Evaluation of Key Design Elements of Long-Distance Survey of Front Range Travel Counts

Abstract

An evaluation of two key design aspects of a long-distance survey conducted as part of the 2009–2012 Front Range Travel Counts effort is documented. The Front Range Travel Counts project is a cooperative effort across four adjacent Colorado metropolitan regions to document travel behavior within and across regions. The effort included household, commercial vehicle, and external station surveys. Consistent with the state of the practice in the United States, the long-distance survey was administered as a supplement to the household survey sample. Respondents were asked to record all trips made to a location 50 mi or more from home during the 2-week period before the 24-h travel day. Households reporting no long-distance travel were asked to report details of their most recent long-distance trips, regardless of when the trip occurred. The analysis focuses on two design aspects: (a) the selection of a 2-week recall period, with the request for the most recent trip from those who reported zero long-distance trips, and (b) the definition of a long-distance trip. The results suggest that future surveys should use a longer recall period. In addition, the practice of asking for the most recent trip from only those respondents who reported zero long-distance trips within the recall travel period should be expanded to asking that question of all respondents. Finally, the definition as used resulted in the capture of shorter-distance trips, suggesting that refinement is needed.