Rail in the Age of Autonomous Ridesharing: Analysis of a Hybrid Transportation Demand Model

Abstract

The rail building boom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries endowed the United States with a vast expanse of rail lines that once served to connect the budding nation and allowed for rapid expansion during the industrial revolution. However, the convenience and access provided by the interstate highway system for short trips, and the speed of travel and level of service provided by the air network for long trips have squeezed out rail transportation as an effective means for travel in the past century.

As autonomous vehicle technology continues to improve it is only a matter of time until self-driving cars become an integral part of the American transportation system. Individual vehicle ownership is a limiting factor on rail transportation ridership as, upon arriving by rail at a destination station, the traveler is often left with inefficient or expensive options for last mile transportation to her final destination. Autonomous vehicles, and especially autonomous ridesharing fleets, help solve this problem by providing inexpensive and complete last mile coverage to get passengers to their final destination. Changing market dynamics as a result of the implementation of this new technology, along with several common sense changes to Amtrak's scheduling model, sets the stage for dramatic growth in intercity rail passenger trips in the coming years.