Suggested Citation:
Handy, Susan L. (2024)

Reflections on the Role of Researchers in Shaping the Ideas That Shape Transportation

In this article I reflect on the role of research—and researchers—in shaping professional thinking. It is not hard to find examples in which research has informed transportation policy and practice. But does research also influence how transportation professionals think? I start by discussing why ideas are important to the profession and what role research can play in shaping them. I then present three examples of core ideas in the transportation profession that have shifted to a lesser or greater degree, while considering the role of research, including my own, in these shifts. The concept of accessibility, as an alternative to mobility, is the first example. The induced travel phenomenon, which challenges the traditional idea of capacity expansion and points to the need for demand management, is the second example. The third example is the growing focus on the idea of connectivity. These examples illustrate a few of the ways that core ideas within the transportation profession have shifted over time and the role of different kinds of research in supporting, encouraging, and documenting those shifts. This essay is an exploration of possible connections between research and professional thinking, not a scientific study of these connections, and is intended to be a starting point for further reflection on the role of research in shaping professional thinking.

The video recording can be found at this link: 2024 TRB Annual Meeting Distinguished Deen Lecture – Susan Handy