New Customers for Household Travel Surveys Susan Horst, Smart Trips Program Manager, Whatcom Council of Governments, [email protected] Reducing Vehicle Travel Bellingham, Washington, like other communities around the country, is involved in many different strategies to decrease vehicle trips and increase walking, bicycling and transit mode share, including: • Greenways • Safe Routes to School • Bicycle education • Employer partnerships 2004 IndiMark Project: Before Survey May-June 2004 2,196 2004 IndiMark Project: After Survey Sept-Oct 2004 1,519 2007 In-depth Mobility Survey Jan-July 2007 6,208 2004 IndiMark Project: 2nd After Survey May-June 2007 419 2008 IndiMark Project: After Survey Target Group June-July 2009 2,718 2008 IndiMark Project: After Survey Control Group June-July 2009 1,145 TOTAL: 14,205 Time of Survey Number of respondents Mode Choice, Age and Gender As a result of this data, we have targeted programs for middle school children, seniors and women. Mode Choice and Neighborhood Mode Choice and Trip Distance This data shows that bicycling is an important mode of transportation for short trips. We know that we’re doing well promoting walking and bicycling to residents of the older, street grid neighborhoods. The data suggests that we should focus next on one of the newer areas of the city with moder- ately good infrastructure and transit service, where residents make 20% of the city’s trips. Increases in walking, cycling and transit trips Increases in pedestrians and cyclists Accounting for city-wide changes in behavior from 2007 to 2009 (measured by a control group), this data shows that large mode share changes occurred as a result of the 2008 Individualized Marketing campaign. Measuring our results In addition to increasing walking, bicycling and transit trips, the data also shows that we increased the average number of people making those trips. More Surveys Needed! In the United States, data from household travel surveys is most commonly used to populate models and write transportation plans. But there are other important uses for this valuable data. Let’s reach out to the people working to increase walking, bicycling and transit trips and introduce them to the excellent data that household travel surveys can provide. $4 Million in funding since 2006 Two sides of the city Household travel survey data justifies transportation investments. City leaders see local programs achieving benefits, such as: • More mobility for less cost • More capacity for a growing population • More dollars circulating locally (with less money spent on fuel) • Safer streets and sidewalks • Cleaner air and water • Health benefits for individuals Socialdata Sustainable transportation program managers in Bellingham were introduced to household travel surveys by Socialdata, a transportation consulting firm based in Munich, Germany. Socialdata has conducted one in-depth mobility survey and several measurement surveys for Individualized Marketing (IndiMark) projects in Bellingham. Using Bellingham Data This data is both a cautionary tale for city planning and an inspiring story of what a small American city has achieved in encouraging the use of sustainable transportation. On the west side of the freeway, we benefit from 100 year old land use patterns that make walking, bicycling and bus riding easier. On the east side, we can see what happens when we build neighborhoods with less street connectivity, fewer non-residential destinations and less density. Communicating with funders, elected leaders and community members Targeting Our Efforts Survey Methodology Socialdata achieves very high response rates, typically 70-80%, using mail-back self-administered household travel surveys. They conduct numerous follow-up phone calls and mailings and use a survey form that’s easy for respondents to complete but more challenging for staff to interpret and code. While their survey methodology is labor intensive, it produces very high quality data. Other characteristics of their surveys include: • Respondents of all ages, including infants and young children • All days of the week and all trips • Follow-up and correction of errors and incomplete or implausible responses • Personal interviews to ask about attitudes and preferences (in-depth surveys only) • Comparison of recorded trips with maps and transit schedules to establish potential for mode shift • Smart Trips incentives • Improved transit service • Bike lanes • Individualized Marketing The professionals working for more sustainable transportation systems could greatly benefit from detailed and reliable mobility data to: • Target their investments • Measure their success • Communicate with funders, elected leaders and community members Although household travel surveys are the best way to collect the data that they need, many of them are unfamiliar with this method of data collection. Physical activity increased 25% Our household travel survey data shows an increase in physical activity from 122 to 153 hours per year as a result of increased walking, bicycling and transit trips.
