‘Nudging’ Durham Commuters Toward More Sustainable Modes of Travel

Behavioral science is informing the city’s efforts to change the way people commute.

2 minute read

November 4, 2018, 5:00 AM PST

By Camille Fink


Interstate Research Triangle Park North Carolina

Ildar Sagdejev (Specious) / Wikimedia Commons

Durham, North Carolina, is one of nine cities that was awarded a $1 million grant through Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayors Challenge. The city plans to use the funds to continue developing innovative mobility strategies similar to ones tested earlier this year aimed at getting drivers to use alternative modes of transportation.

The six-month test run provided 1,500 commuters with incentives that acted as behavioral “nudges” to encourage them to travel other ways. In one case, people were sent emails showing biking, transit, and walking routes, reports Laura Bliss:

The emails also included trip time comparisons and listed the potential benefits of alternatives to solo driving, including the weight loss potential, the savings in gas money, and the time commuters could reclaim from the city’s infamous traffic. “Driving downtown is so 2017,” the maps said.

The other program involved a weekly lottery with a cash prize for city employees who used the bus. Both strategies affected behavior by encouraging people to move beyond intention to actual actions—in this case, ones that would benefit society.

The goal of this first round of incentives was to reduce solo driving trips by 5 percent. The outcome was even better than expected: the percentage of drivers commuting alone was 12 to 16 percent lower among participants who received the incentives compared to those who did not. 

The city plans to use the $1 million to take the programs citywide in an effort to reduce single-occupancy vehicle commuting by 5 percent among Durham’s entire population.

“The idea of ‘nudging’ as public policy doesn’t sit well with everybody; critics have pointed out that it creates the potential for governments to manipulate citizens, and deprive them of their capacity to make their own decisions,” says Bliss.

But Durham city leaders argue that the purpose of the programs is not to hinder people’s decision-making abilities. Rather, they seek to offer as many viable options to commuters as possible.

Tuesday, October 30, 2018 in CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 4, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Metrorail train pulling into newly opened subterranean station in Washington, D.C. with crowd on platform taking photos.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”

The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

June 2, 2025 - The Hill

White and yellow DART light rail train in Dallas, Texas with brick building in background.

DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process

The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.

May 28, 2025 - Mass Transit

Group of five people sitting on blanket in park on sunny day having picnic.

Parks: Essential Community Infrastructure — and a Smart Investment

Even during times of budget constraint, continued investment in parks is critical, as they provide proven benefits to public health, safety, climate resilience, and community well-being — particularly for under-resourced communities.

6 hours ago - National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog

Close-up on older woman holding contented looking cat on her lap.

Porches, Pets, and the People We Grow Old With

Neighborhood connections and animal companions matter to aging with dignity, and how we build can support them. Here’s a human-scale proposal for aging in place.

7 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Concrete staircase next to elevator in bright building with large windows.

Single-Stair Design Contest Envisions Human-Scale Buildings

Single-stair building construction is having a resurgence in the United States, where, for the last several decades, zoning codes have required more than one staircase in multi-story housing developments.

June 10 - Congress For New Urbanism

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.