TREC research addresses complex transportation problems by drawing on multiple disciplines, including engineering, planning, economics and design, from across the Portland State University campus. Use the search box at right to search for a specific project.
NOTE: If you're looking for projects from our partner campuses, use the NITC research search.
Research Highlights
Exploring the positive utility of travel and mode choice
Patrick Singleton
Traditionally, travel is considered a disutility to be minimized, and travel demand is derived from activity demand. Recently, scholars have questioned these axioms, noting that some people may like to travel, use travel time productively, find other benefits in traveling, or travel for non-utilitarian reasons. These are instances of “the positive utility of travel” (PUT). In this dissertation, I conceptually and empirically investigate PUT, its determinants, and its impacts on travel behavio...
Read More
Implementing Oregon’s Energy Plan: Opportunities for Operations and ITS
Jon Makler
Oregon’s 10-Year Energy Plan identifies intelligent transportation systems (ITS) as a key strategy for reducing energy consumption in the transportation sector. Other strategies, including fleet turnover, will take a look time to realize benefits for the state while ITS can be implemented and produce results sooner. This project’s goal was to identify operations/ITS opportunities whose near-term implementation or acceleration can aid the accomplishment of the energy plan’s goals. The research...
Read More