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New Customers for Household Travel Surveys
Susan Horst, Smart Trips Program Manager, Whatcom Council of Governments, [email protected]
Reducing Vehicle TravelBellingham, Washington, like other communities around the country, is involved in many different strategies to decrease vehicle trips and increase walking, bicycling and transit mode share, including:
• Greenways• SafeRoutestoSchool• Bicycleeducation• Employerpartnerships 2004 IndiMark Project: BeforeSurvey May-June 2004 2,196
2004 IndiMark Project: AfterSurvey Sept-Oct 2004 1,519
2007 In-depth Mobility Survey Jan-July 2007 6,208
2004 IndiMark Project: 2ndAfterSurvey May-June 2007 419
2008 IndiMark Project: AfterSurveyTargetGroup June-July 2009 2,718
2008 IndiMark Project: AfterSurveyControlGroup June-July 2009 1,145
TOTAL: 14,205
Time of Survey
Number of respondents
Mode Choice, Age and Gender
As a result of this data, we have targeted programs for middle school children, seniors and women.
Mode Choice and Neighborhood
Mode Choice and Trip Distance
This data shows that bicycling is an important mode of transportation for short trips.
We know that we’re doing well promoting walking and bicycling to residents of the older, street grid neighborhoods. The data suggests that we should focus next on one of the newer areas of the city with moder-ately good infrastructure and transit service, where residents make 20% of the city’s trips.
Increases in walking, cycling and transit trips
Increases in pedestrians and cyclists
Accounting for city-wide changes in behavior from 2007 to 2009 (measured by a control group), this data shows that large mode share changes occurred as a result of the 2008 Individualized Marketing campaign.
Measuring our results
In addition to increasing walking, bicycling and transit trips, the data also shows that we increased the average number of people making those trips.
More Surveys Needed!In the United States, data from household travel surveys is most commonly used to populate models and write transportation plans. But there are other important uses for this valuable data. Let’s reach out to the people working to increase walking, bicycling and transit trips and introduce them to the excellent data that household travel surveys can provide.
$4 Million in funding since 2006
Two sides of the city
Household travel survey data justifies transportation investments. City leaders see local programs achieving benefits, such as:
• Moremobilityforlesscost• Morecapacityforagrowingpopulation• Moredollarscirculatinglocally(withless moneyspentonfuel)• Saferstreetsandsidewalks• Cleanerairandwater• Healthbenefitsforindividuals
SocialdataSustainable transportation program managers in Bellingham were introduced to household travel surveys by Socialdata, a transportation consulting firm based in Munich, Germany. Socialdata has conducted one in-depth mobility survey and several measurement surveys for Individualized Marketing (IndiMark) projects in Bellingham.
Using Bellingham Data
This data is both a cautionary tale for city planning and an inspiring story of what a small American city has achieved in encouraging the use of sustainable transportation. On the west side of the freeway, we benefit from 100 year old land use patterns that make walking, bicycling and bus riding easier. On the east side, we can see what happens when we build neighborhoods with less street connectivity, fewer non-residential destinations and less density.
Communicating with funders, elected leaders and community members
Targeting Our Efforts
Survey MethodologySocialdata achieves very high response rates, typically 70-80%, using mail-back self-administered household travel surveys. They conduct numerous follow-up phone calls and mailings and use a survey form that’s easy for respondents to complete but more challenging for staff to interpret and code. While their survey methodology is labor intensive, it produces very high quality data. Other characteristics of their surveys include:
•Respondentsofallages,includinginfantsandyoungchildren
•Alldaysoftheweekandalltrips
•Follow-upandcorrectionoferrorsandincompleteor implausibleresponses
•Personalinterviewstoaskaboutattitudesandpreferences (in-depthsurveysonly)
•Comparisonofrecordedtripswithmapsandtransitschedulestoestablishpotentialformodeshift
• SmartTripsincentives• Improvedtransitservice• Bikelanes• IndividualizedMarketing
The professionals working for more sustainable transportation systems could greatly benefit from detailed and reliable mobility data to:
• Targettheirinvestments• Measuretheirsuccess• Communicatewithfunders,electedleadersandcommunitymembers
Although household travel surveys are the best way to collect the data that they need, many of them are unfamiliar with this method of data collection.
Physical activity increased 25%Our household travel survey data shows an increase in physical activity from 122 to 153 hours per year as a result of increased walking, bicycling and transit trips.
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