NREL OpenPATH: An Open-Source, Configurable Platform to Collect Travel Behavior Data

NREL's Open Platform for Agile Trip Heuristics (NREL OpenPATH) is an open-source, configurable platform to collect travel behavior data. At the individual level, it enables users to track their travel, label it by mode (car, bus, bike, walking, etc.), and measure their associated energy use and carbon footprint. At a broader level, it empowers communities and programs to collect comprehensive, multimodal travel diaries, glean insight into travel mode choices and patterns, and experiment with options to support locally relevant sustainable mobility goals. A customizable public dashboard shows aggregated community- or program-specific data on mode shares, trip frequencies, and carbon emissions. Free for public agencies, universities, and non-profits, NREL OpenPATH incorporates continuous data collection and analysis via a smartphone app backed by a server and automated data processing. Program administrators are provided with secure access to siloed data throughout the collection process. The open nature of NREL OpenPATH enables transparent data collection and analysis, while allowing it to be configured for individual programs or studies. Upon completion of a given program or study, datasets are archived in NREL's Transportation Secure Data Center to support travel behavior research.