-needs-and-perceived-mode-availability-non-commute

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $20,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  DOT 69A3552348319

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

  University of California, Davis
  Davis, CA  United States 
• Managing Organizations:

  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

  University of California, Davis
  Davis, CA  United States 

  University of California, Davis

  1 Shields Ave
  Davis, California  United States  95616
• Project Managers:

  Cliff, Sydney

• Performing Organizations:

  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

  University of California, Davis
  Davis, CA  United States 

  University of California, Davis

  1 Shields Ave
  Davis, California  United States  95616
• Principal Investigators:

  Lecompte, Maria

• Start Date: 20261001
• Expected Completion Date: 20270930
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accessibility; Transportation planning; Travel modes; Trip generation
• Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 02001900
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: National Center for Sustainable Transportation
• Contract Numbers: DOT 69A3552348319
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Sep 9 2026 3:57PM