Supersampling and network reconstruction of urban mobility

Understanding human mobility is of vital importance for urban planning, epidemiology, and many other fields that aim to draw policies from the activities of humans in space. Despite recent availability of large scale data sets related to human mobility such as GPS traces, mobile phone data, etc., it is still true that such data sets represent a subsample of the population of interest, and then might give an incomplete picture of the entire population in question. Notwithstanding the abundant usage of such inherently limited data sets, the impact of sampling biases on mobility patterns is unclear -- we do not have methods available to reliably infer mobility information from a limited data set. Here, we investigate the effects of sampling using a data set of millions of taxi movements in New York City. On the one hand, we show that mobility patterns are highly stable once an appropriate simple rescaling is applied to the data, implying negligible loss of information due to subsampling over long time scales. On the other hand, contrasting an appropriate null model on the weighted network of vehicle flows reveals distinctive features which need to be accounted for. Accordingly, we formulate a "supersampling" methodology which allows us to reliably extrapolate mobility data from a reduced sample and propose a number of network-based metrics to reliably assess its quality (and that of other human mobility models). Our approach provides a well founded way to exploit temporal patterns to save effort in recording mobility data, and opens the possibility to scale up data from limited records when information on the full system is needed.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

An Overview of Indicators and Indices Used for Urban Mobility Assessment

The urban mobility is affected by global trends resulting in a growing passenger and freight transport demand. In order to improve the understanding of urban mobility in general, to evaluate mobility services and to quantify the overall transport system performance, it is necessary to assess urban mobility. Urban mobility assessment requires the application of methodology integrating different metrics and explicitly applying a multi-dimensional approach. Since scientific community does not define urban mobility in an unambiguous way, part of this paper is devoted to the analysis of the definition of urban mobility. This step enables better understanding of urban mobility in general, as well as understanding of the urban mobility assessment process. Usually, a three-layered approach that includes urban mobility data, indicators and indices is used for the assessment. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to perform extensive research in order to synthesize, define and organize the elements of those layers. The existing urban mobility indicators and indices have been developed for specific urban areas, taking into account local specifications, and they are not applicable in other cities. Also, the choice of urban mobility indicators is mainly related to the existence of data sources, which limits the objective and comparable assessment of the mobility of cities where such data do not exist.</p

The determinants of urban public transport: an international comparison and econometric analysis

The analysis presented in this paper is based on the database created by the UITP (International Association of Public Transport), "The Millennium Cities Database", which covers the public transport systems in 100 of the world's cities. It contains data on demography, urban structure, transport networks, daily mobility, environmental impacts, etc. Our analysis demonstrates the contrasts between European and American travel practices. It explores possible links between public transport market share and geographical and economic conditions on the one hand and the characteristics and performances of public transport systems on the other. Our research has generated an explanatory econometric model for public transport market share. To end with, a consideration of the levers that can be used to influence the public transport system leads into a discussion about the future of cities with ''European urban mobility'' and the danger of a slide towards ''American urban mobility'' taking place.Transport systems ; Urban mobility ; Transport policy ; Public transport

Public Participation GIS for sustainable urban mobility planning: methods, applications and challenges

Sustainable mobility planning is a new approach to planning, and as such it requires new methods of public participation, data collection and data aggregation. In the article we present an overview of Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) methods with potential use in sustainable urban mobility planning. We present the methods using examples from two recent case studies conducted in Polish cities of Poznań and Łodź. Sustainable urban mobility planning is a cyclical process, and each stage has different data and participatory requirements. Consequently, we situate the PPGIS methods in appropriate stages of planning, based on potential benefits they may bring into the planning process. We discuss key issues related to participant recruitment and provide guidelines for planners interested in implementing methods presented in the paper. The article outlines future research directions stressing the need for systematic case study evaluation

Local sustainable mobility management. Are Portuguese municipalities aware?

Urban mobility has become an international problem and several countries have joined together in different consortia, signing international agreements and developing projects with a view to establishing new standards for current mobility levels and the development of the transport systems of the future. Although such worldwide increasing effort regarding sustainable mobility issue, namely by the most proactive European cities, it is not yet clear why measures towards sustainable mobility are not implemented by the generality of local authorities. The main goal of this paper is to identify the different sustainable mobility strategies and the corresponding perceptions by local public authorities. Such local governance aspects have yet to be dealt with appropriately and in a credible way. This shortcoming is particularly acute in Portugal where sustainable urban mobility management is still highly underdeveloped and very few studies have been dedicated to the matter. We provide new evidence on the perceptions and strategies of the Portuguese local public authorities regarding sustainable urban mobility management. Through a survey to all Portuguese municipalities we provide brand new evidence on their perceptions and strategies regarding sustainable urban mobility management. Estimates based on econometric regressions indicate that the most mobility-conscious municipalities are, on average, those that are richer, more cultural and educated, possess alternative transport parks and routes, have larger and more human capital intensive mobility departments. Results show that more than simply participating in urban regeneration programs it is necessary a more committed attitude, namely that municipalities’ urban plans explicitly mention mobility issues and indicators. All the models estimated clearly evidence a higher awareness of North municipalities towards sustainable mobility issues.Zona Euro; Sustainability; mobility management; regions; human capital

Reshaped Urban Mobility

The application of novel solutions in vehicle and information technologies and the need for sustainability result in significant change in urban mobility. Moreover, autonomous vehicles (AVs) are expected to contribute to this alteration as well. The mobility is considered not only a single trip from A to B anymore but a comprehensive service. Shared and demand-driven services are more and more available besides traditional transportation modes. Modes are presented, evaluated, and compared, giving a realistic scenario for upcoming changes and opportunities. The development of the passenger transportation system requires an integrated approach considering user expectations. It is facilitated by the concept of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), in which improvement of the quality has higher relevance than before. The impacts of the alteration are also summarized