Transportation Analysis and Simulation

Cambridge Systematics is a leader in the development and use of simulation models for analysis of transportation investments. Our extensive experience in modeling multimodal transportation gives Cambridge Systematics critical knowledge in this field. We apply our expertise to assist our clients in making complex infrastructure decisions with a focus on large-scale networks, integrating macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic models, and developing new techniques and guidance for simulation.

Cambridge Systematics is an industry leader in helping agencies measure the performance of their transportation systems, plan their intelligent transportation system (ITS) deployments, and set priorities for limited funding. As part of this, Cambridge Systematics has been at the forefront in researching, developing, testing, and applying methodologies and models for evaluating the benefits and costs resulting from the deployment of management and operations strategies and projects. We continue to conduct research into new modeling procedures and apply real-world innovative approaches for analyzing and presenting the benefits and costs of investments in operational strategies. Our experience includes:

• Transportation analysis to help agencies invest in the right strategies. Traffic analysis provides agencies with a predictive capability to help determine which combinations of transportation improvement strategies are likely to be most effective.
• Transportation analysis to assist transportation agencies invest with confidence by minimizing conflicts or unintended consequences that would otherwise be unknowable before implementation.
• Our transportation analysis helps agencies improve the effectiveness/success of implementation, helps in building consensus among stakeholders, and helps optimize implementation staging.
• Lastly, transportation analysis provides agencies with a long-term capability to continually improve implementation based on experience.

Our Services

• Research and Development. Cambridge Systematics has been selected to research and develop the next generation of simulation models. Under the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Next Generation Simulation Program (NGSIM), Cambridge Systematics lead the way in developing the fundamental behavioral algorithms that will drive the future commercial simulation marketplace. As the lead consultant for NGSIM, Cambridge Systematics is overseeing a group of simulation experts, including practitioners, modelers, and software developers, to advance the state-of-the-art in simulation modeling.
• Simulation Modeling. Cambridge Systematics continues its tradition of supplying clients with modeling solutions to decision-making by helping our clients to make complex infrastructure investment and planning decisions. We are on the leading edge of advanced simulation model applications, with core expertise in large-scale networks, integrating microscopic, mesoscopic, and macroscopic simulation models, and analyzing transportation alternatives using all types of simulation models. Examples of large-scale simulation efforts lead by Cambridge Systematics include the U.S. DOT's Integrated Corridor Management Tools, Strategies, and Deployment Support, and the development of Corridor System Management Plans for the California DOT (Caltrans).
• Guidance and Education. Cambridge Systematics assists model practitioners in the application of simulation tools. As part of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Traffic Analysis Tools Program, we have developed a comprehensive set of Traffic Simulation Guidelines. The guidelines aid practitioners in the selection, development, calibration, and application of simulation models.

Why Cambridge Systematics

Cambridge Systematics is an industry leader both in providing new and improved analysis tools for transportation analysis and in performing sophisticated simulation model applications. As public agencies increase their use of transportation simulation models to make infrastructure investment and planning decisions, we are taking a lead role to ensure that these models provide the best possible analysis to our clients. Cambridge Systematics is committed to going beyond applying simulation models to transportation problems: we are working to improve the underlying models themselves and to assist model practitioners in their proper use.

Our research and training efforts complement our role in providing ongoing simulation application support to our clients by ensuring that Cambridge Systematics possesses a unique understanding of the state-of-the-practice and the state-of-the-art in microsimulation. For public sector agencies with simulation application needs, this holistic view is critical. It ensures that Cambridge Systematics can help our clients decide when to apply simulation models, how best to use them, and how to interpret model results correctly. Because of this, our clients use simulation models to solve the right problems and use the analysis from these models to make good decisions.