One of the key strengths of PDC is its ability to undertake fundamental and in-depth research into many areas of transport operation and planning activity. The consultancy's interests cover the understanding of travel behaviour, the application of IT to transport problems and policy analysis methods and techniques.
The consultancy provides a specialist research capability in many areas of transport policy analysis. For example, it recently led a major consortium investigating the potential for building trip matrices covering the whole of the EU. The resulting matrices will be an essential input to EU policy developments such as Trans European Network. PDC has also researched and developed procedures for constructing rail passenger and journey to work matrices for the entire UK market.
In terms of understanding travel behaviour, PDC already has a strong reputation for the development of innovative market research techniques, particularly Stated Preference. The company has a great deal of experience in its application to transport investment proposals. PDC can also undertake research of often neglected modes, such as cycling and walking.
PDC has developed significant expertise in the application of IT to transport development projects, hand-held computers used in road-side interviews to specialized GIS-T applications such as Taegis.