The Travel Model Improvement Program (TMIP) has conducted research, provided technical assistance, and delivered training to state, regional, and local transportation planning professionals since 1994. Much has changed since TMIP's inception, with shifts in transport policy, advances in modeling theories, and progressions in practical lessons. Throughout, TMIP has worked to advance modeling capabilities and support transportation professionals as they respond to current and emerging challenges. TMIP continues its mission of improving analysis practices to ensure that transportation professionals are well equipped to inform and support strategic transportation decisions. Currently, TMIP is funded by the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Office of Planning, Environment and Realty.
TMIP shares many of its objectives with other stakeholder groups and national organizations. TMIP works cooperatively with the Metropolitan Capacity Building Program (MCB), which is focused on enhancing the capabilities of state and local transportation staffs to meet planning requirements and needs. TMIP also works with the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).
In addition, TMIP has updated its vision, mission, core values, and strategic goals to support the FHWA's mission to meet new planning and programming requirements contained in Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP 21), which was signed into law on July 6, 2012. The bill funded surface transportation programs at over $105 billion for fiscal years (FY) 2013 and 2014. MAP-21 emphasizes performance-based approaches.
TMIP provides technical support and promotes knowledge and information exchange in the transportation planning and modeling community.
TMIP helps transportation planners provide better information through effective use of quantitative methods and tools.
Outreach: Move transportation planning research from theory to practice and promote good practices in travel data analyses and quantitative methods applications.
Agency Support: Build transportation planning agencies' institutional capacity to effectively apply analytical tools in the transportation planning decision-making process.
Tool Enhancement: Develop the Toolbox as a comprehensive desk reference for applying travel analysis tools to support data-driven, performance-based transportation planning.
