Events
10.05.2021 - 10.06.2021
AASHTO CDMA Annual Virtual Conference
RSG Senior Director Mark Bradley will present at this year's American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Committee on Data Management and Analytics (CDMA) Annual Virtual Conference. The AASHTO CDMA helps state departments of transportation improve transportation data collection, procurement, processing, analysis, reporting, and sharing. Mark's presentation will share highlights from RSG's COVID-19 Transportation Insights Survey. Since May 2020, this survey has collected a wealth of data on how the pandemic is reshaping travel. Several agencies, including the Michigan Department of Transportation and Vermont Agency of Transportation, have purchased additional add-on samples to help understand travel changes in their regions. Mark will present an overview of our findings from this ongoing survey and discuss their relevance to state departments of transportation. Who? Mark Bradley, Senior Director (RSG) What? Committee on Data Management and Analytics (CDMA) Annual Virtual Conference, sponsored by AASHTO Where and When? The CDMA Annual Conference is entirely virtual this year. Mark is presenting during the research portion on Tuesday, October 5 at 1:00 p.m. ET. The CDMA Annual Virtual Conference occurs from October 5 to October 6. The registration link is below.
Click here to register for the CDMA Annual Virtual Conference »
10.05.2021 - 10.08.2021
AMPO 2021 Annual Conference
RSG Senior Director Joel Freedman will present at the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) conference this year. The AMPO 2021 Annual Conference gathers the nation's largest MPOs to advance the industry conversation around transportation planning.
Joel's presentation will discuss RSG's applications of ActivitySim. As ActivitySim's lead developers, we'll share insights into how this state-of-the-practice, open-source activity-based modeling platform can help clients (particularly MPOs) answer important travel demand questions. Technological and societal shifts require a strategic approach to planning and modeling, which RSG and ActivitySim deliver.
Who? Joel Freedman, Senior Director (RSG)
What? Moderated conversation on activity-based modeling using ActivitySim.
Where and When? The AMPO 2021 Annual Conference is being held in Scottsdale, Arizona. Joel is presenting during a session on Wednesday, October 6 at 1:45 p.m. PT. The conference occurs from October 5 to October 8. The registration link is below.
09.15.2021
Linework, Models, Counters… OH MY: A Utah Story of Multi-Agency Collaboration to Develop Active Transportation Data and Tools
Micromobility encompasses multiple nonmotorized modes of travel, including bicycles and scooters. As the popularity of these modes has grown, so has the data available to planners. However, without active transportation data and tools to understand the data, agencies cannot make informed decisions related to micromobility infrastructure.
Over the past two years, RSG has been part of a multiagency project in Utah seeking to improve active transportation data collection, curation, and distribution. In light of this experience, RSG Senior Director Ben Stabler, GISP, will participate in an upcoming panel conversation describing our team's work creating the region's first bicycle travel demand model. Attendees will hear from several agencies and learn how the team shared priorities, resources, and expertise.
Who? Ben Stabler, GISP, Senior Director (RSG)
What? Panel webinar discussing active transportation data and tools in Utah.
Where and When? This is an online webinar sponsored by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals. It takes place on Wednesday, September 15 from 3:00-4:30 p.m. ET. The registration link is below.
09.09.2021 - 09.14.2021
Advancing Transportation Equity
Two RSG senior consultants will be presenting at this year's Transportation Research Board (TRB) Conference on Advancing Transportation Equity.
Joann Lynch (Presentation)
On Thursday, September 9 at 11:00 a.m. ET, Joann Lynch will deliver a presentation on methods and actions practitioners can use to increase inclusion in travel surveys. Joann's talk is part of a session titled “Measure It, but Who Will Come? Measuring Equity and including Diverse Travel Populations,” which will describe several RSG-led travel survey efforts in Seattle and Minneapolis in the spring of 2021. Each effort employed a combination of equity and inclusion strategies to boost engagement among populations often underrepresented in travel surveys. Her presentation will outline a multipronged approach to improving representation and obtaining equitable, representative datasets. Importantly, attendees will learn how analysis of these efforts can help inform future survey best practices. This will help survey methodologists reach more respondents, including historically underrepresented groups.
