Individual Tour Generation and Scheduling Model ¶

Overview ¶

The Individual Tour Generation and Scheduling Model determines the non-mandatory travel activities that individuals undertake independently, separate from mandatory activities (work/school) and household joint activities. This model captures personal discretionary travel behavior and individual activity participation patterns.

Model Purpose ¶

Primary Function: Generate individual tours for discretionary activities based on personal preferences, time availability, and household constraints after accounting for mandatory activities and joint household travel.

Key Decisions:

Number and type of individual discretionary tours
Activity purpose and priority scheduling
Timing coordination with mandatory activities
Resource allocation between competing activities
Independence vs. household coordination trade-offs

Behavioral Foundation ¶

Individual Activity Theory ¶

Personal Utility Maximization: Individuals seek to maximize satisfaction from discretionary activities subject to:

Time Budget Constraints: Available time after mandatory activities
Resource Constraints: Personal income, vehicle access, household responsibilities
Energy and Attention: Physical and mental capacity for additional activities
Social Preferences: Desire for individual vs. social activities
Skill and Interest: Capability and motivation for specific activities

Activity Substitution and Complementarity:

Substitutable Activities: Shopping vs. online purchasing, entertainment alternatives
Complementary Activities: Fitness and health services, hobby-related activities
Activity Chaining: Efficient combination of multiple purposes in single tour
Temporal Flexibility: Activities that can be rescheduled vs. time-specific activities

Individual vs. Household Activity Allocation ¶

Personal Autonomy Factors:

Life Stage Independence:
- Teenagers: Increasing independence, peer influence
- Young Adults: Maximum individual autonomy  
- Parents: Individual time limited by family responsibilities
- Seniors: Renewed individual freedom, possible mobility constraints

Employment Effects:
- Work Schedule Flexibility: Individual time availability patterns
- Work-Related Stress: Need for individual relaxation and recreation
- Professional Networks: Work-related social and business activities
- Travel Benefits: Employer transportation subsidies and parking

Household Context Integration:

Available individual time after joint household activities
Personal vehicle access and priority within household
Individual budget allocation within household finances
Coordination to avoid activity conflicts with other members

Activity Purpose Categories ¶

Shopping Activities (Individual) ¶

Clothing and Personal Items:

Characteristics: Personal preference-driven, style and fit considerations
Typical Participants: Individual adults, teenagers with independence
Timing: Weekend and evening hours, seasonal shopping periods
Benefits: Personal choice autonomy, immediate need satisfaction

Specialty Shopping:

Characteristics: Hobby supplies, professional equipment, specialty foods
Typical Participants: Adults with specific interests or professional needs
Timing: Flexible, often combined with other activities
Benefits: Expert product selection, comparison shopping

Personal Business ¶

Health and Medical Services:

Characteristics: Routine check-ups, personal care, fitness activities
Typical Participants: All adults, some independent teenagers
Timing: Appointment-based, often weekday business hours
Benefits: Privacy, individual health management

Financial and Administrative:

Characteristics: Banking, government services, personal appointments
Typical Participants: Adults responsible for personal affairs
Timing: Business hours, often requires scheduled appointments
Benefits: Personal financial management, privacy requirements

Personal Fitness and Wellness:

Characteristics: Gym, sports, individual recreation activities
Typical Participants: Health-conscious adults, athletes
Timing: Regular schedule patterns, early morning or evening
Benefits: Personal health goals, stress relief, individual achievement

Social Networking:

Characteristics: Meeting friends, dating, professional networking
Typical Participants: Adults with active social lives
Timing: Evening and weekend social hours
Benefits: Personal relationship development, career advancement

Hobby and Interest Activities:

Characteristics: Classes, workshops, cultural events
Typical Participants: Adults with specific interests and available time
Timing: Scheduled class times, event-based
Benefits: Personal development, skill building, creative expression

Model Structure and Specification ¶

Tour Generation Framework ¶

Individual Activity Propensity:

U_Individual_Activity = ASC_purpose +
                       beta_time_available * discretionary_time +
                       beta_age * age_category +
                       beta_gender * gender_effects +
                       beta_income * personal_income +
                       beta_employment * employment_status +
                       beta_lifecycle * household_lifecycle +
                       beta_auto_access * individual_auto_access +
                       beta_density * residential_density +
                       beta_day_type * weekend_holiday_indicator

Key Explanatory Variables:

Personal Time Availability:

