Multi-Business Commute Optimization System: System Development and Pilot Case Study

This report focuses on the development of an innovative Multi-Business Commute Optimization System (MBCOS) to contribute to reducing negative environmental impacts of the transportation sector. MBCOS consists of three integrated components, a website (www.commuteopt.com), a travel attributes model, and a multi-objective optimization model. The website is designed to facilitate the collection of travel data and delivery of recommended plans. The travel attributes model is designed to calculate attributes such as travel time, cost, greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollution emissions, energy use, and calories for all commuting options. MBCOS is designed to model commute options, including drive alone, carpool, use of public transit, bike, walk, and combination of these modes. The optimization model is designed to identify optimal commute plan for each employee in a business to minimize GHG and air pollution emissions while complying with commute needs, preferences and convenience. A case study of 47 employees is presented to evaluate system performance and demonstrate its capabilities. Results show that the developed system is capable of reducing the total GHG and air pollution emissions up to 23.4% compared to reported commute behavior. Furthermore, recommendations generated by the model show promising and practical solutions that can successfully contribute in reduction of transportation emissions. Finally, brief widespread application of the system in Colorado and USA is analyzed to document its potential benefits to businesses in USA.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/details.php?id=1030
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/56633
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Colorado, Denver

  Denver, CO  United States 

  Mountain-Plains Consortium

  North Dakota State University
  Fargo, ND  United States  58108

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Abdallah, M
  • Clevenger, C
  • Monghasemi, S
• Publication Date: 2021-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 42p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Commuters; Commuting; Employees; Environmental impacts; Geographic information systems; Mode choice; Optimization; Pollutants; Recommendations; System design; Travel surveys; Web applications
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Environment; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01776503
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: MPC 21-431, MPC-553
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 14 2021 1:43PM