Tina Geiselbrecht

Impact of Incentives on Toll Road Use by Trucks

In this research, interviews and survey data were used to understand better the truckers’ use of toll roads. On the basis of interviews with industry representatives, shipping companies, and drivers, it was clear that owner–operators were the least likely to use toll roads because of the difficulty in passing the cost of the toll on to their customers. Company-owned shipping operations were the most likely to analyze the potential benefits of a toll route carefully and possibly to use that route. A survey of truck drivers in the Austin, Texas, area was conducted both online and by paper. The surveys focus was on the use of State Highway (SH) 130, a tolled bypass route around Austin, versus the use of I-35, which runs through Austin. More than 2,000 respondents indicated their preferred route and whether certain incentives would motivate them to use SH-130. The survey results mirrored the results from the interviews, with smaller companies (owner–operators) preferring the nontoll route. The incentives that most interested the truckers were off-peak discounts, followed by the incentive of a free trip after a number of paid trips. The average value of travel time savings was

Linking the National Environmental Policy Act and Planning: Case Study in Central Texas

44.20/h.

Rethinking the Path to Mobility: Texans Talk About Transportation Funding

A case study of the efforts of a metropolitan planning organization to link the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the planning process is presented. The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) in Texas initiated a series of workshops to begin a dialogue with agencies not typically involved in long-range planning. CAMPO brought together resource and regulatory agencies, nontraditional stakeholders such as members of the Save Our Springs Alliance, the state department of transportation, and others for a meaningful dialogue that resulted in greater understanding among all parties. The workshops led to a sharing of data that can be used in developing long-range transportation plans. Areas of environmental sensitivity as well as cultural and historic features are now being mapped and used in preparing a long-range transportation plan. The next steps will build on the efforts of the early workshops to continue the exchange of data and information and work cooperatively to link the planning process with the NEPA process. It is anticipated that this early information exchange will result in improved project delivery.

Operational Performance Management of Priced Facilities

Research has shown that transportation funding is a subject about which the public lacks a strong knowledge base. However, because of the complexity of the funding process, crafting outreach and educational materials that convey necessary information can be difficult. In 2014, researchers with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute conducted a series of 11 focus groups throughout Texas to test three transportation funding outreach and educational items. The research team found that by emphasizing that fuel taxes were excise fees and lost purchasing power over time and that reduced transportation funding led to greater reliance on debt, participants became more aware of transportation funding issues and showed greater interest in addressing them. Furthermore, showing participants what they actually paid in transportation fees and taxes increased their willingness to consider funding alternatives. The research team was also able to elicit greater interest in transportation funding issues by presenting information in relation to per-person costs and impacts and by discussing funding issues at a local–regional scale.