Discretionary_Time = Total_Daily_Time - 
                    Mandatory_Work_Time - 
                    Mandatory_School_Time - 
                    Joint_Household_Time - 
                    Personal_Maintenance_Time - 
                    Sleep_Time

Available_Windows = Time periods not constrained by fixed commitments
                   Coordination gaps between mandatory activities
                   Flexible time around household responsibilities

Individual Resources:

Personal_Income = Individual earnings and allowances
                 Discretionary spending capability
                 Activity budget allocation within household

Auto_Access_Priority = Vehicle availability for individual use
                      Driving capability and licensing
                      Household vehicle allocation decisions

Social_Capital = Personal network requiring activity participation
                Professional relationships and obligations
                Friend and peer group activity coordination

Activity Purpose-Specific Models ¶

Shopping Tour Generation:

U_Shopping = ASC_shop +
            beta_income * household_income +
            beta_retail_access * retail_accessibility +
            beta_previous_shop * recent_shopping_tours +
            beta_online * online_shopping_preference +
            beta_gender * gender_shopping_preferences +
            beta_weekend * weekend_indicator

Personal Business Tour Generation:

U_Personal_Business = ASC_pb +
                     beta_age * age_health_needs +
                     beta_service_access * service_accessibility +
                     beta_appointment * scheduled_appointment_need +
                     beta_weekday * business_hours_availability +
                     beta_auto_required * vehicle_dependency

Social/Recreation Tour Generation:

U_Social_Recreation = ASC_social +
                     beta_age * age_recreation_preferences +
                     beta_social_network * social_connections +
                     beta_recreation_access * recreation_accessibility +
                     beta_discretionary_income * disposable_income +
                     beta_weekend_evening * leisure_time_availability

Temporal and Spatial Patterns ¶

Activity Timing Patterns ¶

Weekday Individual Activities:

Morning (6-9 AM): Personal fitness, early appointments
Mid-Day (9 AM-3 PM): Personal business, shopping (non-workers)
Evening (5-9 PM): Shopping, social activities, personal fitness
Late Evening (9-11 PM): Social activities, entertainment

Constraints: Work schedule coordination
            Household meal and family time
            Service and retail operating hours
            Traffic and transit service levels

Weekend Individual Activities:

Saturday Morning: Shopping, personal business, fitness
Saturday Afternoon: Recreation, social activities, hobbies
Saturday Evening: Social activities, entertainment, dining
Sunday: Personal care, preparation activities, relaxation

Flexibility: Reduced work constraints
           Extended retail and service hours
           Social activity opportunities
           Family time coordination requirements

Spatial Activity Patterns ¶

Local Area Activities (within 5 miles):

Personal services, routine shopping, neighborhood recreation
Walking and cycling feasible for some activities
Familiar destinations with established service relationships

Regional Activities (5-20 miles):

Specialty shopping, entertainment venues, cultural activities
Auto-dependent due to distance and activity duration
Destination choice based on quality and variety

Distant Activities (20+ miles):

Unique destinations, special events, visiting friends/family
Primarily auto mode, some transit for specific destinations
Infrequent but potentially long-duration activities

Demographic and Life Stage Variations ¶

Age-Based Activity Patterns ¶

Young Adults (18-34):

High Individual Activity Rates:
- Social and recreation activities peak
- Career development and networking activities
- Fitness and wellness priorities
- Entertainment and cultural participation

Activity Characteristics:
- Flexible timing with work schedule coordination
- High willingness to travel for preferred activities  
- Technology-integrated activity selection and coordination
- Budget-conscious but experience-focused spending

Middle-Aged Adults (35-54):

Moderate Individual Activity Rates:
- Personal business and health activities prioritized
- Stress-relief recreation (fitness, hobbies)
- Professional development and networking
- Personal shopping efficiency focus

Activity Characteristics:
- Time-constrained due to family and work responsibilities
- Efficiency-focused activity bundling and scheduling
- Quality-focused activity selection within time constraints
- Higher discretionary income enabling premium services

Older Adults (55+):

Selective Individual Activity Rates:
- Health and wellness activities emphasized
- Social activities with established networks
- Hobby and interest-based activities
- Personal business and financial management

Activity Characteristics:
- Flexible timing with retirement or reduced work
- Comfort and accessibility preferences in destinations
- Established activity patterns and service relationships
- Mobility considerations affecting activity participation

Employment Status Effects ¶

Full-Time Workers:

Limited weekday individual activity opportunities
Weekend concentration of individual activities
Lunch-hour activities for personal business
Evening activities constrained by commute and fatigue

Part-Time/Flexible Workers:

