Services Provided: Artificial Intelligence, Travel Demand Modeling
Services Provided: Big Data Analytics, COVID Impacts on Travel Demand, Travel Market Analysis, GTFS Feed Summarization, Visualization
Services Provided: Survey Expansion, Travel Market Analysis, Incremental STOPS Model Development
Services Provided: Socioeconomic Analysis, Title VI Evaluation, Transit Planning
Services Provided: Model Validation Support, Regional STOPS Model Support, Air Passenger Model Update, Data Visualization
Services Provided: Scenario Planning, COVID Impacts on Travel Demand, Travel Market Analysis and Forecasting
Services Provided: Existing Conditions, Data Analysis, GIS Support, Mapping, Demand Estimation, Service Planning
Services Provided: Existing Conditions Analysis, On-board Survey, Demand Estimation, Transit Planning
Services Provided: Data/GIS Analysis, Scripting, Model Development, Calibration and Validation, Economic Benefits, Data Visualization
Services Provided: Traffic Forecast Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis
Services Provided: Artificial Intelligence, Travel Demand Modeling
Insight is part of a team that is pioneering an initiative with the Florida Department of Transportation’s Forecasting & Trends Office (FTO) to integrate AI into travel demand modeling. The project is part of FDOT’s broader efforts to integrate innovative technologies into planning workflows to enhance model reliability, efficiency, and reproducibility. Specifically, Insight is supporting the development of an AI-driven run routine designed to automate and enhance the calibration and validation of travel demand models, beginning with the Florida Hurricane Evacuation Model, also known as TIME.
The primary objective of this task is to increase the accuracy and consistency of model outputs while minimizing manual intervention and the potential for human error. The project aims to deliver a deployable routine that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies into the model calibration and validation process. Insight’s high-level contributions include AI application development, model calibration and validation automation, and system integration, ensuring compatibility with all district and statewide planning models used by FDOT.
Insight is currently developing guidance for implementing AI solutions and identifying the value of open-source versus proprietary AI options. Subsequent efforts will focus on designing an AI-driven auto-calibration framework for trip distribution in the TIME model, incorporating optimization algorithms that adapt to shifts in behavior and infrastructure conditions. Further work involves drafting a comprehensive user manual, developing training materials, and leading webinars to facilitate statewide adoption. Insight also contributed to broader support activities such as data gathering, trend evaluation, meeting facilitation, and the development of materials for stakeholder communication.
The work will culminate in the delivery of a complete AI-enhanced model run routine and associated documentation by the end of 2026.
Services Provided: Big Data Analytics, COVID Impacts on Travel Demand, Travel Market Analysis, GTFS Feed Summarization, Visualization
Insight, as part of a consultant team, provided data analytics for Metra’s Route Restoration Study. Metra is the commuter rail system in the Chicago metropolitan area serving the city of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs via the Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, and other railroads. The system operates 242 stations on 11 rail lines. As ridership slowly rebounded post COVID, Metra added back service in different capacities per line, but still overall provided less service than the pre-COVID levels. The primary task of the project was to analyze regional trip origin-destination data sets and use the findings to make recommendations to Metra’s schedules to better serve various ridership markets, such as core market to CBD, as well as weekend and off-peak markets.
For internal use and public distribution, the consultant team developed 153 zone-specific four-page spreads, each containing a series of maps, tables and graphs. Insight led the data processing and summarizing part of the study. Insight analyzed Replica data to create zone-specific choropleth maps of trips flows. Insight also provided data on trips at a block group specific level, to help identify where within each zone trips began and ended. Insight also developed data to present time of day histograms of trip flows by hour in 2019 and 2022, enabling pre-and-post pandemic comparisons, and showing shifts in the timing of traveling. In each analysis, Insight filtered out ‘internal’ trips to the zone that could not effectively be served by Metra service.
Conductor train counts and data from the Ventra ticketing app were also analyzed to show shifts in travel behavior. Comparison between Ventra data and Replica data made it possible for Metra to estimate its market share’ of total Replica trips that were currently being served by Metra service. Insight summarized GTFS feeds of operating schedules for Fall 2019 and Fall 2022 by daytime (weekday & Saturday) by line, by time period and station, which was used to produce histograms of average trains per hour for zonal travel-sheds for five time periods.
The combination of analysis on market share, GTFS-based service provision, trip distribution with each zone, and trips by time of day permitted Metra to identify day, time period and location combinations that would benefit the most from restored or enhanced service.
Services Provided: Survey Expansion, Travel Market Analysis, Incremental STOPS Model Development
Insight has served as a sub-consultant to the ETC Institute for numerous Systemwide Onboard Transit Surveys across the country since 2022. The overarching goal of these projects is to develop high-quality transit ridership patterns that would directly inform and enhance the regional travel demand modeling capabilities.
