Use of Big Data in Transport Models Roundtable

As the connected network of objects expands, data generation is growing exponentially. Opportunities exist for Big Data to contribute to a better understanding of transport demand in particular and transport systems in general. 

This Roundtable determines the most relevant use cases for Big Data in the modelling of transport demand and transport systems. In particular, it explores the possibility of Big Data to complement or replace traditional travel surveys, reflecting how many trips people make, to which destinations, using which mode or combination of modes.

This research explores the value of Big Data in transport demand modelling. The scope includes the following Big Data:

• “Activity data” from smartphone apps and social media content
• “Infrastructure data” from mobile telecommunication companies, or from sensors located in the built environment (such as Wifi/Bluetooth sensors, cameras capable of registration plate or facial recognition, etc.)
• “Transaction data” from credit cards and from ticketing, including public transport, taxi and shared micromobility
• “Vehicle data” from connected vehicles, including passenger cars and goods vehicles

The Roundtable examines issues related to Big Data including big biases, protecting privacy, sharing data from private sector sources and barriers like the analytical capacity of the collecting organisation.

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