Civic Technology
and Travel Behaviour
Andrew	
  Nash	
  
GreenCityStreets.com	
  
	
  
COST	
  Ac8on	
  TU	
  1305	
  
Technion	
  
October	
  16,	
  2015	
  
	
  
Whatever happened to
Travel Behaviour Analysis?
Andrew	
  Nash	
  
GreenCityStreets.com	
  
	
  
TRB	
  Transporta8on	
  History	
  CommiFee	
  
TRB	
  105th	
  Annual	
  Mee8ng	
  
Washington,	
  DC	
  
January	
  10,	
  2025	
  
	
  
Outline	
  
•  What	
  was	
  travel	
  behaviour	
  analysis?	
  
•  What	
  was	
  travel	
  behaviour	
  analysis	
  used	
  for?	
  
•  What	
  happened	
  to	
  travel	
  behaviour	
  analysis?	
  
•  Outlook	
  
What	
  was	
  travel	
  behaviour	
  analysis?	
  
Travel	
  behaviour	
  was	
  the	
  study	
  of	
  what	
  people	
  
do	
  over	
  space,	
  and	
  how	
  people	
  use	
  transport.	
  
•  How	
  many	
  trips	
  do	
  people	
  make?	
  
•  Where	
  do	
  they	
  go?	
  
•  What	
  mode	
  do	
  they	
  take?	
  
•  When	
  is	
  the	
  trip	
  made?	
  
•  What	
  route	
  choices	
  do	
  people	
  make?	
  
Source:	
  Wikipedia	
  (!!!!)	
  
What	
  was	
  travel	
  behaviour	
  analysis	
  used	
  for?	
  
Travel	
  behaviour	
  analysis	
  was	
  used	
  to	
  help	
  
design	
  and	
  improve	
  transport	
  infrastructure	
  
and	
  services.	
  
•  Where	
  to	
  build	
  a	
  metro	
  line	
  or	
  highway;	
  
•  How	
  oBen	
  to	
  operate	
  a	
  bus	
  service;	
  
•  How	
  to	
  aCract	
  more	
  users.	
  
What	
  happened	
  to	
  travel	
  behaviour	
  analysis?	
  
Travel	
  behaviour	
  analysis	
  was	
  made	
  un-­‐
necessary	
  by	
  civic	
  technology	
  apps	
  for	
  …	
  
•  ReporFng	
  condiFons;	
  
•  Analysing	
  data;	
  
•  Designing	
  services	
  and	
  infrastructure;	
  
•  Providing	
  transport.	
  
…	
  and	
  vastly	
  improved	
  compu<ng	
  power.	
  
Repor<ng	
  
Collec8ng	
  data	
  became	
  simple	
  and	
  ubiquitous	
  
•  Social	
  media	
  
•  ReporFng	
  applicaFons	
  
•  Sensor	
  data	
  (automaFc,	
  e.g.	
  from	
  phone)	
  
…	
  giving	
  transport	
  agencies	
  sufficient	
  data	
  to	
  
fully	
  understand	
  real	
  4me	
  transport	
  condi4ons	
  
and	
  make	
  projec4ons	
  without	
  complex	
  models.	
  
Chicago	
  Transit	
  Authority	
  –	
  TwiFer	
  Feed	
  
Zurich	
  Public	
  Transport	
  Authority	
  –	
  Facebook	
  Page	
  
SeeClickFix	
  page	
  for	
  San	
  Francisco	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  hCp://seeclickfix.com	
  	
  
 Traffic	
  Check	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  hCp://www.trafficcheck.at/	
  
	
  
User	
  friendly	
  features	
  needed	
  for	
  mobile	
  phone	
  repor8ng:	
  
•  automa8c	
  geo	
  loca8on,	
  
•  logical	
  informa8on	
  flow,	
  	
  
•  check	
  boxes	
  for	
  data	
  entry.	
  	
  
Meine	
  Radspur,	
  Vienna	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  hCp://www.meineradspur.at/	
  	
  
Sensor-­‐based	
  data:	
  Street	
  Bump,	
  Boston	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  hCp://streetbump.org/	
  
Analysis	
  
•  (Smart)	
  city	
  data;	
  
•  ApplicaFon	
  data	
  (e.g.	
  Waze);	
  
•  CiFzen	
  data	
  (cheap	
  sensors).	
  
