Project: #393 Insights into Equitable and Fair Congestion Pricing Strategies in a World of Shared Automated Vehicles Progress Report - Reporting Period Ending: Sept. 30, 2023 Principal Investigator: Corey Harper Status: Completed Start Date: July 1, 2022 End Date: June 30, 2023 Research Type: Advanced Grant Type: Research Advanced Grant Program: FAST Act - Mobility National (2016 - 2022) Grant Cycle: 2022 Mobility21 UTC Progress Report (Last Updated: Oct. 18, 2023, 6:54 a.m.) % Project Completed to Date: None % Grant Award Expended: None % Match Expended & Document: None USDOT Requirements Accomplishments The purpose of this research is to assess how congestion pricing policies for shared AVs could affect mobility across demographic groups, and to develop policy recommendations that could assist policymakers in developing congestion pricing policies that promote sustainability and equity in a world of shared autonomous vehicles (AV). This project has supported the training of one graduate student who is developing a agent-based simulation tool that models travel behavior and shared AV operations. The proposed project will create an environment that links AV companies and local government to each other and to university students. Working closely with the City of Pittsburgh, PennDOT , and PSRC throughout this project, will provide an opportunity for students to network and learn the missions and goals of these organizations, providing them with pathways to obtain internships and higher paying jobs after graduation (e.g., Director of Public Policy). Over the past few months we have improved the shared AV simulation by calibrating it based on real world traffic count and mode share data and integrating road pricing scenarios into our simulation. Our demand model simulates travelers making mode choice decisions based on travel costs and trip purpose. It estimates changes sub-population metrics such as travel time and cost, as well as system level metrics such as energy use and congestion. Over the past few months several improvements, analysis, and changes have been made to improve the agent-based model. These include the following: 1. We conduct an equity assessment of SAV deployment by assessing impacts of different congestion pricing strategies on different subpopulation groups. 2. We've been able to visualize and compare the geospatial disparities of SAV impacts. 3. We assess tradeoffs to different stakeholders in the system including passengers, local agencies, and SAV operators due to changes in congestion pricing. 4. The model we created can assess the impacts of congestion pricing on travel time, travel cost, and mode choice, illuminating those policies most effective in promoting a balance between equity, environmental sustainability, and profitability. Since the last reporting period we have presented preliminary results of this work to the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Texas at Austin. Papers: We have submitted our final report, submitted a paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, and had a paper accepted for 2024 TRB. Collaborations: As a part of this project we have met with representatives from PennDOT (state transportation agency), the City of Pittsburgh (local transportation agency), and Puget Sound Regional Council (Metropolitan Planning Organization). Impacts The outputs of this project should help cities make more informed congestion pricing policy decisions that will lead to a more sustainable, equitable, and profitable connected and automated transportation system. This project will also increase our knowledge about how congestion pricing in a world of shared AVs will impact mobility among different sub-population groups. Other New methodologies, policy recommendations, and tools to assess how shared AV deployment policies affects congestion, equity, and AV operator profitability. Outcomes New Partners Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Issues N/A