2013 Session: 223

• On New Measures for Detection of Data Quality Risks in Mobility Panel Surveys
  Abstract: Multi-day and multi-period panel surveys are the state of the art methods to assess the changes in individual travel behavior. While being important for transportation planners these surveys are rather time consuming for participants and therefore might lead to erroneous and biased mobility data. Variability in the data quality significantly affects statistical analyses of mobility figures as well as common microscopic travel demand models which uses the mobility data as bases for activity plans. Supplementary to the well-known approach of weighting biases in key figures of mobility, our work focuses on measures for the detection of data quality differences between individual travel diaries. These quality measures address aspects of motivation loss at different stages of the survey. A classification approach based on these new quality measures helps to de-tect erroneous data and possible drop-outs. Quality measures are tested using recent data from the German Mobility Panel. For older participants above 60 years the quality measures show good classification results while for young participants below 35 years the quality measures look not effectual. Such an individual approach paired with the partial inspection and correction of travel diaries may be useful for microscopic travel demand modeling based on external activity chains.
  Authors: Wirtz, Matthias H; Streit, Tatjana; Chlond, Bastian; Vortisch, Peter
  Authors: Wirtz, Matthias H; Streit, Tatjana; Chlond, Bastian; Vortisch, Peter
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Data and Information Technology
  Session: 223
  Paper Number: 13-1457
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Boosting Response Rates: Evidence from Flemish Travel Behavior Survey
  Abstract: This paper investigates the transition of the Flemish travel survey (OVG) from a household-based travel survey to a person-based travel survey. The paper examines the design features of the different OVGs, with particular attention to the resulting response rates. In addition to the sample unit, the contact and survey procedure has switched from telephone/postal to face-to-face. The most striking effect of the changed methodology is the spectacular increase in the response rates: overall response rates of the most recent OVGs were more than double that of the previous OVGs, resulting in overall response rates of 75%. In addition, the likelihood that some questionnaires were missing (e.g. diaries were retrieved, but household questionnaires were not) decreased from 7% to 3%. Furthermore, the paper shows that a person-based travel survey still can be used for travel demand modeling frameworks that incorporate (some) household interactions. Notwithstanding, some issues have been raised, such as the decreased comparability of travel figures due to the changes in the survey design. In conclusion, the inclusion of a “with whom” dimension in the trip diary is recommended, and it is advocated that policy makers should clearly outline the primary objectives for the OVG for the coming years.
  Authors: Cools, Mario
  Authors: Cools, Mario
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Data and Information Technology
  Session: 223
  Paper Number: 13-1888
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Application of Geographic Perturbation Methods to Residential Locations in the Oregon Household Activity Survey: Proof of Concept
  Abstract: Travel demand models have advanced from zone-based methods to favor activity-based approaches that require more disaggregate data sources. Household travel surveys gather disaggregate data that may be utilized to better inform advanced travel demand models and also improve the understanding of how nonmotorized travel is influenced by a household’s surrounding built environment. However, the release of these disaggregate data is often limited by a confidentiality pledge between the household participant and survey administrator. Concerns regarding the disclosure risk of survey respondents to household travel surveys must be addressed before these household-level data may be released at their disaggregate geography. In an effort to honor this confidentiality pledge and facilitate the dissemination of valuable travel survey data, this research: (i) reviews geographical perturbation methods that seek to protect respondent confidentiality; (ii) outlines a procedure for implementing one promising practice, referred to as the donut masking technique; and (iii) demonstrates a proof of concept for this technique on ten respondents to a household activity travel survey in the Portland metropolitan region. To examine the balance between limiting disclosure risk and preserving data utility, four trials were conducted and measures of household anonymity and built environment variation were analyzed for the relocated household in relation to its actual location. Results of this demonstration revealed that increases in the potential displacement distance of a geographically perturbed household generally reduced disclosure risk, but also limited data utility.
  Authors: Clifton, Kelly J.; Gehrke, Steven R.
  Authors: Clifton, Kelly J.; Gehrke, Steven R.
