From the Founding Director Emeritus
ITS-Davis, now the world’s leading university center on sustainable transportation, owes its considerable success to the hundreds of affiliated researchers who shared this passion and contributed expert, inspirational work over the past three decades.
Despite the trauma around the world and policy breakdowns here in the United States, I’m more optimistic than ever about our transportation future. And I’m thrilled that our amazing team of faculty, researchers, students, and staff is playing a central role. It’s exhilarating, demanding, challenging, and rewarding.
Daniel Sperling, Founding Director Emeritus
The world’s leading academic center for sustainable transportation.
The Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis (ITS-Davis) is the world’s leading academic center for sustainable transportation. Our mission is to serve the needs of society and promote a more effective, sustainable, and equitable transportation system.
Quick Facts
years of educating tomorrow’s leaders and informing policy to advance sustainable, equitable transportation
international, national and regional research centers and initiatives
affiliated faculty and researchers
alumni leaders in government, industry, and academia
Built on a strong foundation.
ITS-Davis is home to more than 80 affiliated faculty and researchers and over 120 graduate students. With our affiliated centers and a budget of over $20 million, we are a force for good in a rapidly changing world.
Research that helps change the world.
We have a strong commitment to research, interdisciplinary education, and engagement with government, industry, and non-governmental organizations.
We are putting our cutting-edge research to work by informing policy and business decisions and by advancing public discourse on key transportation, energy and environmental issues.
Our researchers lead influential international, national, and regional initiatives on electric, automated, and shared vehicles, low carbon fuels, urban mobility, transit, bicycle use, active transportation, and more.
We are putting our cutting-edge research to work by informing policy and business decisions and by advancing public discourse on key transportation, energy and environmental issues.
Our researchers lead influential international, national, and regional initiatives on electric, automated, and shared vehicles, low carbon fuels, urban mobility, transit, bicycle use, active transportation, and more.
Core Research
- Domestic and International Transportation and Energy Policy Analysis
- Modeling: Environmental, Economic and Energy Impacts; Sustainable Fuel Pathways; Air Quality and Public Health; Consumer Behavior and EV Markets
- Fuel and Vehicle Technologies
- Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Consumer Demand
- Vehicle Automation, Sharing, and New Mobility
- Land-use Planning, Transit, and the Built Environment
Working toward a brighter future.
We are unraveling the mysteries of consumer behavior, developing and analyzing new technologies, and creating tools that will enable government and industry to succeed.
We play an essential role steering our transportation system to a more sustainable future.
We play an essential role steering our transportation system to a more sustainable future.
