How can clustering analysis help transportation planners group similar travel behavior patterns?
Clustering analysis is a data mining technique that can help transportation planners identify and group similar travel behavior patterns from large and complex datasets. By applying clustering analysis, planners can segment travelers into different clusters based on their socio-demographic characteristics, trip purposes, modes of travel, travel times, and travel distances. These clusters can then be used to understand the travel demand, preferences, and needs of different types of travelers, and to design and evaluate transportation policies and interventions that are tailored to each cluster. In this article, we will explain how clustering analysis works, what are the benefits and challenges of using it, and what are some examples of clustering analysis applications in transportation planning.