Ampo is a nonprofit, membership organization established in 1994 to serve the needs and interests of "metropolitan planning organizations (mpos)" nationwide. Federal highway and transit statutes require, as a condition for spending federal highway or transit funds in urbanized areas, the designation of mpos, which have responsibility for planning, programming and coordination of federal highway and transit investments. Ampo offers its member mpos technical assistance and training, conferences and workshops, frequent print and electronic communications, research, a forum for transportation policy development and coalition building, and a variety of other services.

Membership and technical assistance-provides members with peer exchange opportunities, training, conference, state of the practice in technology, updates on federal requirements, and transportation development opportunities. policy development-develop position statements, formal letters on behalf of ampo related to a variety of federal and regulatory issues, legislation tracking and advocate policy positions with partner organizations and key decisions makers. pooled research initiative-conducted research into the use of advanced travel forecasting techniques. Indentified the specific mpo activities and experiences that were worth documenting and analyzing in great depth, undertook this documentation and analysis, and designed a study to analyze the costs and benefits of advanced models.