Deploying Advanced Technology Infrastructure for Transportation Systems Management & Operations in Maryland: US 1 Innovative Technology Deployment Corridor

Appendix G: UMD/ NTC incenTrip Real-Time Demand Management

The Predictive traffic information will greatly benefit the travel demand and traffic congestion management through real-time user guidance, information provision, and incentivization. The incenTrip smartphone technology, developed in-house by the UMD/NTC team, conveys the traffic information and incentivizes its users towards desirable travel behavior. Through an integrated real-time control algorithm, information/incentive provision can be optimized to achieve certain system-level goals.

The incenTrip smartphone technology incentivizes the following five categories of individual choices: 1) Modal shifts to transit and ride share; 2) Departure time choice that helps users avoid congested periods; 3) Pre-trip route choice based on eco-routing; 4) En-route diversion choice; 5) Driving style choice that incentivizes users to practice eco-driving to reduce energy use. To achieve this objective, incenTrip provides real-time, predictive, and personalized information and incentives to its subscribers. The algorithm is developed based on the next-generation real- time AMS tool and an integrated control architecture that optimizes the incentive allocation and information dissemination. Dedicated travel behavior and subscribers’ intent prediction models are developed based on advanced marketing and behavior research. Through effective and real-time information and incentivization, the incenTrip technology can be applied to nudge travelers towards desirable travel behavior and thus it will be extremely useful for advanced travel demand and transportation congestion management.