External link: http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6767-1.pdf
Publication date: April 1, 2015
Capsule summary: The report discusses the use of smartphones as a vehicle for travel surveys in Texas.
Author(s): Huang, Yan
Publisher(s): Texas Department of Transportation Research and Technology Implementation Office
Definition: The development and use of new technologies in transportation planning and transportation systems.
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Definition: A federally funded transportation policy-making organization, comprised of local government representatives and transportation authorities
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Definition: Governmental agency focused on transportation
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Definition: Report published by a governmental body or other organization (e.g. FHWA, NAS, etc.)
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Description: This research considers the potential use for smartphone applications in the conduction of travel surveys. Included in the report are a review of previous TxDOT survey efforts with the use of smartphones, the advantages and disadvantages of existing applications, and discussion of future uses of applications. The research aims to evaluate the efficacy and efficiency of smartphone-based surveys in comparison to other methods.
Objectives: The objective of this report is to determine whether smartphone applications are an effective tool for conducting travel surveys, and how their use may be extended in the future. The research reviews previous smartphone-based TxDOT surveys and TxDOT household travel survey practices, provides an overview of the functions of existing applications, and describes potential opportunities and challenges. The research team developed an application to support TxDOT’s specific needs, and reviewed its performance. This project considers whether smartphone application travel surveys can collect the data that TxDOT collects through other methods, and assess the efficiency and development of the practice.
Findings: The research found that the survey application developed by the team (TravelSurvey) was an effective tool for data collection, and that the users preferred the use of TravelSurvey to other methods of survey completion. TravelSurvey is user-friendly for participants and for researchers, and collects data efficiently and economically. The use of smartphone-based travel surveys also poses challenges due to the limitations of the devices, but feedback is generally positive.
Recommendations: The report presents smartphone-based household travel surveys as an effective methodology for data collection. The project’s findings on the successes and challenges of existing smartphone applications, while based on the data needs of TxDOT, can facilitate the development of smartphones as a tool for researchers.
Research Theme: Advancing New Technologies
Community Type:
Transportation Mode:
Planning Scope:
Organization Type: DOT, MPO or RPO
Planning Subject: Evaluation, Evaluation and Assessment, Forecasting, Planning Methods