Randall Guensler

Professor

Transportation planning, vehicle activity monitoring, air quality modeling, environmental impact assessment, and environmental policy analysis.

Commute Atlanta Project

Atlanta Congestion Pricing Report

Bio

Dr. Guensler is the director of Commute Atlanta, a $2.3 million joint value pricing initiative sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration and Georgia Department of Transportation. Commute Atlanta includes the collection and analysis of second-by-second vehicle speed, position, and engine operating data from 470 vehicles in representative Atlanta households. The researchers have monitored more than 1.4 million vehicle trips (more than 350,000 vehicle-miles per month). In 2005, the Commute Atlanta households began participating in road pricing experiments (cent/mile pricing, as well as real-time congestion pricing). Dr. Guensler's research team is assessing consumer response to these pricing mechanisms. A secondary focus of the research is the enhancement of monitoring technologies and services to support future transportation planning, safety, and operations policy initiatives. Development of tools for data management, data analysis, and privacy protection became major research activities. Secondary research has also included analysis of speeding, journey to work route choice, trip chaining, activity-based demand, household tripmaking variability, household and vehicle range of travel, long-distance travel, freeway operations, engine load, start and soak distributions, transit bus operations, etc.

Randall Guensler is a Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. After working for the California Air Resources Board for seven years, and completing his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at the University of California at Davis, Dr. Guensler joined Georgia Tech in 1994. During his years with the State of California, Dr. Guensler worked for four years in Compliance Assistance and for three years in the Executive Office, evaluating the design and implementation of transportation control measures by regional air quality management agencies. Since arriving at Georgia Tech, Dr. Guensler's main research focus has been the development of new monitoring and modeling tools to assess the air quality impacts of transportation policies.

Dr. Guensler was the Chairman of the Transportation Research Board committee on Transportation and Air Quality from 1997 to 2002. From 1995 to 2001, Dr. Guensler served on the Environmental Protection Agency's Mobile Source Technical Advisory Subcommittee. Over the past ten years, he has served on various National Academy of Sciences committees and panels charged with the assessment of vehicle emissions impacts and identification of research needs.

Recent Publications

BOOK CHAPTERS

Seshasayee, B., H. Wu, Y. Huang, H. K. Kim, W. Suh, M. Hunter, R. Fujimoto, R. Guensler and K. Schwan (submitted 2010). Dynamic Data Driven Transportation Systems. Dynamic Data Driven Application Systems, Springer-Verlag.

PEER REVIEWED ARTICLES

  • N. Pearre, W. Kempton, R. Guensler, and V. Elango (submitted). "Electric Vehicles: Investigating Daily Range Requirements." Transportation Research C.
  • Seshasayee, B., M. Hunter, R. Fujimoto, R. Guensler, K. Schwan, H.K. Kim, J. Sirichoke, and W. Suh (submitted). On the Resilience of Ad Hoc Distributed Simulation of Surface Transportation Systems with Unreliable Communications. Journal of Algorithms and Computation Technology, Special Issue on Dynamic Data-Driven Application Systems.
  • Ko, J., Guensler, R., and Hunter, M. (2010). "Analysis of Effects of Driver/Vehicle Characteristics on Acceleration Noise Using GPS-Equipped Vehicles."Transportation Research Part F; Volume 13, Issue 1; pp 21-31; January.
  • Jeon, C.M., A. Amekudzi, R. Guensler (2010). "Evaluating Plan Alternatives for Transportation System Sustainability: Atlanta Metropolitan Region." International Journal of Sustainable Transportation; Volume 4, Number 4; pp. 227-247; July.
  • Kall, D., R. Guensler, M.O. Rodgers, and V. Pandey (2009). "Effect of High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes on Mass Vehicle Emissions: An Application to I-85 in Atlanta (09-0491)." Transportation Research Record, No. 2123; pp 88-96; National Academy of Sciences; Washington, DC.
  • Ko, J., R. Guensler, and M. Hunter (2009). "Exploring the Relationship between Roadway Characteristics and Speed Variation." Transportation Research Record; No. 2092; pp 1-10; National Academy of Sciences; Washington, DC.
  • Jun, J., and R. Guensler (2009). "Freeway Speed Stability Patterns Based on Instrumented Vehicle Data." ITE Journal On the Web. http://www.ite.org/itejournal/webarticles.asp. June.
  • Ko, J., M. Hunter and R. Guensler (2008). "Measuring Control Delay Components Using Second-by-Second GPS Speed Data." ASCE Journal of Transportation Engineering; Vol. 134, No. 8; pp 338-346; August.
  • Guin, A., R. Guensler, and M. Hunter (2008). "Analysis of Reduction in Effective Capacities on High-Occupancy-Vehicle Lanes Related to Traffic Behavior." Transportation Research Record; No. 2065; pp 47-53; National Academy of Sciences; Washington, DC.
  • Nelson, J.I., R. Guensler, and H. Li (2008). "A Geographic and Demographic Profile of Morning Rush Hour Commuters in Metropolitan Atlanta." Transportation Research Record; No. 2067, pp 26-37; National Academy of Sciences; Washington, DC.

