MTI NEWS

January 2026

Human Trafficking Prevention Month

Highlighting SJSU Student Voices

What SJSU Students Want You to Know About Human Trafficking and Transportation 

For Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) is highlighting the voices of four student researchers who, under the guidance of MTI Research Associate Dr. Kezban Yagci Sokat, are working on two research projects: 1) a Senate Bill 1 research project that will help us understand what each of us can do to combat human trafficking in our communities, and 2) a project focused on understanding the human trafficking risks in global supply chains and the impact of the new Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDD) legislation to combat it.

Engaging students in project-based learning is critical, and MTI has captured how researching this issue has shaped these students personally, why it matters to them, and what they want the public to understand. Read on to hear directly from the students and learn about human trafficking from their point of view.

Student Spotlight

Aaron Pickett 

MTI Student Research Assistant and California State University, Sacramento graduate student Aaron Pickett has long been drawn to how transportation systems shape everyday life, particularly for people walking and biking, but he didn’t always know he would be conducting graduate student research about it.

After 4.5 years of part-time study at community college while saving for university, Aaron transferred to California State University, Sacramento to pursue Civil Engineering through the university’s new blended BS/MS program. There, with support from the MTI-led California State University Transportation Consortium, he began working as a student research assistant for Associate Professor Masoud Ghodrat Abadi. Their recent research project, Healthy Travel to Healthcare Destinations: Assessing Walkability from Transit to Healthcare in Sacramento through an Equity Lens, examines the conditions pedestrians face when traveling between bus stops and healthcare facilities. Using the PEDS audit tool, Aaron and Professor Abadi evaluated walkability across 56 sites and 40 environmental categories, combining this data with community demographics to better understand equity impacts in access to care. This month, Aaron traveled to D.C. to present his findings at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting.

Aaron also now works full time at a local firm focused on active transportation projects. “This is exactly the position I hoped to be in after graduating,” he told MTI staff. “And I couldn't be happier.” Looking ahead, he is interested in returning to academia to lecture, continuing to bridge research, practice, and equitable transportation outcomes.

New Research

An Assessment of the Viva CalleSJ September 2025 Event in San José 

Viva CalleSJ is an open-streets event that temporarily closes several miles of San José streets to cars, creating space for residents to walk, bike, scooter, and skate. This report reviews the September 7, 2025, Viva CalleSJ event, which drew more than 150,000 participants. Viva CalleSJ is an open-streets event that temporarily closes several miles of San José streets to cars, creating space for residents to walk, bike, scooter, and skate. This report reviews the September 7, 2025, Viva CalleSJ event, which drew more than 150,000 participants. Survey and observation data show clear growth in active transportation compared to 2024, with more than half of attendees arriving by bicycle and increasing shares arriving on foot and via shared mobility. High levels of repeat participation and expanding word-of-mouth awareness indicate strong community buy-in, while long attendance durations and frequent engagement with local vendors and community resources highlight the event’s social and economic value. The findings also identify opportunities to strengthen inclusive outreach, particularly to older adults, offering actionable guidance for future Viva CalleSJ events.

Exploring Electric Bicycle Safety Performance Data and Policy Options for California 

This study was completed in response to California Senate Bill 381 (2023), which directed research to inform laws and policies that both encourage electric bicycle use and enhance safety for riders and all road users. The report presents three main areas of findings: (1) a review of how California and other states and countries regulate electric bicycles; (2) a review of electric bicycle safety research, including new analysis of crash, injury, and fatality data; and (3) strategies the state could use to promote safer electric bicycle use. These strategies include updates to how electric bicycles are defined and regulated in the California Vehicle Code, improvements to safety data and analysis, investments in safer bicycling infrastructure, and public education on e-bike rules and safe riding practices.

Information Strategies in the Electric Vehicles Battery Reverse Supply Chain with Blockchain Technology 

Growing demand for electric vehicles and batteries, along with supply chain disruptions and price volatility, has increased the need for efficient and sustainable EV battery recycling. This report examines how blockchain technology could help address challenges in the EV battery reverse supply chain, improving transparency and coordination while reducing the impacts of unregulated recycling. The study focuses on key stakeholders, including manufacturers, recyclers, and regulators, and uses a mixed-methods approach that combines interviews with industry experts and economic modeling. Findings suggest that blockchain adoption can strengthen EV battery recycling by increasing overall recycling volumes and supporting regulated recyclers through higher buyback prices and greater competitiveness, particularly when implementation costs are low. The results highlight the importance of cost-effective blockchain deployment and supportive regulation to build a more resilient EV battery recycling system.

What Do Americans Think About Federal Tax Options to Support Transportation? Results from Year Sixteen of a National Survey 

This report presents findings from the sixteenth year of a national public opinion survey examining U.S. adults’ views on federal transportation taxes. The online survey, conducted from February 3 to February 27, 2025, included a nationally representative sample of 2,539 respondents. Questions explored public support for raising the federal gas tax, replacing it with a mileage-based fee, or applying a mileage fee only to commercial travel, along with related views on transportation system quality, spending priorities, equity, privacy, travel behavior, and demographics.

Results show strong public support for improving transportation systems across modes, with majorities emphasizing safety, maintenance, equity, and climate impacts. While only 3% of respondents knew the federal gas tax has not increased in more than 20 years, 75% supported a 10-cent gas tax increase if revenues were dedicated to maintenance. Nearly half or more of respondents expressed support for several mileage fee options, including variable rates, reduced fees for low-income drivers (63%), and lower rates for electric vehicles (49%). Trend analysis from 2010 to 2025 indicates steadily growing support for both higher gas taxes and mileage-based fees.

This MTI Research Snaps webinar is based on the MTI-led California State University Transportation Consortium report, "A Holistic Inquiry of Intelligent Speed-Assist Technology: Safety Impacts, Technology Implementation, and Challenges."

Speeding is a leading contributor to U.S. roadway fatalities, and California ranks among the states with the most speed-related crashes. Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) technology offers a solution to address this issue by notifying drivers of speed limits and, in some cases, intervening and lowering the speed to the posted limit. What are the potential advantages and challenges of adopting this technology? Research suggests that while ISA systems are well-positioned to reduce speeding and enhance road safety, their success hinges on thoughtful design, user trust, and supportive policy. Join us for an investigation into ISA systems with a focus on how their risks and benefits might affect California drivers!

Presenter:

• Sahar Ghanipoor Machiani, PhD, MTI Researcher & Associate Professor, San Diego State University
• Nusheen Baradaran, Graduate Student Research Assistant, MTI & San Diego State University

Moderator:  Hilary Nixon, PhD, Deputy Executive Director, MTI

*0.5 PDH credit available.