Moderator(s): Md Sami Hasnine, Virginia Tech

Session Description
This session explores cutting-edge applications of technology to improve mobility, healthcare access, and data collection for transportation planning and policy.

A rural Iowa case study showcases a custom-built integration linking demand-responsive transit systems with Medicaid transportation coordination and healthcare scheduling—reducing staff burden and improving patient mobility through automation and cross-sector collaboration. Another presentation leverages multi-year national survey data and machine learning to explore the complex relationship between transportation and healthcare access, culminating in a user-friendly policy tool for scenario testing. The final presentation highlights how smartphone-based applications passively gather travel behavior data as part of a pilot to test alternatives to gas tax revenue collection. This system not only aids in revenue tracking but also captures valuable, real-time travel data for planning purposes.

Together, these presentations demonstrate how thoughtful design and innovation in technology and data integration can lead to more efficient systems, better health outcomes, and smarter transportation policy.