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45 BREAKOUT SESSION Emerging Modeling Considerations Sivaramakrishnan Srinivasan, University of Florida Chandra Bhat, University of Texas at Austin Jessica Guo, University of Wisconsin, Madison Arun Kuppam, Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Maren Outwater, Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Rob Hranac, Cambridge Systematics, Inc. COMPANIONSHIP FOR LEISURE ACTIVITIES: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS USING THE AMERICAN TIME USE SURVEY Sivaramakrishnan Srinivasan and Chandra Bhat Sivaramakrishnan Srinivasan discussed the use of the Census Bureauâs American Time Use Survey (ATUS) to examine joint activity and travel trends. He described possible impacts of joint activities and travel on travel demand forecasting models, information on the ATUS concerning joint activities with household and non- household members, and possible enhancements to the modeling process. Volume 2 includes a paper on the topic.1 The following points were covered in his presentation. ⢠A number of practical considerations relate to mod- eling joint activities and travel. For example, vehicle- occupancy levels are determined by joint activity- travel decisions and the ability of individuals to synchronize their travel. As a result, the modeling of joint activity- travel is needed to evaluate the vehicular travel in the sys- tem and policies related to high- occupancy vehicle and high- occupancy toll lanes, responses to carpooling incen- tives, and other related programs. It is also needed for assessing demand management actions such as early release, compressed work weeks, and telecommuting. These strategies can alter travel patterns of individuals not directly impacted by the action. These secondary impacts are missed by individual- based models. ⢠Other practical considerations include the impact of joint activities on travel distances, travel duration, and time of travel. Individuals may be more willing to travel longer distances for activities pursued jointly with family and friends. These trends have implications for air qual- ity and congestion. Additional travel for pickup and drop- off of companions may not be captured effectively if joint activities are not modeled. Social activities may not be as flexible as they have traditionally been treated. ⢠Further practical considerations include the impli- cations of the increasing use of information and commu- nication technologies, which may influence the substitution of virtual socializing for social travel and the facilitation of travel coordination. Interest in modeling travel during weekends and for special events further highlights the need for explicitly accommodating joint activity and travel patterns in travel models. ⢠The overall goal of the study is to contribute to the empirical understanding of activities and travel pursued by individuals jointly with household and nonhousehold members. Study objectives included examining the content of travel that is pursued jointly, household versus non- household companions for joint episodes, and variations by activity type and by day of the week. Three types of leisure activities were examined and the impacts of demo- graphic characteristics, activity episode characteristics, and day of the week on companion choice were assessed. 1 See Srinivasan, S., and C. R. Bhat. Companionship for Leisure Activities: An Empirical Analysis Using the American Time Use Survey. In Conference Proceedings 42: Innovations in Travel Demand Modeling, Volume 2: Papers, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2008, pp. 129â136.
