ActivitySim
Telecommute frequency currently does not consider commute cost (e.g., toll, parking cost), and vice versa
Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe. In a recent sensitivity test of MWCOG's Gen3 Travel Model, which is built on ActivitySim, we examined a hypothetical scenario in which a cordon toll is placed on all vehicles entering a cordon zone in downtown DC. Specifically, we examined the workers who work in the cordon zone. We expected to see an increase in telecommute frequency for those workers in response to the cordon toll, but it did not happen, probably because the current telecommute frequency model does not consider the monetary costs associated with a commute trip (e.g., toll, parking). Also, when the highway skims are developed and are used in ActivitySim (e.g., workplace location choice), should they consider telecommute frequency? For example, paying $20 to get to work would mean very differently for workers who go to work 5 days a week versus those who go to work one day a week.
These nuances probably won't make a big difference at the aggregrate level, but they may have a noticeable effect when we look at a submarket at the disaggregate level.
Describe the solution you'd like As the consortium is planning to update the telecommute model in ActivitySim, is it possible to associate telecommute frequency choice with montary costs on a commute trip?
Scope developed by MWCOG staff: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TzON5WLdUGAqBub9SyJ5bcXnjGK3yGw4/edit?pli=1
