RSG is excited to participate in the Portland State University (PSU) Transportation Seminar series in Portland, Oregon, on November 17, 2023.

RSG Director Jonathan Slason and ODOT Principal Planner Adam Argo will deliver a presentation titled “Oregon Transportation: Innovations in the Exploratory Scenario Planning Approach.” Their presentation will discuss how RSG and the Oregon Department of Transportation used cutting-edge tools like VisionEval and TMIP-EMAT to develop an innovative scenario planning model for the Oregon Transportation Plan (OTP). The OTP used groundbreaking methods to communicate how investment strategies could impact regions and households across the state for the next 20-25 years and prioritizes equity, safety, sustainability, economic vitality, and multimodal travel options.

For more information on the Oregon Transportation Plan Update, click here. To learn more about RSG's strategic transportation planning service and how it supports scenario planning work, click here.

Who? Jonathan Slason, Director (RSG)

What? “Oregon Transportation: Innovations in the Exploratory Scenario Planning Process”

Where and When? PSU Transportation Seminar in Portland, Oregon, on Friday, November 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PT.

RSG is proud to announce the publication of “ACRP Synthesis 130: Airport-Centric Advanced Air Mobility Market Study.” This pivotal work, conducted under the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), analyses the current state and future potential of advanced air mobility (AAM) at airports nationwide. Led by RSG Senior Director Mark Fowler, the study synthesizes information our team gathered from literature reviews, airport operator surveys, and interviews with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and infrastructure developers.

The study addresses the pressing need for airports to adapt to rapidly evolving transportation technologies, such as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. It presents findings from six airport case studies, describing the opportunities and challenges airport operators may face as they consider integrating AAM into their infrastructure. The report underscores the need for proactive planning to embrace these changes, from passenger service to cargo and medical transport.

The study provides airport operators, planners, and policymakers with information to better understand the AAM landscape, identify gaps in current research, and gain strategic insights into the planning required for future integration. This report is not just a resource but a stepping stone for those looking to lead in the transformation of urban air mobility.

Michie Blevins joins RSG as Vice President of Finance and Accounting and brings over a decade of experience in the professional services industry.

Throughout her career, Michie has championed the delivery of superior financial data and services, ensuring her clientele and stakeholders remain a step ahead. Across her roles, she has overseen accounting systems and teams to deliver streamlined workflows to project stakeholders.

“I’m excited to be joining RSG!” said Michie. “This is an incredible opportunity to join a dynamic and forward-thinking company where I can contribute my financial expertise to help steer RSG to continued success. I look forward to collaborating with our talented team while playing an integral role in financial management and analysis.”

Michie's experience delivering financial knowledge and insights will help us ensure we are honoring our commitments while delivering exceptional services to clients and vendors.

RSG is excited to participate in the 2023 Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) Annual Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, from September 26 to September 29, 2023.

RSG Consultant Caroline Wood will deliver a presentation titled “From Commutes to Couches: The Evolution of Telework and Trip Replacement Behaviors,” which will explore the rise in teleworking, the impacts of trip replacement behaviors like food delivery, and the current trends in travel modes and purposes. Using data from recurrent travel surveys, including the Metropolitan Council’s Travel Behavior Inventory, the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Regional Travel Study, and the Triangle Travel Survey, Caroline will share insights into changes in travel patterns, comparing the period before the pandemic to the present. Caroline will deliver her presentation with Dennis Farmer, a Planning Analyst at Metropolitan Council.

With a spotlight on teleworking trends and their correlation to various factors such as age, income, and industry, the session aims to give MPOs actionable insights for effective post-pandemic planning.

Who? Caroline Wood, Consultant (RSG)

What? “From Commutes to Couches: The Evolution of Telework and Trip Replacement Behaviors”

Where and When? The AMPO Annual Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, on Thursday, September 28 from 1:45 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET.

RSG is excited to share insights into our team's travel model development work during the European Transport Conference (ETC) 2023, hosted at the Bovisa Campus of the Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy, from September 6 to September 8, 2023.

RSG Senior Director Joel Freedman and RSG Senior Consultant Nagendra Dhakar will be presenting on two topics at ETC 2023. The first topic, “Modelling vehicle type with autonomous vehicle extension in an activity-based travel model framework,” will discuss ActivitySim and the integration of existing vehicle-type models with extension to include autonomous vehicles for the Metropolitan Washington region and San Diego, California. The second topic, “Incorporating telecommuting in forecasting travel models,” will describe how activity-based and strategic planning travel models can be leveraged to account for an uptick in remote work following the pandemic.

Who? Joel Freedman, Senior Director (RSG) and Nagendra Dhakar, Senior Consultant (RSG)

What? Two presentations: “Modelling vehicle type with autonomous vehicle extension in an activity-based travel model framework” and “Incorporating telecommuting in forecasting travel”

Where and When? The European Transport Conference 2023 will be held at the Bovisa Campus of the Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy. Joel will be presenting during Session 4 on Thursday, September 7 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. local time, while Nagendra's presentation will be during Session 10 on Friday, September 8 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. local time.

