TRAVEL ANALYSIS METHODS FOR THE 1980S. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Shifts in transportation planning requirements in the 1980's will result from greater responsibilities being given states and local governments with the consequent need for simpler and less cumbersome analytical methods. This Conference was organized around 2 sets of workshops. The first focused on 5 levels of planning and determining what issues and problems at each level would require new travel analysis methods. The second set then reviewed the state of the art for 7 analytical methods. For each workshop overview papers were prepared. The Conference findings: (1) Transportation investment decisions will require continued development and application of travel analysis methods; (2) Travel analysis methods now available are suitable for most problems and can be used immediately; (3) Newer methods are now being used extensively; (4) The 1980s should focus on technology tranfer; (5) Research on selected topics should continue. The research topics include development of simplified travel demand methods; understanding of travel behavior--particularly as influenced by social concepts; specific subjects such as goods movement, parking, pricing, ridesharing, pedestrian circulation and revenue forecasting; basic needs for travel data collection and system operations monitoring; application and use of microcomputers; forecasts of basic determinants of travel; distribution of impacts on users and nonusers.