Insight’s role has been to provide methodological support and analytical enhancements to surveys to ensure that the survey data is robust enough to inform the regional model and related forecasting tools. Insight identified the essential variables needed from the transit surveys for the regional transit ridership forecasting models using the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Simplified Trips on Project Software (STOPS). For each survey, Insight efforts are focused on the reconciliation of the primary expansion with the APC counts and performing a secondary expansion of the survey (ETC performed the primary expansion) The secondary expansion enhances the value of the dataset by incorporating access/egress modes, transfer activity, and rider demographics. Secondary expansion adjustments were documented in a Technical Memorandum and validated through comparative analysis. Insight’s work ensured the final survey-based dataset met the region’s modeling and planning needs. Insight also incorporated the survey in the existing STOPS model and provided high-level recommendations on additional updates to the STOPS model.
Services Provided: Socioeconomic Analysis, Title VI Evaluation, Transit Planning
Insight provided socioeconomic analysis, Title VI evaluation, and transit planning support for TriMet’s Title VI Analysis for Security & Access Control Enhancements Study. The study aimed to assess which neighborhoods and populations around transit stations might face disproportionate impacts from proposed security measures intended to harden facilities, including elevators, grade-separated stations, and park-and-ride locations. The focus was particularly on disadvantaged groups, such as minority and low-income populations, who have historically been more vulnerable to the negative effects of such policy decisions.
To evaluate potential impacts, Insight analyzed American Community Survey (2019–2023 five-year estimates) data at the Census Block Group level. The analysis covered five geographic areas: a half-mile and one-mile radius around 10 selected stations, a half-mile and one-mile radius around MAX lines (excluding WES and Streetcar), and the overall TriMet service area. Insight developed area weights to refine the assessment, ensuring only the portions of Block Groups within the defined study areas were included, which improved the analysis’ accuracy in measuring potential impacts on nearby populations.
Services Provided: Model Validation Support, Regional STOPS Model Support, Air Passenger Model Update, Data Visualization
Insight, as part of a consultant team, provided travel demand modeling technical support to the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), providing critical technical support, calibration, and enhancement of ARC’s Regional Activity-Based Model (ABM). Insight provided the following services for the ARC Model Update:
Services Provided: Scenario Planning, Big Data Analytics, COVID Impacts on Travel Demand, Travel Market Analysis and Forecasting
Insight provided data analytics support for Metra’s Systemwide Network Planning Study. Metra is the commuter rail system in the Chicago metropolitan area serving the city of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs via the Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, and other railroads. The system operates 242 stations on 11 rail lines. The primary task of this project was to analyze regional trip origin-destination data sets and use the findings to make recommendations to Metra’s schedules to better serve various ridership markets, such as core market to CBD as well as weekend and off-peak markets. For this project, Insight helped develop scenarios of future travel markets in the Chicago region for the year 2050 based on previous work, regional projections, and trend analysis.
Insight’s previous work on Metra’s Route Restoration Study (RRS) identified current travel markets based on analysis of Replica data. For this study, Insight revisited trip flows that the RRS identified as market opportunities but could not be served without additional capital investments. Insight also reviewed recent regional efforts to forecast future travel market changes including CMAP’s Mobility Recovery Efforts and RTA’s Strategic Plan. Insight helped develop a market assessment summary of findings leading to the identification of an initial list of up to eight future travel demand scenarios, based on:
Building on work from the RRS and leveraging relevant CMAP, RTA, and other regional efforts along with additional LBS data, Insight led the development of custom spreadsheet-based travel forecast scenario models to test potential service proposals in subsequent tasks. Insight worked closely with Metra staff to review the initial future travel demand scenarios and target up to four scenarios to be carried forward and integrated into custom spreadsheet-based models for each scenario. The scenario models were utilized as “what if” analysis tool that support planning-level assessments of future demand and their concomitant impacts to operational needs and requirements. Insight also supported the project team in preparing a travel market scenario development technical memorandum detailing the methodology, inputs, findings, and recommendations of this task.
Finally, Insight also prepared zone-to-zone travel times, transfers required, and service headways using Metra’s GTFS schedules. These inputs fed directly into the ridership forecasting model used for the study.
Services Provided: Existing Conditions, Data Analysis, GIS Support, Mapping, Demand Estimation, Service Planning
Insight assisted in assembling, reviewing, and analyzing presently available and collectable data for a detailed look at BCT's current service area, route and system performance, system operations and working environments, including:
(1) review of existing, planned and future conditions,
(2) expanding and analyzing on-board survey,
(3) existing transfer/pass/fare activity analysis, and
(4) evaluating ridership demand of the network scenarios.
Insight prepared the existing conditions chapter, including extensive data GIS data assembly, enrichment, analysis, and mapping, identifying housing, employment, transit dependency, and other related trip generating activity factors associated with public transportation demand.
Insight used APC data to expand the onboard survey, including creating primary and secondary expansion weights. The expanded survey was compared to Replica (location-based travel data) and SERPM outputs to analyze commuting patterns within Broward County and to and from Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties. Insight also conducted demographic analysis of the rider population based on the expanded survey, as well as route-specific analysis of Transfer/Pass/Fare Activity Analysis.