…	
  data	
  and	
  vastly	
  improved	
  compu4ng	
  enabled	
  
transport	
  providers	
  to	
  analyze	
  countless	
  scenarios	
  
and	
  develop	
  precise	
  transport	
  plans	
  in	
  real	
  4me.	
  
*	
  So	
  easy	
  anyone	
  could	
  do	
  it	
  (open	
  data)!	
  
Analyzing	
  all	
  this	
  data	
  became	
  easy*	
  
Ci8zen	
  developed	
  applica8ons	
  and	
  visualiza8ons	
  from	
  open	
  data.	
  
Stumble	
  Safely,	
  Washington	
  D.C.	
  
WayCount	
  vehicle	
  counter	
  and	
  soware	
  	
  	
  	
  www.waycount.com	
  	
  
Smart	
  Ci8zen	
  sensor	
  and	
  soware	
  	
  hCp://www.smartciFzen.me/	
  	
  
Design	
  
•  EducaFon	
  –	
  transport	
  planning	
  is	
  complex;	
  
•  BeCer	
  processes	
  –	
  meeFng	
  management;	
  
•  Increased	
  engagement	
  –	
  more	
  is	
  beCer.	
  
…	
  improving	
  the	
  quality	
  of	
  ideas,	
  increasing	
  the	
  
ability	
  to	
  implement	
  and	
  test	
  new	
  ideas,	
  and	
  
helping	
  build	
  community	
  spirit.	
  
Collabora8on	
  became	
  more	
  efficient	
  
Bus	
  Meister	
  game	
  !	
  greencitystreets.com	
  –	
  Fun	
  !	
  Learning	
  
Grr-­‐Grr-­‐Bike	
  game	
  !	
  grr-­‐grr-­‐bike.com	
  –	
  Fun	
  !	
  Learning	
  
Ring	
  Ride	
  game	
  !	
  ringstrasse150.com	
  –	
  Fun	
  !	
  Advocacy	
  
Shareabouts	
  –	
  geo	
  collabora8on	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  openplans.org/work/shareabouts/	
  
GreenCityStreets.com	
  …	
  Facebook-­‐based	
  collabora8on	
  
Visualiza8on	
  ...	
  ParFcipatory	
  Chinatown	
  Boston	
  
	
  
	
  
Using	
  virtual	
  reality	
  to	
  help	
  understand	
  city	
  planning.	
  
hCp://www.parFcipatorychinatown.org/	
  	
  
Visualisa8on	
  of	
  street	
  cross	
  sec8ons...	
  streetmix	
  
	
  
hCp://streetmix.net	
  
San	
  Francisco	
  Mind	
  Mixer	
  website	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  www.improveSF.com	
  	
  
Loomio	
  –	
  public	
  infrastructure	
  for	
  collabora8ve	
  decision	
  making	
  
www.loomio.org	
  -­‐	
  please	
  support	
  their	
  crowd	
  funding	
  effort!	
  
Provide	
  
Providing	
  transport	
  became	
  open	
  
•  InformaFon	
  via	
  social	
  networks	
  (TwiCer	
  real	
  Fme);	
  
•  ImplementaFon	
  via	
  civic	
  groups	
  (596	
  Acres,	
  Casserole);	
  
•  Behaviour	
  modificaFon	
  (Chromaroma,	
  Walk-­‐a-­‐Stop);	
  
•  Crowd-­‐sourced	
  civic	
  works	
  (Spacehive,	
  Kickstarter);	
  
•  Service	
  providers	
  &	
  sharing	
  (Uber,	
  BlahBlahCar,	
  Bridj).	
  
…	
  reducing	
  the	
  need	
  for	
  centralized	
  transport	
  planning	
  
and	
  service	
  provision.	
  
