Transportation Demand Management
What is Transportation Demand Management?
TDM focuses on understanding how people make their transportation decisions and influencing people’s behavior to use existing infrastructure in more efficient ways.
TDM involves reducing single occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips and getting people to use public transit, carpooling or vanpooling, walking, biking, and teleworking.
TDM is cost effective in guiding the design of transportation and physical infrastructure so that options other than driving are naturally encouraged and transportation systems are better balanced.
What are some examples of TDM?
- Public Transit
- Flextime, Compressed Work Week
- Biking and Bikeshare
- Telecommuting
- Walking
- Rideshare
- Carsharing
- Ridematching
How is TDM implemented?
- Education programs
- Commuter incentives
- Transit subsidies
- Design of infrastructure
- Policy frameworks
Who is involved in the implementation of TDM?
- Federal Government
- State Government
- MPOs and other regional government organizations
- Local governments
- Transit organizations
- Employers
What are the benefits?
Providing Cost Savings
The average 20 mile round-trip commute costs $216 per month, and $2,592 per year – even more if you drive a larger vehicle, or have a longer commute. Carpooling with just one other person reduces that cost by half; a VIA Metropolitan Transit monthly bus pass costs 1/5 that; and walking is free!
Reducing traffic congestion
The Texas Transportation Institute found that in 2015, the average urban commuter wasted 42 hours every year stuck in traffic jams – a full-time work week. Instead, ride the bus, carpool, walk or bike and use your morning and afternoon commute to catch up on the “Three R’s” – read, relax, and rest.
Enhancing human relationships
TDM planning enhances human relationships by encouraging active transportation, reducing traffic congestion, and creating shared transportation spaces (i.g. transit hubs/park-and-ride facilities). TDM planning increases transportation system diversity and efficiency.
Improving air quality
In 2018, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated Bexar County “nonattainment”, meaning that air pollution has passed federal standards. Gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles produce tailpipe emissions, contributing to poor air quality.