[Just The News] This week's award goes to the National Science Foundation for two identical grants totaling $400,000 for research "to build a robust theory of carpooling."The grants were awarded to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Penn State University.
"This NSF grant will contribute to the sustainability of the nation's future green transportation by exploring the dynamics of carpooling in urban transportation systems, considering that an individual's choice to use a carpooling service depends on how many others choose to do so as well," according to the award abstract.
The research is premised on the assumptions that carpooling will have benefits for both the natural and social environments.
"Improving carpool options," according to the grant summary, can "improve environmental outcomes, by reducing vehicle travel, and social equity, by providing reasonable travel times to those who cannot buy or drive a car but who do not live close to convenient transit options."