Informa8on	
  exchange	
  and	
  organisa8on	
  …	
  596	
  Acres	
  
Designing	
  passionate,	
  people-­‐powered	
  public	
  
services	
  
	
  
Casserole	
  is	
  an	
  example	
  of	
  how	
  understanding	
  ci<zens	
  as	
  producers	
  
as	
  well	
  as	
  consumers	
  leads	
  to	
  services	
  that	
  help	
  communiFes	
  turn	
  
the	
  issues	
  they’re	
  passionate	
  about	
  into	
  ways	
  to	
  be	
  more	
  self-­‐
sufficient	
  and	
  less	
  invested	
  in	
  expensive	
  public	
  services.	
  	
  
Chromaroma	
  game	
  !	
  Fun	
  !	
  Influence	
  behaviour	
  
Walk-­‐a-­‐Stop	
  !	
  Info	
  +	
  Social	
  Network	
  !	
  Influence	
  behaviour	
  
Human	
  is	
  an	
  all-­‐day	
  acFvity	
  &	
  calorie	
  tracker	
  
that	
  inspires	
  you	
  to	
  move	
  30	
  minutes	
  a	
  day.	
  
Ac8vity	
  monitor	
  (e.g.,	
  Human)	
  
+	
  
Public	
  transport	
  travel	
  planner	
  
+	
  
Real	
  8me	
  transport	
  data	
  (official	
  /	
  user)	
  
+	
  
Social	
  networking	
  
=	
  
Walk-­‐a-­‐Stop	
  
Users	
  receive	
  push	
  data	
  when	
  staFons	
  are	
  crowded	
  
suggesFng	
  they	
  walk	
  or	
  bike	
  one	
  or	
  two	
  staFons.	
  AcFvity	
  is	
  
rewarded	
  (transit	
  Fckets),	
  social	
  networking	
  provides	
  info	
  
about	
  good	
  routes,	
  interesFng	
  shops,	
  companions	
  to	
  walk	
  
with,	
  and/or	
  system	
  suggests,	
  It’s	
  a	
  nice	
  day	
  why	
  not	
  walk?	
  
Crowdfunding	
  for	
  civic	
  improvements	
  …	
  Kickstarter	
  
App-­‐based	
  public	
  transport	
  
Uber	
  
“One	
  of	
  the	
  most	
  subtle	
  underlying	
  issues	
  with	
  the	
  rise	
  of	
  Uber	
  is	
  the	
  
company’s	
  slow	
  siphoning	
  of	
  the	
  poli8cal	
  will	
  to	
  fix	
  exisFng	
  –	
  or	
  build	
  
new	
  –	
  public	
  transit	
  infrastructure	
  in	
  major	
  ciFes.	
  …	
  The	
  people	
  leB	
  
riding	
  public	
  transit	
  become,	
  increasingly,	
  the	
  ones	
  with	
  liCle	
  or	
  no	
  
poliFcal	
  weight	
  to	
  demand	
  improvements	
  to	
  the	
  system.”	
  MaC	
  
Buchanan,	
  The	
  Awl,	
  hCp://www.theawl.com/2015/08/ubiquity	
  
The	
  dilemma	
  in	
  2015	
  
How	
  could	
  these	
  technological	
  improvements	
  and	
  
new	
  services	
  be	
  harnessed	
  for	
  the	
  public	
  good?	
  
•  Public-­‐private	
  partnerships?	
  
•  Strong	
  public	
  benefit	
  requirements?	
  
•  Privacy	
  requirements	
  and	
  data	
  ownership?	
  
•  Role	
  of	
  the	
  market?	
  
Whatever happened to
Travel Behaviour Analysis?
OK, travel behaviour analysis is
probably not going away, but it’s
clearly going to change significantly.	
  
Andrew	
  Nash	
  develops	
  engaging	
  public	
  
parFcipaFon	
  applicaFons	
  and	
  games	
  designed	
  
to	
  improve	
  city	
  live-­‐ability	
  and	
  transport.	
  
