Summary of Recommendations from Travel Model Improvement Program's Peer Review Program

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Transportation, through FHWA, sponsors the Travel Model Improvement Program (TMIP) to help planning agencies improve their travel analysis techniques. As an integral part of TMIP, the Peer Review Program provides state and local planning agencies the ability to solicit input from experts in the field of travel demand modeling. The purpose of the Peer Review Program is allow experts in the field of modeling offer guidance to ensure that technical products, procedures, and processes are being developed to meet an agency's specific needs, as well as state, federal, and local planning requirements. Between June 2003 and December 2004, the TMIP Peer Review Program sponsored 12 peer review panels that occurred across a broad spectrum of metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and state departments of transportation (DOTs) throughout the United States. The peer review panel members included representatives from MPOs, state DOTs, private consulting firms, education institutions, and environmental interest groups. While the results of each peer review were documented individually and posted to the TMIP website, TMIP sponsored an additional study on the common issues and trends that arose within the peer reviews. The results of the peer reviews have been compiled and analyzed in a TMIP Peer Review Program synthesis report that will be a useful tool for planning practitioners interested in the experiences and lessons learned from peer agencies across the nation. Common issues and trends documented in the synthesis report and in subsequent TMIP peer reviews are summarized.