Statewide Travel Model

Picture of gridlocked traffic on a California freeway.

The California Statewide Travel Model is a multi-modal travel demand model covering the entire state. It incorporates statewide networks for roads, rail, bus and air travel. It used the Statewide 2001 Travel Survey, the 2000 United States Census and incorporated regional estimates of zonal land use, employment and population for model calibration and base year assignment.

What is the purpose of the Statewide Travel Model?

The Statewide Travel Model is designed to bring a better estimate of inter-regional trips to regional travel demand models and to provide long distance travel estimates across multiple regions. The Statewide Travel Model is not intended to supplant existing or future regional travel demand models. Those models are inherently more detailed within their respective areas.

How is the model run?

The model was prepared and is run using TP+/Viper, a commercially available transportation modeling program. Alternative future network and socio-economic scenarios will need to be run on that system.

How was the model prepared?

The building and editing of the Statewide networks and socio-economic data was the result of a year-long cooperative effort consisting of working level modelers in Caltrans headquarters, several of the Caltrans districts and the California Air Resources Board. The work on developing the equations used for trip generation, distribution and the modal split was contracted out to Dowling Associates, a private consulting firm. That firm also prepared the model report.

Who will use the Statewide Travel Model?

The model will be used by planners in the Caltrans districts and in the Regional Transportation Planning Agencies.

Contact Person:

YukYee Lo
Phone: (916) 653-2855
Email: yukyee.lo@dot.ca.gov