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Data and Information Technology
  Session: 223
  Paper Number: 13-4069
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Methodology to Gather Multimodal Trip Generation Data in Smart-Growth Areas
  Abstract: This study presents a method to quantify multimodal trip generation for developments in “smart-growth” areas. The technique combines door counts and intercept surveys to classify trips by mode, and it has several advantages over existing methods that use automated technologies to count automobiles entering and exiting access points to developments. These advantages are particularly important in urban areas with mixed-use developments, mixed-use buildings, and a variety of parking arrangements. First, door counts quantify the total number of trips generated by all modes. Second, door counts quantify all people traveling to and from particular land uses, even if a targeted use is part of a larger, mixed-use building. Third, intercept surveys differentiate between people who are walking for an entire trip and people who are walking as a secondary mode to or from parking or transit. The methodology was applied at 30 smart-growth study locations in California. Multimodal person-trips and vehicle-trips were documented at 24 of the study locations during the morning peak hour and 27 study locations during the afternoon peak hour. Weighted averages from these locations show that suburban-based Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) peak-hour vehicle-trip estimates were 2.3 times higher than actual vehicle-trips in the morning and 2.4 times higher in the afternoon. Total person-trip generation at the smart-growth study locations was similar to the total person-trips estimated from ITE data; however, larger shares of person-trips at the smart-growth locations were made by walking, bicycling, or public transit.
  Authors: Schneider, Robert J.; Shafizadeh, Kevan; Sperry, Benjamin R.; Handy, Susan L.
  Authors: Schneider, Robert J.; Shafizadeh, Kevan; Sperry, Benjamin R.; Handy, Susan L.
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Data and Information Technology
  Session: 223
  Paper Number: 13-5108
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Open Versus Closed: Effects of Question Form on Transit Rider Expressions of Policy Preferences in Arequipa, Peru
  Abstract: The expression of attitudes is very sensitive to variations in survey structure. Using a survey with both open and closed questions with a single sample of respondents, we analyze attitudes about public transportation among transit users in Arequipa, Peru. We find that combining both question types helps identify and compensate for the limitations of each. The results of the open and closed questions are dramatically different, even though the same individuals answered both questions. In response to non-directive, open-ended questioning, respondents emphasized experiential concerns such as comfort and travel times. However, when asked to rank transit-related issues in order of importance, respondents overwhelmingly chose social concerns such as pollution and traffic accidents over the experiential concerns they themselves previously mentioned.We explore the psychological forces that may lead to these apparently contradictory results. We draw on the belief-sampling model of survey response and social desirability bias to explain why open questioning may have over-emphasized users’ quotidian experiential concerns, while the closed question may have overstated the true value respondents place on social issues. Participants were quite willing to change answers between the two question forms, suggesting that confirmation bias may not be a significant impediment to use of mixed question types.
  Authors: Kash, Gwen Averill
  Authors: Kash, Gwen Averill
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Data and Information Technology
  Session: 223
  Paper Number: 13-4315
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• On New Measures for Detection of Data Quality Risks in Mobility Panel Surveys
  Authors: Wirtz, Matthias
  Authors: Wirtz, Matthias
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Data and Information Technology
  Session: 223
  Paper Number: 13-1457
• Boosting Response Rates: Evidence from Flemish Travel Behavior Survey
  Authors: Cools, Mario
  Authors: Cools, Mario
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Data and Information Technology
  Session: 223
  Paper Number: 13-1888
• Application of Geographic Perturbation Methods to Residential Locations in the Oregon Household Activity Survey: Proof of Concept
  Authors: Clifton, Kelly
  Authors: Clifton, Kelly
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Data and Information Technology
  Session: 223
  Paper Number: 13-4069
• Methodology to Gather Multimodal Trip Generation Data in Smart-Growth Areas
  Authors: Schneider, Robert
  Authors: Schneider, Robert
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Data and Information Technology
  Session: 223
  Paper Number: 13-5108
• Open Versus Closed: Effects of Question Form on Transit Rider Expressions of Policy Preferences in Arequipa, Peru
  Authors: Kash, Gwen
  Authors: Kash, Gwen
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Data and Information Technology
  Session: 223
  Paper Number: 13-4315