Scholarships Source

Project description
Problem definition
New forms of teleworking and the provision of travel information (both pre route and en-route) will likely influence the way individuals and households organize their activities in time and space. Travel information and location-based services allow travellers to make better informed decisions about the choices they have and reduce the uncertainty about various types of attributes influencing their decisions. Likewise, travel guidance systems will imply that travellers experience new and different options. All of this should be viewed in a dynamic context as travellers learn about their spatial and travel environment. The feasibility of activity-travel patterns depends largely on the spatial distributions of land use (and the time space constraints/accessibility involved) and on institutional factors such as office and shopping centre opening hours. Thus, due to increasing congestion, less reliable travel times and the impact of various forms of ICT, individuals and households are likely to change or are advised/stimulated to change one or more characteristics of their activity-travel patterns (destination, timing, transport mode, task allocation etc.). In turn this may impact the market potential of facilities, triggering supply side dynamics. Little is know about the intensity and nature of such changes. Moreover, current activity-based models of activity-travel patterns do not incorporate such dynamics yet (Arentze and Timmermans, 2007).

Research design
The goal of this research project is to examine likely spatial externalities of new forms of teleworking and travel information provision (personal and public; descriptive and prescriptive). To that effect an agent-based simulation model will be developed, building on the models available in Eindhoven. It simulates first the impact of new forms of teleworking on changes in activity-travel patterns, and in turn changes in these patterns are used to simulate the impact on changing spatial and temporal demand.

Methodology
First, a stated adaptation and real world study will be designed to collect data on how individuals and households adapt their activity-travel patterns in the context of respectively new forms of telecommuting and various kinds of travel information. The survey will be a panel survey. ICT technology will be used to trace the activity-travel patterns of respondents. This will be supplemented by prompted recall via the Web. Next, the collected data on adaptation patterns will be analyzed using Bayesian networks as this method allows estimating both direct and indirect effects between the various factors and in addition allows simulating behavioural change as a function of new evidence/experiences. Thirdly, using these Bayesian belief networks, spatial externalities can be identified. It will lead to conclusions with respect to changing destination for conducting particular activities. In turn, this will be used in a series of performance indicators allowing one to judge different urban scenarios. Finally, the agent-based simulation model will be applied to evaluate different scenarios.

The candidate should possess a master degree and a good background in research methods, statistical analyses and computer programming.

Further requirements:

• Demonstrated interest in scientific research


• Proficiency in English writing and speaking


• Highly motivated to conduct academic research


• Team spirit