	
  
•  GreenCityStreets.com	
  
•  Ringstrasse150.com	
  
•  AndyNash.com	
  

The End of Transport Behaviour Modelling

  • 1.
    Civic Technology and TravelBehaviour Andrew  Nash   GreenCityStreets.com     COST  Ac8on  TU  1305   Technion   October  16,  2015    
  • 2.
    Whatever happened to TravelBehaviour Analysis? Andrew  Nash   GreenCityStreets.com     TRB  Transporta8on  History  CommiFee   TRB  105th  Annual  Mee8ng   Washington,  DC   January  10,  2025    
  • 3.
    Outline   •  What  was  travel  behaviour  analysis?   •  What  was  travel  behaviour  analysis  used  for?   •  What  happened  to  travel  behaviour  analysis?   •  Outlook  
  • 4.
    What  was  travel  behaviour  analysis?   Travel  behaviour  was  the  study  of  what  people   do  over  space,  and  how  people  use  transport.   •  How  many  trips  do  people  make?   •  Where  do  they  go?   •  What  mode  do  they  take?   •  When  is  the  trip  made?   •  What  route  choices  do  people  make?   Source:  Wikipedia  (!!!!)  
  • 5.
    What  was  travel  behaviour  analysis  used  for?   Travel  behaviour  analysis  was  used  to  help   design  and  improve  transport  infrastructure   and  services.   •  Where  to  build  a  metro  line  or  highway;   •  How  oBen  to  operate  a  bus  service;   •  How  to  aCract  more  users.  
  • 6.
    What  happened  to  travel  behaviour  analysis?   Travel  behaviour  analysis  was  made  un-­‐ necessary  by  civic  technology  apps  for  …   •  ReporFng  condiFons;   •  Analysing  data;   •  Designing  services  and  infrastructure;   •  Providing  transport.   …  and  vastly  improved  compu<ng  power.  
  • 7.
  • 8.
    Collec8ng  data  became  simple  and  ubiquitous   •  Social  media   •  ReporFng  applicaFons   •  Sensor  data  (automaFc,  e.g.  from  phone)   …  giving  transport  agencies  sufficient  data  to   fully  understand  real  4me  transport  condi4ons   and  make  projec4ons  without  complex  models.  
  • 9.
    Chicago  Transit  Authority  –  TwiFer  Feed  
  • 10.
    Zurich  Public  Transport  Authority  –  Facebook  Page  
  • 11.
    SeeClickFix  page  for  San  Francisco                  hCp://seeclickfix.com    
  • 13.
     Traffic  Check                                  hCp://www.trafficcheck.at/     User  friendly  features  needed  for  mobile  phone  repor8ng:   •  automa8c  geo  loca8on,   •  logical  informa8on  flow,     •  check  boxes  for  data  entry.    
  • 14.
    Meine  Radspur,  Vienna          hCp://www.meineradspur.at/    
  • 15.
    Sensor-­‐based  data:  Street  Bump,  Boston          hCp://streetbump.org/  
  • 18.
  • 19.
    •  (Smart)  city  data;   •  ApplicaFon  data  (e.g.  Waze);   •  CiFzen  data  (cheap  sensors).   …  data  and  vastly  improved  compu4ng  enabled   transport  providers  to  analyze  countless  scenarios   and  develop  precise  transport  plans  in  real  4me.   *  So  easy  anyone  could  do  it  (open  data)!   Analyzing  all  this  data  became  easy*  
  • 20.
    Ci8zen  developed  applica8ons  and  visualiza8ons  from  open  data.   Stumble  Safely,  Washington  D.C.  
  • 21.
    WayCount  vehicle  counter  and  soware        www.waycount.com    
  • 22.
    Smart  Ci8zen  sensor  and  soware    hCp://www.smartciFzen.me/    
  • 24.
  • 25.
    •  EducaFon  –  transport  planning  is  complex;   •  BeCer  processes  –  meeFng  management;   •  Increased  engagement  –  more  is  beCer.   …  improving  the  quality  of  ideas,  increasing  the   ability  to  implement  and  test  new  ideas,  and   helping  build  community  spirit.   Collabora8on  became  more  efficient  
  • 26.
    Bus  Meister  game  !  greencitystreets.com  –  Fun  !  Learning  
