Exhibit D - Research Project Requirement: PDF Link

Project Summary: The project aims to improve accessibility and mobility in rural and disconnected communities through mobility modeling and a community-oriented approach. With a specific focus on healthcare and food access as case studies, the project will employ novel feature-engineering and data fusion approaches to identify data gaps, overcome data-related challenges, and understand unique spatiotemporal travel patterns in rural areas. Furthermore, a mobility modeling framework will be developed to evaluate mobility services specifically tailored to rural and disconnected communities such as micro-mobility, paratransit, and demand-responsive transit. Project outcomes will enhance efficiency for low-demand, long-distance trips by integrating diverse transportation modes, thereby improving overall accessibility and mobility. The project will also identify unmet needs, allowing for targeted policy recommendations that positively impact transportation in rural and disconnected communities.