Advanced Air Mobility Community Integration Considerations Playbook

Author: Adam Cohen, Shahab Hasan, Nancy L. Mendonca, Yolanka Wulff Date: May 2023 Abstract: This AAM Community Integration Considerations Playbook, from here on referred to as the “considerations playbook,” aims to provide an overview of planning considerations and the subject matter experts’ thinking relevant to local and regional AAM planning activities. It is intended to have a narrow scope and focus on considerations that could be initiated within the United States at the local and regional level. In the years to come, AAM will evolve requiring additional research, planning, and policymaking. The purpose of this document is to serve as a practical resource that can help provide initial information to inform local, regional, state, and tribal planning for AAM. View...

Future of Aviation: Advancing Aerial Mobility through Technology, Sustainability, and On-Demand Flight

Authors: Susan Shaheen, PhD, Adam Cohen Date: March 1, 2023 Abstract: Advanced air mobility (AAM) is a broad concept enabling consumers access to air mobility, cargo and package delivery, healthcare applications, and emergency services through an integrated and connected multimodal transportation network. AAM includes local use cases of about a 50-mile radius in rural or urban areas and intraregional use cases of up to approximately 500 miles that occur within or between urban and rural areas. The Future of Aviation Conference: Advancing Aerial Mobility through Technology, Sustainability, and On-Demand Flight was held in person at the San Francisco International Airport from August 2 to 5, 2022. The conference commenced with an AAM 101 workshop hosted by the Community Air Mobility Initiative (CAMI) on August 2nd. The full conference program began on August 3rd. This event advanced key research and policy discussions around environmental impacts, safety, security, equity, multimodal integration, and the role of government. View...

Synthesis Report: Findings and Lessons Learned from the Independent Evaluation of the Mobility on Demand (MOD) Sandbox Demonstrations

Authors: Elliot Martin, PhD, Adam Cohen, Susan Shaheen, PhD Date: February 2023 Abstract: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Mobility on Demand (MOD) Sandbox effort developed around a vision of a multimodal, integrated, automated, accessible, and connected transportation system in which personalized mobility is a key feature. FTA selected 11 MOD Sandbox demonstration projects that tested strategies intended to advance the MOD vision. An independent evaluation (IE) is required by federal public transportation law 49 U.S.C. § 5312(e)(4) for demonstration projects receiving FTA Public Transportation Innovation funding. This report provides a synthesis of findings from the 11 MOD Sandbox Demonstrations independent evaluation. The report presents an overview of the IE methodology and evaluation framework employed for developing test procedures and conducting the evaluations. Cross-cutting findings from the data analysis on user impacts and systems operations are explored alongside a variety of institutional factors that influenced project development and outcomes (data sharing, public-private partnerships, characteristics of service provision, cost-effectiveness, marketing of services). Considerations for future mobility innovation demonstration programs gathered through interviews with project partners are also included. Finally, site-specific summaries of findings from each of the 11 evaluations are shared in an appendix. The report offers transportation practitioners an overview of the impacts of the MOD Sandbox program and individual demonstration projects and gives insights for the planning, procurement, operations, and evaluation of technology-enabled mobility initiatives. View...

Advancing Road User Charge (RUC) Models in California: Understanding Social Equity and Travel Behavior Impacts

Authors: Jessica Lazarus, Jacquelyn Broader, Adam Cohen, Alexandre Bayen, Susan Shaheen Date: December 2022 Abstract: California is currently exploring a mileage-based road user charge (RUC) program as an alternative to the existing gas tax. This research explores the potential social equity implications of this change through a literature review, expert interviews (N=21), general population survey (N = 3,489; final N = 3,061), and discrete choice model. The literature review and expert interviews reveal that populations that may face equity concerns include women, rural residents, un- and under-banked households, and low-income individuals. However, various strategies and program design considerations exist to attempt to address these equity concerns. The survey identified regional travel patterns across Northern, Central, and Southern California including in total vehicle miles traveled (VMT), VMT by population density, person miles traveled (PMT), trip purposes, and mode. Additionally, the survey showed travel behavior differences by age and household structure, income level, and across employment sectors. Emerging travel behavior trends include work from home rates that vary by geography, age, and employment sector and increasing delivery service use, particularly by higher-income households in select geographies. However, delivery services also may assist in addressing resource access (e.g., for zero-vehicle households). Vehicle ownership rates and the distribution of vehicle fuel type, fuel efficiency, and VMT/taxable fuel consumption also vary across geographic and demographic conditions. Less than half of the survey respondents understand how transportation is funded, roughly half factor in travel costs when making transportation decisions, and about 30% are comfortable with sharing location information to public and private entities. The discrete choice model showed a strong preference for personal auto use,...

Future of Work: Scenario Planning for COVID-19 Recovery

Authors: Alexandra Pan, Susan Shaheen, PhD Date: November 2022 Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread lockdowns across the world in early 2020, with major implications to spatial and temporal commuting patterns as a result of increased work from home (also known as telework) activities. There has been a high degree of uncertainty on what work from home impacts will persist in the future. In this report, we first conduct a thorough review of news articles, published reports, and peer-reviewed literature to summarize telework trends. We also use scenario planning to bring together ten experts from academia, public sector, industry, and commercial real estate in two 1.5-hour long workshops to discuss the impacts of telework on transportation, housing, commercial real estate, and land use. View...