Social Networks and Travel Behaviour

The past decade has gone through rapid ICT developments, which had wide societal impacts. ICT enhanced the shift from social groups defined by location to individually-based social networks. High-speed telecoms allow for ad-hoc personalised networks that affect travel behaviour. Unfortunately, research has lagged behind ICT advances, as our understanding of current travel behaviour is limited and existing urban mobility solutions cater to population behaviour that no longer exists. The transport demand models used today are based on inadequate understanding of the new social structure. A new transport paradigm is needed for the ultra-urbanized smart city.

This COST action aims to initiate a new collaboration framework for the various EU research groups that develops a new transport paradigm based upon ICT social networks and their subsequent travel behavior in the urban environment.

The goals are to explore ways in which social activities become mobilised in space, identify how social ties affect the integration of local public transport into urban patterns, and develop a rigorous conceptual framework for new ideas and methodologies. This work will be achieved by creating a joint discussions platform that includes seminars, thematic working groups, discussion sessions, workshops and publishing scientific results.

The motivation for this COST action

1. Current transportation models are not equipped to deal with the emerging new social structure
   Our understanding of emerging travel behaviour is limited and existing urban mobility solutions cater to population behaviour that no longer exists

2. We need to develop a new transport paradigm based upon ICT social networks and their subsequent travel behavior in the urban environment
   Due to rapid ICT development and the emergence of ICT social network activities, a new travel model needs to be developed, one that in particular will promote urban public transport

Memorandum of Understanding

Click here to read the Memorandum of Understanding

COST TU 1305 Aim

To initiate a new collaboration framework for the various EU research groups that develops a new transport paradigm based upon ICT social networks and their subsequent travel behavior in the urban environment.

COST TU 1305 Goals

• to explore ways in which social activities become mobilised in space

• identify how social ties affect the integration of local public transport into urban patterns

• to develop a rigorous conceptual framework for new ideas and methodologies.

• to establish a linkage between social networks, travel behaviour and urban structure

• to broaden the theoretical and practical framework of the field, taking into account both urban structure, and jointly performed social activities.

This work will be achieved by creating a joint discussions platform that includes seminars, thematic working groups, discussion sessions, workshops and publishing scientific results.