UGOD Seminar | Shifting Pathways: On Theories Behind Evolving Human Travel Behavior
Understanding changes in human travel behavior is key to an effective smart city planning. This lecture focuses on the theoretical frameworks that explain shifts in travel patterns, such as rational choice theory, behavioural economics, and habit formation. It explores how these models account for influences like technology, environmental concerns, and socio-economic changes. By examining how individuals adjust their travel decisions—mode, frequency, and distance—we gain insights into the evolving dynamics of mobility. The lecture emphasizes the need for integrating these theories into adaptive planning for sustainable urban planning.
Frank Witlox (°Antwerp, Belgium) obtained his Ph.D. degree in urban planning from Eindhoven University of Technology (The Netherlands). Additionally, he holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Economics and another Master’s Degree in Maritime Sciences, both from the University of Antwerp. Currently, he serves as the Head of the Department and holds the position of Senior Full Professor of Economic Geography at Department of Geography, Ghent University. Beyond Ghent, he serves as a Visiting Professor at the University of Tartu in Estonia where he leads the Mobility Lab internationally. Since April 2017, he has held the position of Visiting Professor/High-end Foreign Expert at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in China, now Distinguished Professor. His primary research focuses on travel behavior analysis and modeling, as well as locational analysis of public and private corporations. He has extensively published over 330 papers on these topics, recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher in Social Sciences in 2021 and 2023. Additionally, he is the current Editor-in-Chief of European Transport Research Review and a founding co-editor-in-chief of Journal of Urban Mobility. He holds two honorary doctorates from Tartu and Odesa, is a member of the Academia Europaea (MAE), and is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS). In August 2024, the Transport Geography Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers awarded Frank the 2024 Alan Hay Award for ‘significant contributions to Transport Geography’.