Statewide Modeling

Statewide Transportation Demand and Microsimulation Modeling

The California Department of Transportation Statewide Modeling Branch in the Division of Transportation Planning, Office of Data Analytics Services, located in Sacramento Headquarters.

The Branch is responsible for several functions:

• California Statewide Freight Forecasting and Travel Demand Modeling - The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has developed the California Statewide Freight Forecasting and Travel Demand Model (CSF²TDM) to provide Caltrans and other transportation partners with an advanced multi-modal tour/activity-based travel demand model that forecasts short and long distance travel by California residents as well as all commercial vehicle travel throughout the state.CSF²TDM is fully integrated to capture passenger and freight trips together.

  The CSF²TDM helps Caltrans transportation related policies that best meet mobility goals as well as evaluate the impacts of freight movement on traffic congestion, mobility, air quality public health and equity. Partner agencies utilize this model to meet the air quality requirements set forth under AB 32, SB 375 and SB 391. The CSF²TDM is also a key tool for emissions and greenhouse gas (GHG) analysis.

  The CSF²TDM helps Caltrans plan for and evaluate the impacts of infrastructure enhancements on the economy, environment, traffic congestion, mobility, air quality, fuel consumption, GHG emissions, public health, climate change and equity.

• Micro-Simulation Modeling - Maintaining state-of-the-practice microscopic, mesoscopic, and macroscopic simulation tools and assisting the Caltrans Districts in implementing those tools for local projects. By precisely emulating the behavior of traffic, a simulation model can predict system performance over time. Model runs, which enable practitioners to directly compare alternative scenarios, can be viewed as experiments performed in the laboratory rather than in the field. See FAQs.
• Projects, Products and Services
  • California Statewide Travel Demand Model
  • California Statewide Freight Forecasting Model
  • California Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (CA-VIUS)
  • Micro-Simulation
  • Freight Analysis Framework
  • Crush FTP for CSF2TDM Model Files
  • Carload Waybill Data - By Request Only
  • Caltrans Modeling Forum (forthcoming) 
• Emissions Modeling

Product and Services

• If you would like to request any of our products, please send a request to statewide.modeling.branch@dot.ca.gov.