Ted Mansfield, PhD (Poster Session)
On Monday, September 13 at 2:15 p.m. ET, Ted Mansfield, PhD, will present a poster of findings from a comparison of passively collected data (“big data”) with modern transportation survey instruments that emphasize recruitment of hard-to-reach populations across key equity dimensions. Ted's poster session is titled “Measuring Equity, Analysis Approach Metrics.” His poster features a case study on abrupt travel behavior changes measured during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. It shows how programs that combine travel surveys and big data could deliver more representative data. This, in turn, would support more equitable transportation decisions by agencies.
Several other RSGers contributed to attendees' presentation/poster abstracts, including Abigail Rosenson, Rachel Schmidt, and Stephen Lawe. The Conference on Advancing Transportation Equity will occur from September 9 to September 14 and begin at 10:00 a.m. ET on each date with several presentations/poster sessions occurring on each day.
08.10.2021
Counting Our Communities: Considering LGBTQ+ Identities in Travel Behavior Data Collection & Modeling (Webinar)
RSG is leading an industry-first webinar on Tuesday, August 10 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET to discuss the value and practicalities of collecting data on LGBTQ+ populations as part of travel behavior data collection and modeling. It will be moderated by RSG and comprises a diverse panel of travel behavior experts, community organizers, and academics. The webinar is free and open to the public. Click here to register.
About the Webinar
According to Gallup, at least 5.6% of all Americans identify as LGBT. Despite the growing political and social visibility of LGBTQ+ communities, the US Census Bureau does not collect data on individuals’ sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). Moreover, most state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations do not collect similar information as part of routine surveys. The lack of inclusion in most surveys to date has resulted in a persistent underrepresentation of LGBTQ+ populations that often impedes the evaluation of inequities or differences in travel behaviors through an intersectional equity lens.
This moderated panel conversation will discuss research on travel behavior among LGBTQ+ populations. It will also describe current travel behavior survey and modeling practices for historically underserved populations as a whole and offer agency perspectives on surveying LGBTQ+ populations as part of regional travel surveys. Attendees will hear from several industry experts and come away with insights into the benefits and challenges of collecting SOGI data in the context of transportation planning.
About the Panel
Maren Outwater, PE (she/her) (Panel Moderator) is a Principal at RSG. Maren has over 25 years of experience developing forecasting models and over 20 years of progressive experience in managing complex model development efforts. She has led the development of equity impacts for land-use and travel demand forecasting models. This work helps clients understand how land use and transportation investments and policies affect mobility for low-income and disadvantaged communities.
Michael Smart, PhD (he/him/his) is an Associate Professor of urban planning at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. Michael has investigated the role of “neighborhoods of affinity” (immigrant enclaves, LGBT neighborhoods) in shaping travel choices. He is currently investigating how transportation helps or hinders people's ability to find and keep a job; the role of free parking in travel behavior decisions; and how major life events spur the acquisition or selling of a family's car(s).
Anita Keahilani Yap (she/her/they) is a Principal at MultiCultural Collaborative. She is a community development racial equity practitioner with over 20 years’ experience working with communities of color and intersectional identities. Anita's nationally and locally recognized work includes designing innovative approaches to community engagement and community development.
Brian H. Y. Lee, PhD (he/him/his) is the Data Solutions and Research Manager at the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). He is currently leading data support for the Regional Equity Strategy and is the project manager for the development of a regional equity data dashboard.
Mark Bradley (he/him/his) is a Senior Director at RSG. He has over 35 years of progressive experience developing travel demand forecasting methods and tools for clients around the world. Mark is currently leading the performance evaluation of a major federal “Complete Trip” pilot project to test technologies to improve travel accessibility for people with disabilities.
Weren't able to attend? Click here to watch a recording of our webinar »
07.13.2021 - 07.15.2021
TRB Committee on Noise and Vibration (AEP80) 2021 Summer Meeting
On Tuesday, July 13 at 1:45 p.m. ET, RSG Director Dana Lodico, PE, INCE Bd. Cert. will present findings from research she conducted into the validation of noise measurements at tunnel openings using traditional methods in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Traffic Noise Model (TNM) Version 2.5. Her presentation will describe the measurement and modeling methods used and summarize the results of the application of methodologies described in the Transportation Research Board's (TRB's) National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 791: Supplemental Guidance on the Application of FHWA’s Traffic Noise Model (TNM).
