- Metadata
- Using a regional model and real data from Maryland, researchers showed destination choice model to be better at predicting trip length and OD flows than gravity model with socioeconomic factors integrated
- Introduction
- Using the Maryland Statewide Transportation Model to demonstrate that destination choice model is a better method for trip distribution
- Destination choice model is based on utility maximization
- better at replicating HBW trips length and OD patterns
- Concept
- Trip distribution is the second step in the traditional 4-step model
- It attempts to produce the best possible predictions of traveller’s destination choices on the basis of generation and attraction abilities of each zone and level of impedance between each OD pair
- ==Major weakness of the 4-step model because the interaction between origin and destination is complex and hard to capture==
- Gravity model is the most widely accepted and used trip distribution model
- Best suited at the aggregate level
- Assumes trips produced at an origin and attracted to a destination are directly proportional to the total trip productions at the origin and total attractions at the destination
- Random utility theory based models are often better suited at the disaggregate level but requires large amounts of data and is not widely applied in regional sized models
- Incorporates travel time, socioeconomic variables
- Requires individuals’ demographic and socioeconomic attributes at the TAZ level which are often unavailable
- Some researchers have incorporated or stratified the gravity model by socioeconomic factors
- Adjusted friction factor to simulate complex interactions (non-linear) between origin and destination
- There is a general lack of fitness comparison between the two models with real data and even less effort in comparing the two models within the context of a regional model
- Results
- The average trip length showed both models captured the general pattern, but it is an aggregate measure to determine which model is better
- ==The OD trips showed a better match for the destination choice model==