Proceedings of the 2007 Mid-Continent Transportation Research Symposium, Ames, Iowa, August 2007. © 2007 by Iowa State
University. The contents of this paper reflect the views of the author(s), who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the
information presented herein.
Review of Demand Modeling Methodologies for Air-Related
Transportation: An Institutional Challenge to Intermodalism
Xiubin Wang
National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education
University of Wisconsin, Madison
2205 Engineering Hall
1415 Engineering Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1691
wangx@engr.wisc.edu
Lei Yu
Department of Transportation Studies
Texas Southern University
Technology Building 125
3100 Cleburne Avenue
Houston, TX 77004-9986
yu_lx@tsu.edu
ABSTRACT
Fundamental to intermodal development is consistent demand modeling across the intermodal system,
which coordinates resource allocation. However, different planning organizations are responsible for the
development of different components of the intermodal system. In the case of air transportation, air
demand modeling is mainly conducted by Federal Aviation Administration and commercial airlines for
air traffic control and air flight operations. Airport-related surface demand modeling is undertaken
primarily by airport authorities and metropolitan planning organizations for airport design and urban
planning. These agencies adopt different methodologies from different perspectives, and there is an
institutional gap between the methodologies, which may undermine the well being of the intermodal
transportation system. In this paper, methodologies for demand modeling in the airport-related intermodal
transportation system are reviewed, and the relevant problems are identified. The authors highlight a great
need for a consistent demand modeling in support of intermodalism.
Key words: air demand modeling—intermodal transportation—urban planning