Dana's presentation is being delivered during TRB's Committee on Noise and Vibration (AEP80) Summer Meeting. This all-virtual event will occur on July 13 and July 15 and begin at 1:30 p.m. ET on each date. Presentations on July 13 will be followed by information about research to be delivered on July 15. There is no cost to participate in the event.
06.21.2021 - 06.24.2021
18th Transportation Research Board (TRB) Conference on Transportation Planning Applications (AppCon 2021)
We're thrilled to join our clients, colleagues, and collaborators at this year's 18th Transportation Research Board (TRB) Conference on Transportation Planning Applications (AppCon 2021)! The all-virtual event will explore practical applications of transportation planning advances.
RSGers will be leading several breakout sessions during AppCon 2021. Session topics will include commercial vehicle modeling, big data, and travel behavior changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendees will learn about the application of innovative tools and techniques to address a wide range of planning contexts and challenges.
RSG is a proud silver-level Patron of AppCon 2021.
Click here to learn more about and register for TRB's AppCon 2021 »
06.18.2021
Return to Transit? Surveying Chicago’s Current and Lapsed Transit Riders During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The pandemic drastically reduced transit ridership across the United States. In response, RSG worked with the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) in Chicago on an innovative region-wide survey of current and lapsed transit riders. The findings have been used by RTA, its Service Boards (CTA, Metra, and Pace), and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning to better understand their shifting markets throughout the pandemic and to then guide future planning and policymaking as the pandemic recedes.
On Friday, June 18 at 10:00 a.m. ET, RSG Consultant Alexander Levin will present an overview of the current and lapsed rider survey methodology and explore the key findings from the study as part of a webinar hosted by Transport Chicago. Alexander's presentation will spotlight the following:
- Findings we previously saw anecdotally but now have local survey data to confirm (e.g., who relied on transit during the pandemic).
- Findings that tell us where transit use might be going in the Chicago region (e.g., the role of telework).
- Findings that tell us what transit agencies can do to encourage a return to transit (e.g., where riders want future investment targeted).
Transport Chicago is an annual conference dedicated to the mission of improving transportation in the Chicago region and beyond. This year's conference is entirely virtual. It will also feature Donald Shoup as keynote speaker.
Click here to register for the webinar, which is free and open to the public »
05.13.2021
How Ridehailing Companies Affect Airport Revenues and Operations
Just before the pandemic, many airport operators were experiencing the effects of travelers' increased use of transportation network companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Lyft. The popularity of TNCs meant that many airports needed to contend with both revenue changes due to decreased parking and increased congestion.
On Thursday, May 13 at 2:00 p.m. ET, RSG President Tom Adler, PhD, will share findings from RSG's research on the role of TNCs within the context of commercial ground transportation policies and programs. The webinar is sponsored by the Transportation Research Board's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) and will feature research from ACRP Report 215: Transportation Network Companies (TNCs): Impacts to Airport Revenues and Operations—Reference Guide. Tom will share practices and strategies for managing TNC on-airport operations and estimating the effects of TNC growth and pricing policies.
Click here to register for the webinar, which is free and open to the public »
04.08.2021
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Year on Transportation
The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed transportation. The initial and dramatic shift to teleworking in the spring of 2020 occurred alongside a steep initial decline in air and rail travel. Understanding the how and why underlying these changes is more important than ever.
On Thursday, April 8 at 10:00 a.m. ET, RSG Senior Director Matthew Coogan will discuss these changes and explore what they mean for the future of transportation during a webinar sponsored by the International Air Rail Organisation. He will present findings on teleworking and vehicle miles traveled from RSG's COVID-19 Transportation Insights Survey. His presentation will also include recent behavioral data collected in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
The webinar, titled “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Year on Transportation,” will also feature information on how the pandemic has affected air passenger numbers and cargo volumes.