Mid-day individual activity opportunities
More distributed activity timing patterns
Ability to schedule activities during off-peak times
Coordination with work schedule variations

Non-Workers (retirees, homemakers, unemployed):

Maximum temporal flexibility for individual activities
Weekday activity opportunities during less crowded periods
Potential budget constraints limiting activity participation
Social activities may substitute for work-based social interaction

Integration with Other Model Components ¶

Coordination with Mandatory Activities ¶

Work Schedule Integration:

Individual activities fit around work commitments
Lunch-break activities and nearby workplace opportunities
Commute-based activity chaining and route deviation
Work-related stress and the need for recreational balance

Household Responsibility Coordination:

Individual activities scheduled around family obligations
Childcare responsibilities limiting individual activity timing
Household maintenance tasks affecting available time
Elder care responsibilities and coordination requirements

Vehicle and Resource Allocation ¶

Household Vehicle Sharing:

Priority Hierarchy:
1. Mandatory work/school activities
2. Joint household activities  
3. Individual activities by household member priority
4. Flexible individual activities

Allocation Factors:
- Driver capability and licensing status
- Activity urgency and scheduling flexibility
- Household member bargaining power and preferences
- Alternative transportation mode availability

Budget Allocation:

Individual discretionary spending within household budget
Activity cost considerations and trade-offs
Shared household expenses vs. individual activity costs
Income and resource equity within household

Data Requirements and Model Estimation ¶

Data Sources for Model Estimation ¶

Activity-Based Travel Surveys:

Individual activity participation patterns by demographics
Activity timing, duration, and location preferences
Coordination with household members and schedules
Stated preferences for activity trade-offs and priorities

Time Use Surveys:

Time allocation patterns for discretionary activities
Activity participation rates by purpose and demographics
Seasonal and day-of-week activity variations
Work-life balance and individual activity integration

Activity Generation Calibration Targets ¶

Individual Tour Rates by Demographics:

Young Adults (18-34):
- Shopping: 2.8 individual tours per week
- Personal Business: 1.2 individual tours per week  
- Social/Recreation: 3.1 individual tours per week

Middle-Aged Adults (35-54):
- Shopping: 2.1 individual tours per week
- Personal Business: 1.6 individual tours per week
- Social/Recreation: 1.8 individual tours per week

Older Adults (55+):
- Shopping: 1.9 individual tours per week
- Personal Business: 1.4 individual tours per week
- Social/Recreation: 2.2 individual tours per week

Employment Status Variations:

Full-time workers: 20% fewer individual activities on weekdays
Part-time workers: More evenly distributed activity timing
Non-workers: Higher weekday activity rates, lower weekend rates

Model Validation and Performance ¶

Behavioral Validation:

Realistic time allocation between mandatory and discretionary activities
Appropriate demographic and life stage activity variations
Reasonable coordination with household joint activities
Consistent activity timing and duration patterns

Aggregate Validation:

Total individual activity generation matching survey observations
Activity purpose distribution consistent with revealed preferences
Geographic activity distribution reflecting accessibility patterns
Seasonal and temporal activity variations matching observed data

Policy Applications and Insights ¶

Transportation System Planning ¶

Off-Peak Travel Demand:

Individual activities contribute significantly to off-peak travel
Transit service planning for discretionary travel markets
Parking demand at retail and service destinations
Traffic pattern implications beyond peak commuting periods

Mode Choice and Accessibility:

Individual activity accessibility by transportation mode
Transit service design for discretionary travel purposes
Walking and cycling infrastructure supporting local individual activities
Ride-sharing and new mobility service integration

Land Use and Economic Development ¶

Commercial and Service Location Planning:

Individual activity demand supporting local business districts
Mixed-use development facilitating activity chaining and efficiency
Neighborhood-scale services supporting local individual activities
Regional destinations serving specialized individual activity markets

Work-Life Balance Policy Analysis ¶

Flexible Work Schedule Impacts:

Telecommuting effects on individual activity timing and location
Compressed work week impacts on activity concentration patterns
Flexible scheduling enabling better individual activity accommodation
Work-life balance policies and individual activity satisfaction

Transportation Demand Management:

Individual activity timing flexibility for congestion management
Pricing policies affecting discretionary travel timing
Activity-based incentives for off-peak travel and mode shift
Integrated mobility services supporting individual activity needs

This Individual Tour Generation and Scheduling Model provides crucial insights into personal discretionary travel behavior, enabling transportation planning that serves individual activity needs while recognizing the complex coordination requirements within households and communities.