Dr. Patrick Loa
"I strive to help people, transportation systems and policy work in harmony."
A professor at Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Patrick Loa is helping to advance transportation engineering by bridging policy and technology. Loa’s research aims to get to the heart of transportation: people. He investigates mobility needs and behaviours, seeking to understand not only where people want to travel to and their mode of transit, but why. As a member of TMU’s Bridging Divides program, Loa employs this human-first approach, exploring how immigrants’ accessibility is impacted by shared mobility services and new technologies.
A subject matter expert in transportation planning and choice modelling, Loa actively collaborates with industry and government leaders to understand the use, and impact of rideshare services. As a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis, he investigated the demand for robotaxis in San Francisco and worked with the California Air Resources Board to analyze how new electric vehicle policies would affect rideshare drivers. Loa’s research continues to evolve as he seeks answers to the most challenging and interesting questions facing transportation today.
Research Highlights
Subject matter expert in shared mobility and ridership behaviour.
Dr. Patrick Loa has led research in Canada and the United States exploring the impact, and usage of ridesharing services, such as Uber, Lyft and Waymo. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he examined the potential long-term impacts of the disease on rideshare use (external link) in the Greater Toronto Area.
Collaborations with transit authorities and transportation leaders.
Loa has worked with TransLink, the City of Toronto, Metro Vancouver and the California Air Resources Board to assess and identify practical implications for transportation policy.
Member of the Migrant Integration in the Mid-21st Century: Bridging Divides program
As part of the Bridging Divides program, Loa is helping to make transportation a positive and accessible experience for new migrants in Canada. His research currently explores the impacts of shared mobility services and new technologies on accessibility, looking at the differences between Canadian-born residents and migrants.
Additional Info
- Not all ride-hailing trips are created equal: an examination of additional trips enabled by ride-hailing and the users who made them (external link)
- Exploring the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on modality profiles for non-mandatory trips in the Greater Toronto Area (external link)
- How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the use of ride-sourcing services? An empirical evidence-based investigation for the Greater Toronto Area - ScienceDirect (external link)
Engineering Intern, Professional Engineers Ontario
Education
Year |
University |
Degree |
2023 |
University of Toronto |
PhD |
2019 |
University of Toronto |
MASc |
2017 |
University of Toronto |
BASc |