Exploring Urban Mobility Trends using Cellular Network Data

Abstract: The growth of urban areas intensifies the need for sustainable, efficient transportation infrastructure and mobility systems, driving initiatives to enhance infrastructure and public transit while reducing traffic congestion and emissions. By utilizing real-world data, a data-driven approach can provide crucial insights for urban mobility planning and decision-making. This study explores the efficacy of leveraging telecoms data from cellular network signals for studying crowd movement patterns, focusing on Trondheim, Norway. It examines routing reports to understand the spatiotemporal dynamics of various transportation routes and modes. A data preprocessing and feature engineering framework was developed to process raw routing reports for historical analysis. This enabled the examination of geospatial trends and temporal patterns, including a comparative analysis of various transportation modes, along with public transit usage. Specific routes and areas were analyzed in-depth to compare their mobility patterns with the broader city context. The study highlights the potential of cellular network data as a resource for shaping urban transportation and mobility systems. By identifying deficiencies and potential improvements, city planners and stakeholders can foster more sustainable and effective transportation and mobility solutions.