Click here to register for the webinar, which is free and open to the public »
01.21.2021 - 01.29.2021
2021 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting
We’re excited to moderate and present at the Transportation Research Board's (TRB's) 100th Annual Meeting this month. Our presentations will cover a range of topics—from mitigating the noise impact of drone deliveries to quantifying the impacts of COVID-19 on willingness to pay for travel time savings.
The event, which covers all transportation modes, normally attracts over 13,000 transportation professionals from around the world who gather in Washington, DC. For the first time in TRB's history, however, this will be a month-long virtual event! The TRB Annual Meeting program covers all transportation modes, with sessions and workshops addressing topics of interest to policy makers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions.
RSG at 2021 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting »
12.16.2020
Planning for Drones: How Cities Can Get Ahead on Urban Air Mobility
Commercial drone technology is here to stay, with many US companies currently operating delivery drones in urban airspaces. In response, cities need to begin thinking about how they can proactively plan for commercial drone operations in their neighborhoods and downtown areas.
On Wednesday, December 16 at 1:00 p.m. ET, RSG Director Eddie Duncan and RSG Senior Director Ken Kaliski will discuss commercial drone noise and local noise ordinances during a webinar sponsored by the National League of Cities (NLC).
The event, titled “Planning for Drones: How Cities Can Get Ahead on Urban Air Mobility,” will also feature unique insights from several elected officials along with a groundbreaking announcement on the future of urban air from one of NLC's member cities.
Click here to register for the webinar, which is free and open to the public »
12.15.2020
Panel on Behavior Dynamics – The Future…Accelerated
New mobility technologies and COVID-19 have dramatically accelerated the pace of personal travel behavior changes. This makes it increasingly important for practitioners to understand how and why people travel.
On Tuesday, December 15 at 1:00 p.m. ET, RSG Senior Director Mark Bradley will present tips on how to account for age-cohort-related differences in travel behavior in applied travel demand models. The presentation is part of a panel event sponsored by Zephyr.
Attendees will hear from several experts on how mobility technologies, along with shifts driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, have affected many of the behavioral dynamics that go into modeling individual travel behavior.
Click here to register for the panel, which is free and open to the public »
12.02.2020 - 12.03.2020
Aerial Mobility: Noise Issues and Technology Workshop
RSG's Eddie Duncan and Ken Kaliski will present at the Aerial Mobility: Noise Issues and Technology workshop on Wednesday, December 2 at 2:10 p.m. ET. They will lead a discussion on reducing community noise from delivery drones through route optimization.
Noise will become an increasingly important issue facing communities as more companies begin drone delivery operations. Our latest white paper, “Three Considerations Around Drone Noise and Strategies for Mitigation,” explores some of these issues and offers proactive solutions for policymakers and industry leaders. You can read our white paper here.
The Technology for a Quieter America virtual workshop, which is being hosted by the National Academy of Engineering, was organized by the INCE Foundation in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Click here to read the final report from the virtual workshop »
11.13.2020
Second Edition of Big Data Meets Survey Science Conference (BigSurv20)
RSG’s Mark Bradley will present at the Big Data Meets Survey Science Conference (BigSurv20) on Friday, November 13 at 11:45 a.m. ET.
Mark's presentation, titled Smartphone-based travel surveys: An example of controlled data fusion, discusses findings from work done with RSG's Jeff Doyle. Their research offers unique insights into “controlled” data fusion methods that can be used to impute trip purposes and modes in cases where the reported data from household travel surveys are suspect. The presentation gives background on the smartphone-based survey approach and experiences, describes the fusion/imputation methods developed and applied thus far, and discusses future directions for development.
This second edition of BigSurv20 is being held virtually this year on Fridays throughout the months of November and December. BigSurv2020 gathers a diverse group of practitioners who discuss how big data and data science can improve the quality of statistics production and use.
BigSurv20 registration is free and required to attend. Attendees receive access to the full event program and can view the prerecorded presentations and ask questions of the presenters during the last 15 minutes of each prerecorded session. Click here to view a recording of Mark's presentation.