Travel behavior is undergoing a period of significant change in the United States, and this change is beginning to reveal itself in long-standing measures of transportation. While the United States is still heavily dependent on the personal automobile for mobility, changes in technology, demographics, economics, and attitudes are transforming how mobility is attained.  At the same time, advances in information technology are opening new ways for transportation activity to be measured more comprehensively. These transformative trends are reshaping how we think about transportation policy, operations, and planning. This report presents a research scan of the state of knowledge in transportation to enhance understanding of travel behavior and various influencing factors on future travel. It provides an overview of the current state of travel behavior as measured today, as well as background on the current understanding from literature in travel behavior research. It also explores what is known about the socio-demographic portrait of Americans and how demographics influence travel behavior. The report discusses emerging information technology and its impact on new mobility options. It also presents emerging methodologies and new forms of data that show significant potential to improve the resolution and comprehensiveness of travel behavior information.  Finally, it identifies gaps in understanding that could be addressed in the future with appropriate applications of emerging data and technological resources.

This primer provides an overview of current practices in this emerging field and looks toward the future in the evolution and development of smartphone applications for the transportation sector. The primer provides an introduction and overview smartphone applications (known as “apps”); discusses the background, evolution, and development of smartphone apps; reviews the types of smartphone applications promoting transportation efficiency and congestion reduction; discusses transportation apps and their impacts on traveler behavior; examines current challenges; and concludes with guiding principles for public agencies.

Shared mobility—the shared use of a vehicle, bicycle, or other mode—is an innovative transportation strategy that enables users to gain short-term access to transportation modes on an as-needed basis. The term shared mobility includes various forms of carsharing, bikesharing, ridesharing (carpooling and vanpooling), and on-demand ride services. It can also include alternative transit services, such as paratransit, shuttles, and private transit services (called microtransit), which can supplement fixed-route bus and rail services. With diverse options for mobility on the rise, smartphone apps that aggregate these options and optimize routes for travelers are also proliferating. In addition to these emerging travel modes, innovative ways of transporting and delivering goods are evolving. These courier network services have the potential to change the nature of the package and food delivery industry, as well as the broader transportation network. Shared mobility is playing a transformational role in many global cities by enhancing transportation accessibility, while simultaneously reducing driving and personal vehicle ownership.