PEER-REVIEWED PROCEEDINGS

  • Henclewood, D., A. Guin, R. Guensler, R. Fujimoto and M. Hunter (invited and submitted 2010). Real-Time Data Driven Arterial Simulation for Performance Measure Estimation. Proceeding of the Winter Simulation Conference (WSC), B. Johansson, S. Jain, J. Montoya-Torres, J. Hugan, and E. Yücesan, eds., Baltimore, MD. December.
  • Elango, V., and R. Guensler (2010). "An Automated Activity Identification Method for Passively Collected GPS Data." 3rd TRB Conference on Innovations in Travel Modeling which is being held in Tempe, Arizona. May 10-12.
  • Nelson, J.I., L. Zuyeva, N. Wood, and R Guensler (2010). "A Socio-Demographic Analysis of Northeast Atlanta I-85 Peak Period Commuters Likely to be Affected by Implementation of Value Pricing Along the Corridor." 89th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington D.C., January 2010.
  • Ross, C., J. Barringer, R. Guensler, J.L. Harbour Doyle, L. Zuyeva, E. Barrella (2009). "Metropolitan Atlanta Congestion Pricing Study (09-3780)." 88th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington D.C., January 2009.
  • Xu, Y., L. Zuyeva, D. Kall, V. Elango, and R. Guensler (2009). "Mileage Based Value Pricing: Phase II Case Study Implications of the Commute Atlanta Project (09-3458)." 88th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington D.C., January 2009.
  • Barringer, J., C.L. Ross, R. Guensler, J.L. Harbour Doyle, L. Zuyeva, E. Barrella (2008). "Perceptions of Congestion Pricing in the Metropolitan Atlanta Region." ACSP-AESOP Joint Congress, Chicago, IL, July 2008.
  • Jeon, C.M., A. Amekudzi, R. Guensler (2008). "Sustainability Assessment at the Transportation Planning Level: Performance Measures and Indexes (08-1325)." 87th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington D.C., January 2008.
  • Rountree, R.C., Miller, J., P. Vu, and R. Guensler (2008). "Georgia's Approach to Congestion with the Four T's: Tolling, Transit, Telework, and Technology (08-3066)." 87th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington D.C., January 2008.
  • Vu, P., L. Zuyeva, R. Guensler, and J. Miller (2008). "Enforcement Strategies for High-Occupancy Toll Lanes (08-3025)." 87th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington D.C., January 2008.
  • Miller, J.M., P. Vu, T. Slack, R. Rountree, and R. Guensler (2008). "Commuter Credits: Proposed Program to Support Public policy Goals of HOT Lanes (08-2832)." 87th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington D.C., January 2008.
  • Elango, V., P. Blaiklock, and R. Guensler (2008). "Visualization of Freight Movement with the GT Freight Data Collector and Real-time Cargo Tracking (08-0628)." 87th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington D.C., January 2008.

NON-REFERRED CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

  • Barringer, J., C.L. Ross, R. Guensler, and L. Zuyeva (in press). "Congestion Pricing and Associated Equity Concerns in the Metropolitan Atlanta Region." Proceedings of the 50th Annual ACSP Conference, Crystal City, VA, October 2009.
  • Kall, D., and R. Guensler (2009); Effect of High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes on Mass Vehicle Emissions: An Application to I-85 in Atlanta; Presented at Southern District Institute of Transportation Engineers (SDITE) 2009 Annual Meeting; Birmingham, Alabama; April.
  • Vu, Patrick, and R. Guensler (2008). "Gantry-Controlled Access: A Combined Tolling and Enforcement System." 2008 Freeway and Tollway Operations Conference; Fort Lauderdale, FL. June.
  • Guensler, R, J. Jun, and J. Ogle (2008). "GPS Data and Vehicle Insurance: Analytical Efforts Associated with the Commute Atlanta Program." 2008 Casualty Actuarial Society Ratemaking Seminar; Boston, MA. March.
  • Fujimoto, R.M., R. Guensler, M. Hunter, K. Schwan, H.K. Kim, B. Seshasayee, J. Sirichoke, and W. Suh (2007); "Ad Hoc Distributed Simulation of Surface Transportation Systems." International Conference on Conceptual Structures, 7th International Conference on Computational Science; Beijing, China; Proceedings, Part I, v 4487 LNCS; pp. 1050-1057; May.