  • 27.
    Grr-­‐Grr-­‐Bike  game  !  grr-­‐grr-­‐bike.com  –  Fun  !  Learning  
  • 28.
    Ring  Ride  game  !  ringstrasse150.com  –  Fun  !  Advocacy  
  • 29.
    Shareabouts  –  geo  collabora8on                  openplans.org/work/shareabouts/  
  • 30.
  • 31.
    Visualiza8on  ...  ParFcipatory  Chinatown  Boston       Using  virtual  reality  to  help  understand  city  planning.   hCp://www.parFcipatorychinatown.org/    
  • 32.
    Visualisa8on  of  street  cross  sec8ons...  streetmix     hCp://streetmix.net  
  • 33.
    San  Francisco  Mind  Mixer  website                www.improveSF.com    
  • 34.
    Loomio  –  public  infrastructure  for  collabora8ve  decision  making   www.loomio.org  -­‐  please  support  their  crowd  funding  effort!  
  • 35.
  • 36.
    Providing  transport  became  open   •  InformaFon  via  social  networks  (TwiCer  real  Fme);   •  ImplementaFon  via  civic  groups  (596  Acres,  Casserole);   •  Behaviour  modificaFon  (Chromaroma,  Walk-­‐a-­‐Stop);   •  Crowd-­‐sourced  civic  works  (Spacehive,  Kickstarter);   •  Service  providers  &  sharing  (Uber,  BlahBlahCar,  Bridj).   …  reducing  the  need  for  centralized  transport  planning   and  service  provision.  
  • 37.
    Informa8on  exchange  and  organisa8on  …  596  Acres  
  • 38.
    Designing  passionate,  people-­‐powered  public   services     Casserole  is  an  example  of  how  understanding  ci<zens  as  producers   as  well  as  consumers  leads  to  services  that  help  communiFes  turn   the  issues  they’re  passionate  about  into  ways  to  be  more  self-­‐ sufficient  and  less  invested  in  expensive  public  services.    
  • 40.
    Chromaroma  game  !  Fun  !  Influence  behaviour  
  • 41.
    Walk-­‐a-­‐Stop  !  Info  +  Social  Network  !  Influence  behaviour   Human  is  an  all-­‐day  acFvity  &  calorie  tracker   that  inspires  you  to  move  30  minutes  a  day.   Ac8vity  monitor  (e.g.,  Human)   +   Public  transport  travel  planner   +   Real  8me  transport  data  (official  /  user)   +   Social  networking   =   Walk-­‐a-­‐Stop   Users  receive  push  data  when  staFons  are  crowded   suggesFng  they  walk  or  bike  one  or  two  staFons.  AcFvity  is   rewarded  (transit  Fckets),  social  networking  provides  info   about  good  routes,  interesFng  shops,  companions  to  walk   with,  and/or  system  suggests,  It’s  a  nice  day  why  not  walk?  
  • 43.
    Crowdfunding  for  civic  improvements  …  Kickstarter  
  • 45.
  • 46.
    Uber   “One  of  the  most  subtle  underlying  issues  with  the  rise  of  Uber  is  the   company’s  slow  siphoning  of  the  poli8cal  will  to  fix  exisFng  –  or  build   new  –  public  transit  infrastructure  in  major  ciFes.  …  The  people  leB   riding  public  transit  become,  increasingly,  the  ones  with  liCle  or  no   poliFcal  weight  to  demand  improvements  to  the  system.”  MaC   Buchanan,  The  Awl,  hCp://www.theawl.com/2015/08/ubiquity  
  • 47.
    The  dilemma  in  2015   How  could  these  technological  improvements  and   new  services  be  harnessed  for  the  public  good?   •  Public-­‐private  partnerships?   •  Strong  public  benefit  requirements?   •  Privacy  requirements  and  data  ownership?   •  Role  of  the  market?  
  • 53.
    Whatever happened to TravelBehaviour Analysis? OK, travel behaviour analysis is probably not going away, but it’s clearly going to change significantly.  
  • 54.
    Andrew  Nash  develops  engaging  public   parFcipaFon  applicaFons  and  games  designed   to  improve  city  live-­‐ability  and  transport.     •  GreenCityStreets.com   •  Ringstrasse150.com   •  AndyNash.com