UrbanTrans is part of a team that is developing guidance to help transportation planners and agencies better integrate mobility on demand (MOD) business models into their planning processes. The changing nature of the MOD marketplace has made it difficult for planning agencies to integrate MOD solutions into their communities and adequately mitigate for the frequent changes in MOD business models.

The project began with an assessment of existing MOD business models. The assessment provides planners with a better understanding of the various services in the MOD ecosystem and what drives business decisions. When planners have a better understanding of business models, they are better able to predict how those models may change, what motivates MOD companies to work with communities, and how regulatory models may impact service provision. The project team then built a multi-step planning template to walk users through the selection of MOD services. The template includes a community mobility needs assessment to identify needs and match those needs to appropriate MOD business models. Planners are then walked through a planning exercise scenario to consider how internal and external factors may impact the delivery of MOD services. Examples include a MOD company ceasing service, moving from a business-to-government model to a business-to-consumer model, and loss of access to technology vendors that distribute key transportation information. The scenario planning template includes sample mitigations that can be used to address identified factors that may affect service delivery.

The final tool will help planners understand what MOD solutions are best for their community, what risks may occur when adopting solutions, and what mitigations can be taken (including not pursuing MOD solutions) to address potential risks.

UrbanTrans is helping lead the development of a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan for the City and County of Denver. The city has seen significant growth in recent years that has resulted in increased congestion and parking demand. Simultaneously, the region and city have made large investments in transit infrastructure while suffering decreases in transit use.

The city hired UrbanTrans and its project partners David Evans and Associates and Fox Tuttle Hernandez to develop TDM policies to decrease vehicle trips and parking demand associated with new development and encourage the use of transit, walking, and biking. The planning effort included a review of citywide plans, policies of peer governments, and applicable academic research.

The project included significant public outreach that targeted developers, financiers, elected officials, neighborhood groups, transportation-related non-profits, regional governments, and shared-mobility service providers. Outreach included one-on-one meetings, focus groups, public meetings, a webinar, and an online survey.

The research and community feedback were used to develop three draft recommendations that were refined through additional stakeholder input leading to a final preferred option. The preferred option involves a tiered TDM requirement that adjusts based on development size, land use, location, and proximity to transit. An online tool will be developed that will provide developers with an interactive list of TDM strategies based on the specific characteristics of their development.

The final recommendations include specific actions that the city needs to take to implement the new regulations including staffing requirements, updates to internal tools to assure compliance, and incentives that should be provided to offset TDM program costs for developers and subsequent landowners.