TripGenerationHandbuch

TripGenerationHandbuch is a reference work used in transportation planning to guide the estimation of trip generation, the process of predicting the number of trips originated or attracted by land-use activities. It provides methodological standards for data collection, classification of land-use types, and the selection of modelling approaches, with the aim of producing consistent inputs for the travel-demand forecasting chain.

Content includes an overview of trip generation concepts, data requirements (household and employment data, car ownership, urban form), typical land-use categories (residential, retail, office, industrial, recreation, educational, healthcare), modelling options (regression-based production–attraction models, cross-classification, disaggregate models), calibration and validation procedures, and guidance on transferability to different regions.

The handbook emphasizes practical application: documenting assumptions, reporting trip rates, providing ranges, and performing scenario analyses.

Development and use: compiled by a network of planners and researchers; it aims to harmonize practices, facilitate comparability of impact assessments for infrastructure projects, and support policy evaluation.

Critiques and limitations: results depend on data quality and regional specificity; it may not fully capture new travel behaviors such as telecommuting, e-commerce, or on-demand mobility, and thus should be complemented by local surveys and updated datasets. The TripGenerationHandbuch is typically used alongside other components of travel-demand models, such as trip distribution, modal split, and network assignment, to support planning decisions and impact assessments.