Space-Time Behavior Survey for Smart Travel Planning in Beijing, China

Abstract

In China, smart travel planning, trying to influence traveler behavior using information and communication technologies, has attracted growing interest from governments and scholars because of its potential to alleviate urban transportation problems. The implementation of smart travel planning should be based on in-depth investigations and analysis of activity-travel behavior; it is necessary to use space-time behavior data and studies in smart travel planning. This chapter argues the necessity of space-time behavior surveys for smart travel planning in China and discusses a recent example. The survey was carried out in the Shangdi-Qinghe area of Beijing and involved 709 residents recruited through a multi-stage cluster sampling procedure. GPS tracking technologies were integrated with Web-based activity-travel diaries to collect data of high spatial and temporal resolution. The data shows that, on average, respondents participated in 8.19 activities and 2.66 trips per person per day. Despite several defects, the data provides a good quantitative foundation for smart travel planning in the study area.