TECHNICAL AND POLICY REPORTS

  • Ross, C., R. Guensler, J. Barringer, A. Danner, M. Allen, E. Barrella, J. Doyle, and L. Zuyeva (2008). "Congestion Pricing Response: Study for Potential Implementation in the Metropolitan Atlanta Area." Prepared for the Georgia Department of Transportation, Atlanta, GA. Georgia Institute of Technology; Atlanta, GA; October.
  • Xu, Y., L. Zuyeva, D. Kall, V. Elango, and R. Guensler (2008). "Commute Atlanta Value Pricing Phase II Case Study Report." Prepared for the Georgia Department of Transportation, Atlanta, GA. Georgia Institute of Technology; Atlanta, GA; June.
  • Guensler, R., V. Pandey, D. Kall, G. Shafi, P. Blaiklock, M.O. Rodgers, and M. Hunter (2008). "MOBILE-Matrix and CALINE-Grid: Project-Level Conformity Screening and Microscale Air Quality Impact Assessment Tools." Prepared for the Georgia Department of Transportation, Atlanta, GA. Georgia Institute of Technology; Atlanta, GA; June.
  • Zuyeva, L., and R. Guensler (2008). "Enforcement Options for High-Occupancy Toll Lanes in Atlanta." Prepared for the Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority, Atlanta, GA. Georgia Institute of Technology; Atlanta, GA; June.
  • Zuyeva, L., and R. Guensler (2008). "Access and Egress Treatments on HOT Lane Systems: Scoping Report." Prepared for the Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority, Atlanta, GA. Georgia Institute of Technology; Atlanta, GA; June.

Recent Presentations

PRESENTATIONS

  • Hunter, M., R. M. Fujimoto, C. Alexopoulos, R. Guensler, and F. Southworth (2009); Embedded Distributed Simulation for Transportation System Management; 2009 NSF EFRI Annual Grantees Conference; Arlington, VA; March.
  • Barringer, J., C. Ross, R. Guensler, and L. Zuyeva (2009). "Perceptions of Equity Issues with Congestion Pricing in the Metropolitan Atlanta Region." 88th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Session 623, Congestion Pricing Research: Laying the Foundation for the Future; Washington, DC; January.
  • Kall, D., V. Pandey, J., and R. Guensler (2008). "MOBILE-Matrix and CALINE-Grid: Project-Level Conformity Screening and Microscale Air Quality Impact Assessment Tools." 18th Annual On-Road Vehicle Emissions Workshop, San Diego, CA; Coordinating Research Council; Atlanta, GA; March.
  • Guensler, R., V. Elango, and P. Blaiklock (2008). "Reducing Emissions through Cargo Insulation: Shifting Refrigerated Freight to Dry Containers." Data for Goods Movement Impacts on Air Quality, Irvine, CA; National Academy of Sciences; March.
  • Guensler, R., Y. Xu, V. Elango, and L. Zuyeva (2008). "Mileage-Based Pricing Value Pricing: Phase II Overall Trend and Case Study Implications of the Commute Atlanta Project." 87th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Session 251, Advancements in Congestion Pricing; Washington, DC; January.

POSTER SESSIONS

  • Hunter, M., R. M. Fujimoto, C. Alexopoulos, R. Guensler, and F. Southworth (2009); Embedded Distributed Simulation for Transportation System Management; 2009 NSF EFRI Annual Grantees Conference; Arlington, VA; March.
  • Barringer, J., C. Ross, R. Guensler, and L. Zuyeva (2009). "Perceptions of Equity Issues with Congestion Pricing in the Metropolitan Atlanta Region." 88th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Session 623, Congestion Pricing Research: Laying the Foundation for the Future; Washington, DC; January.
  • Kall, D., V. Pandey, J., and R. Guensler (2008). "MOBILE-Matrix and CALINE-Grid: Project-Level Conformity Screening and Microscale Air Quality Impact Assessment Tools." 18th Annual On-Road Vehicle Emissions Workshop, San Diego, CA; Coordinating Research Council; Atlanta, GA; March.
  • Guensler, R., V. Elango, and P. Blaiklock (2008). "Reducing Emissions through Cargo Insulation: Shifting Refrigerated Freight to Dry Containers." Data for Goods Movement Impacts on Air Quality, Irvine, CA; National Academy of Sciences; March.
  • Guensler, R., Y. Xu, V. Elango, and L. Zuyeva (2008). "Mileage-Based Pricing Value Pricing: Phase II Overall Trend and Case Study Implications of the Commute Atlanta Project." 87th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Session 251, Advancements in Congestion Pricing; Washington, DC; January.