Venu Garikapati Designated as Chair of Transportation Research Board Committee on Travel Choices
Committee Explores Effects of Information and Communication Technologies on Travel Choices
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) Venu Garikapati, a senior transportation data researcher, started his three-year term as chair of the Transportation Research Board’s Technical Committee on the Effects of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on Travel Choices on April 15, 2024.
The committee aims to advance understanding of the complex interrelationships between ICT and activity-based travel choices. Committee members pursue conceptual, methodological, experimental, and empirical studies addressing a range of ICT topics—such as telecommuting, online shopping, ride-hailing, real-time information, social media, mobile phone apps, and the use of virtual/augmented reality and gamification—to better understand travel behavior.
Part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) mobilizes expertise, experience, and knowledge to anticipate and solve complex transportation-related challenges. TRB has more than 175 committees addressing all modes of transportation and covering nearly every discipline that contributes to transportation. As committee chair, Garikapati sees an opportunity to further research in the ICT arena and contribute valuable insights to the National Academies regarding the significant impacts that various innovations will have on our nation’s travel patterns in the foreseeable future.
“It's a privilege to be in a position to advance the committee's goals and play a role in shaping our understanding of the evolving landscape of travel behavior in the years and decades ahead,” he said.
Prioritizing the Committee’s Research Objectives
Although traditionally energy has not been a primary focus of the committee, Garikapati would like to see that change. Of particular interest are two key topics: 1) exploring the trade-offs between reduced travel and the rise of e-commerce to determine if this shift is resulting in a net gain or loss in mobility/energy and 2) assessing the true energy-saving potential of telework now that the pandemic has receded.
“As a society, we are surrounded by the influence of ICT without fully acknowledging or understanding how it impacts our travel habits,” he said.
Take, for example, the post-pandemic shift in commuting patterns—today, many people work from home two to three days a week, resulting in an anticipated 30%–40% decrease in miles traveled for commuting. Interestingly, these saved miles often translate into longer recreational trips on weekends and holidays.
E-commerce serves as another example. While online shopping may appear to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT), the miles are merely redirected to delivery vehicles. When factoring in the VMT associated with returns for online purchases, the perceived reduction in e-commerce-related VMT becomes less optimistic.
“The committee is dedicated to untangling the complexities of how ICT truly influences our travel behavior, aiming to distinguish reality from misconception in this realm,” he said.
From Budding Interest to Expertise
Garikapati’s work on the committee aligns closely with his long-standing expertise in understanding the impacts of emerging technologies on travel behavior and the role that big data analytics can play in enhancing transportation system performance.
His keen interest in this domain began when he was working on a transportation congestion mitigation project as an undergraduate student of civil engineering.
“As I delved into the project, I became engrossed in the concept of activity-based travel modeling, which posits that all travel stems from specific activities we undertake at particular times and locations,” he said. “Understanding this spurred my research interest in pinpointing the root causes of travel and devising strategies to minimize or better manage it, thus mitigating congestion.”
Before joining NREL in 2017, Garikapati’s research centered on comprehending the mobility implications, such as VMT and traffic congestion, of emerging transportation modes. Since joining NREL, his interests have expanded to encompass quantifying the mobility and energy-related effects of such modes.
“At NREL, I’ve had the opportunity to analyze the impacts of wide-ranging travel modes—from e-scooters to airplanes and everything in between,” he said. “My work has also involved devising a way to quantify and understand the quality of mobility via various modes in any area, from a small neighborhood to a large state.”
Among his major accomplishments during his tenure at NREL is his instrumental role in developing the Mobility Energy Productivity (MEP) tool. MEP distills three major components of mobility—time, cost, and energy—into a simple, easy-to-read score. That score can quantify the efficiency of connectivity provided by one or more travel modes (such as biking, driving, walking, or public transit) for a given geographic area. MEP can also analyze the quality of mobility for specific groups based on traits such as income, age, and vehicle ownership and is a powerful tool for identifying and rectifying mobility equity issues.
Garikapati added that his passion lies in the realm of travel behavior, with a particular fascination for the intricate ways in which technology influences our movement patterns on a micro-level. For instance, in his daily routines, he relies on navigation applications like Google Maps to guide him along the most efficient routes, both in terms of time and energy.
“It's this deep interest in understanding the impact of information and communication technologies on travel behavior that initially drew me to the committee and my interest has only intensified over time,” he said.
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