Insight drew upon expertise with the Southeast Florida Regional Planning Model (SERPM) to provide 2015 and 2045 model runs to compare expected changes in travel patterns over time. Insight’s expertise and familiarity with Broward County made it possible to review and explain outputs from Broward County Farebox and APC data. Based on familiarity with past surveys, Insight was also able to expertly assess the reasonability of transfer rates and transfers, and to identify major trip flows. Insight also used statistical models to interpolate routes and trips that had been under-sampled.
Insight assisted in the latent demand analysis, identifying areas where transit was undersupplied. Insight conducted an analysis of the needs of traditional transit markets and expanded on the potential needs of discretionary markets within the BCT service area. Insight assisted in developing short-term, mid-term and long-term service optimization recommendations and used STOPS for evaluating the ridership demand for these scenarios.
Insight’s technical expertise helped BCT plan its future services as premium transit is introduced in the County.
Services Provided: Existing Conditions Analysis, On-board Survey, Demand Estimation, Transit Planning
Insight was part of a consultant team that provided transit planning support to Broward County Transit (BCT) for its 2023 Transit Development Plan (TDP) Major Update. The TDP provides BCT with a 10-year road map for the development of transit services and capital improvements in light of penny tax initiatives and BCT’s premium transit vision plan, named PREMO. The TDP serves as a planning, development, and operational guidance document, based on a ten-year planning horizon and covers the year for which funding is sought and the nine subsequent years.
Insight developed the baseline conditions report, which consisted of compiling, analyzing, visualizing and mapping relevant socio-demographic, transportation, land use, and special generators. In addition, travel demand model data and Replica data were analyzed. Insight staff also assisted in developing the sampling plan, questionnaire design, and administering the Transit On-Board Survey. Insight also developed the mandatory farebox recovery report, analyzing pandemic-induced changes.
Based on future funding projections provided by BCT staff, Insight staff estimated revenue service hours available for a 10- and 30-year plan. Insight staff then developed GTFS files for new services, and edited GTFS files for existing services to develop future year vision GTFS networks. Insight then calibrated a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Simplified Trips on Project (STOPS) model, and used the calibrated model to forecast 5-, 10-, and 30-year ridership by route.
Insight’s efforts helped with the successful completion of the TDP within a demanding schedule.
Services Provided: Data/GIS Analysis, Model Development, Calibration and Validation, Economic Benefits, Data Visualization
Insight Transportation Consulting Inc. is supporting the commuter rail ridership forecasting tool effort for MassDOT and MBTA. This tool will consider a wide range of initiatives and provide critical outputs showing ridership demand as well as societal and economic benefits to help MBTA develop the case for change and prioritize investments. The tool will use software that can be easily transferred to MassDOT and MBTA staff for in-house use.
As part of this contract, Insight supported the development of the zone system for the forecasting tool. The finer zone system used in the Boston Regional Metropolitan Planning Organization’s travel demand model (CTPS model) was agglomerated into a smaller number of zones based on proximity to rapid transit and commuter rail stations.
As the end-user anticipates adding and removing stations repeatedly, a tool to create updated zone systems was needed. Accordingly, Insight used R to develop a tool capable of using any set of stations as input and dynamically generating a new set of three catchments around each station, as well as ‘external’ zones’ beyond station-access areas. The tool also included capability to resolve a wide variety of edge cases where proximity based selection crossed waterbodies, or the catchmetns failed to includeresidual zones.
Insight also developed R scripts to aggregate the MPO’s demand model skim and demand matrices to the MBTA tool zone system format. Going forward, Insight is expected to support the calibration and validation of the tool under development. Specifically, Insight is expected to support the development of the economic benefits module and visualization functionalities for the tool. Insight’s effort is supporting the development of ridership and revenue forecasting tool to help MassDOT and MBTA prioritize future investments.
Services Provided: Traffic Forecast Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis
Insight is leading an effort for the Metropolitan Council to evaluate the accuracy and robustness of long-range traffic forecasts. This project builds on decades of traffic forecasting research and marks the third regional forecast accuracy assessment conducted in the Twin Cities, and the first to incorporate the methodological advancements from the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 934.
The objective of this work is to assess the reliability of past traffic forecasts, improve modeling procedures, and develop tools to better communicate forecast uncertainty to planners and decision-makers. The analysis will enhance both the Met Council’s and Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (MnDOT) understanding of how forecasted and actual traffic volumes have aligned over time, providing a critical foundation for future infrastructure planning. The key activities are described below:
This study provides the Met Council with a highly defensible and transparent record of forecast accuracy, strengthens the credibility of travel demand models in future decision-making, and equips planners with tools to explain and manage forecast uncertainty in public and interagency settings. Insight’s leadership in this project showcases its unmatched expertise in travel demand model evaluation and its ability to merge technical rigor with actionable, policy-relevant recommendations. The methodologies and tools developed will be scalable for use by MPOs and DOTs nationwide.
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