Managing Travel Demand: Applying European Perspectives to U.S. Practice

FHWA-PL-06-015

This report summarizes the findings of an International Technology Scanning Program scan on managing travel demand. The purpose of the scanning study was to assess European experience in managing the demand for automobile and truck travel through a variety of means, including traveler information, technology, improved modal options, pricing, and new institutional arrangements. The scanning program is sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) of the Transportation Research Board (TRB).

The scan team visited the following cities throughout Europe that have been pursuing programs and policies to reduce automobile demand: Rome, Italy; Stockholm and Lund, Sweden; Cologne, Germany; Rotterdam and Delft, Netherlands; London, United Kingdom.

The visit focused on both local efforts to manage demand within a metropolitan area and national research, policies, and programs to integrate demand management into planning, management, and operations of the transport system. While congestion is often the issue driving efforts to manage demand in the United States, European policies tend to also focus on air quality and sustainability objectives.

• HTML Version
• PDF Version (7.5 mb)