About ETC 2023: The European Transport Conference is Europe's premier event for transport professionals, fostering networking, learning, and discussions on myriad transportation topics.

RSG is thrilled to contribute our noise control engineering expertise to the 52nd International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering (Inter-Noise 2023) in Chiba, Japan, which begins on Sunday, August 20, 2023.

RSG Senior Director Dana Lodico, PE, INCE Bd. Cert. will deliver a lecture on acoustical consulting to the I-INCE Practice of Noise Control School while in Japan. The lecture, which is available on an invitation-only basis to students and other young professionals registered at Inter-Noise 2023, will discuss noise control engineering projects in the context of transportation, renewable energy, and community planning projects.

RSG Principal Ken Kasliski, PE, QEP, INCE Bd. Cert. will also have his work represented at Inter-Noise 2023. Ken coauthored “Status of the revision of ISO 1996-1 standard on the assessment of environmental noise.” His paper will be presented by coauthor Douglas Manvell. Their work will be published in the proceedings of Inter-Noise 2023.

Who? Dana Lodico, PE, INCE Bd. Cert., Senior Director (RSG) and Ken Kaliski, PE, QEP, INCE Bd. Cert., Principal (RSG)

What? Lecture at the I-INCE Practice of Noise Control School and coauthorship of a presented paper titled “Status of the revision of ISO 1996-1 standard on the assessment of environmental noise”

Where and When? The 52nd International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering (Inter-Noise 2023) is being held in Chiba, Japan. Dana is delivering her lecture on Sunday, August 20 at 1:00 p.m. local time. Ken's paper will be presented on his behalf by his coauthor on Tuesday, August 22 at 2:20 p.m. local time.

RSG's Chief Operating Officer, John (Jay) Evans, PE, AICP, will co-chair the Data Committee meeting during the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Annual Meeting and Exhibition in Portland, Oregon, on Monday, August 14, 2023.

Described as “the ultimate experience in transportation innovation and technology,” ITE's multiday event will feature speakers, workshops, and exhibits. The theme for this year's event is Connecting People and Communities.

Who? Jay Evans, Chief Operating Officer (RSG)

What? Joint ITE International and Western District Annual Meeting and Exhibition

Where and When? Jay's meeting will be held in the Columbia 2 room at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Portland, Oregon, on Monday, August 14 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. PT.

RSG Director Kevin Johnson will present during an upcoming Zephyr Learning Session on the use, challenges, and value of big data for travel models on Monday, July 17, 2023.

This engaging session will bring together several industry experts to discuss the use, challenges, and value of big data for travel models. Its focus will be on how practitioners verify both the accuracy and representation of big data. Kevin will describe how RSG's mobility data analytics service is helping our clients understand their data requirements, the advantages and limitations of diverse mobility data types, and how these sources can be employed to achieve their objectives in a defensible, straightforward, and cost-effective manner.

Who? Kevin Johnson, Director (RSG)

What? Zephyr Learning Session – Big Data

Where and When? The session will be held via Zoom on Monday, July 17 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.

A recent article published in TR News, titled “Peaks and Valleys: Forecasting Recreational Travel Demand,” highlighted the RSG team's innovative work on National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 08-132: Accessing America’s Great Outdoors: Forecasting Recreational Travel Demand.

Our team leveraged our significant expertise in travel model development, mobility data analytics, and public lands planning to deliver results. This first-of-its-kind project leveraged passively collected data (“big data”) from location-based services (LBS) on smartphones and other devices, along with other datasets, to build models predicting recreational travel to America's public lands. Merging big data with other key datasets provided a better understanding of visitor travel patterns and the potential impacts on adjacent transportation infrastructure. Importantly, this research advanced the industry's understanding of how big data can support successful transportation planning activities in and around parkland areas.

Work on NCHRP 08-132 is now complete and the final deliverables include a model, which will be shared online in an open-source tool, and an accompanying user guidebook.

RSG, in partnership with STV Incorporated, recently presented key findings from our independent review of an ultra-high-speed ground transportation system (UHSGT)—which would connect Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, and other key points in the Pacific Northwest—during a meeting of the Washington State Legislature Joint Transportation Committee (JTC) on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.

The JTC had been considering advancing the UHSGT idea forward to a more detailed development phase. However, before that, they sought our team's expertise to perform a neutral, impartial review of the assumptions used in prior studies on this topic. Our team focused on three aspects as part of the transportation forecasting process we undertook:

1. Assessing the quality and reasonability of past studies.
2. Identifying additional factors for consideration in the UHSGT's future development.
3. Drawing insights from other high-speed ground transportation systems for UHSGT development.

After conducting detailed due diligence, trade-off, and governance and procurement analyses, we found that the methods and tools used in prior UHSGT studies comply with industry standards. The assumptions were applied appropriately, generating credible results. However, our review also exposed some features and assumptions that, although suitable for current study levels, lack the robustness required for investment-grade analyses needed for advanced project development. The final report is available here.