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National Travel Data

National Travel Data. For Local Planning Needs. Nancy McGuckin Federal Highway Administration, Office of Policy For The Brookings Institution National Infrastructure for Community Statistics. FHWA has a unique model of data sharing for many programs….

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National Travel Data

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  1. National Travel Data For Local Planning Needs Nancy McGuckin Federal Highway Administration, Office of Policy For The Brookings Institution National Infrastructure for Community Statistics

  2. FHWA has a unique model of data sharing for many programs… • Of the $28.5 billion annual authorization, 91% is guaranteed to the States and local agencies • Based on the Highway Trust Fund and Allocation Process: Each state, each year, must provide road use statistics to receive their share of the gas tax • To administer and collaborate FHWA representatives has 51 Division offices, one in each State and P.R. • This history of cooperative data sharing between FHWA and States/Local areas has been a model for other DOT programs: • National Household Travel Survey • CTPP (Census Transportation Planning Package)

  3. First, about the NHTS… • The National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) is the nation’s inventory of personal travel conducted since 1969. • The survey includes demographic characteristics of households, people, vehicles, and detailed information on travel for all purposes by all modes. • In the 2001, there were approximately 70,000 households. About 26,000 households are in the national sample, while the remaining 44,000 households are from nine “add-on” areas.

  4. The survey evolved from local surveys… About the NHTS • The daily travel surveys were conducted in 1969, 1977, 1983, 1990 and 1995. Originally, the national survey copied local urban travel surveys • But over time the cost and difficulty prohibited many local areas from collecting their own data. • Now, many local areas use the national data as default values, purchase add-on samples, or use transferable rates for their local data needs.

  5. Local needs have impacted the national data survey design… The NHTS provides the only authoritative source of information at the national level on personal travel. But much of the design and content of the national survey is informed by local data needs: • Definition of ‘what is a trip?’ • Use of a 24-hour travel diary to obtain trips made by all household members in a single day • Trip purposes collected to support local travel demand modeling

  6. The Make-up of the NHTS Data-User Community Consultants Governments 15% 22% Media 12% Interest Groups Universities 17% 34%

  7. The Make-up of the Government User Community Federal MPO's 40% 36% State 24%

  8. Currently, local communities use NHTS data: • Based on nation-wide estimates • Based on data from households that are from MSAs of similar size, e.g. • 3M+, 1-3M, 500K-1M,…., < 250K • Based on data from households that are from the same Census Region (4) or Census Division (9) • Buying additional samples of the national survey (The Add-on Program) • Transferring travel data from households in clusters of Census Tracts like their local area. (The Transferability Project)

  9. Web Analysis Tool http://nhts.ornl.gov • There are 2,429 registered unique data users • On the 2001 NHTS Web site generates an average of 26 tables every day of the workweek, a total of over 13,500 tables since update for 2001 • We also have registered data users and traffic on the 1995/1990 site

  10. Currently, local communities use NHTS data: • Based on nation-wide estimates • Based on data from households that are from MSAs of similar size, e.g. • 3M+, 1-3M, 500K-1M,…., < 250K • Based on data from households that are from the same Census Region (4) or Census Division (9) • Buying additional samples of the national survey (The Add-on Program) • Transferring travel data from households in clusters of Census Tracts like their local area. (The Transferability Project)

  11. The Add-On Program Example of Data Sharing – The Add-on Program • The NHTS add-on program provides an opportunity for States and metropolitan planning areas to purchase an additional sample of households to create a travel survey data set for their area. • The final data set includes the purchased samples plus any national samples from the planning region in a weighted dataset. • For example, the State of Texas purchased 4,000 samples but received 5,500 total, because of the national samples that fell in the State.

  12. JURISDICTION # Local Samples purchased # of national Samples (free) Total number of samples In 2001, nearly 44,000 local samples were purchased The Add-On Program HI ‑ Hawaii DOT (except Oahu) 1,694 19 1,713 HI ‑ Oahu MPO 1,751 55 1,806 IA ‑ Des Moines MPO 1,310 49 1,359 KY ‑ Kentucky DOT (4 counties) 1,226 12 1,238 MD ‑ Baltimore MPO 3,804 231 4,035 NY ‑ New York DOT 11,887 1,536 13,423 PA ‑ Lancaster Co. MPO 1,030 46 1,076 TX ‑ Texas DOT 4,065 1,478 5,543 WI ‑ Wisconsin DOT 17,012 535 17,547 Total samples 43,779 3,961 47,740

  13. The Add-On Program Benefits to State and Local Areas • Add-on partnership is like a turn-key project: the administration, management and quality control are undertaken by the DOT personnel and a fully-documented, edited, and weighted data set is delivered at the end of the project • An on-line analysis engine on the web can be used to analyze the local data by administrators and analysts in add-on areas • The contract process (a pooled fund project) is less costly and time-consuming than a public bid for a local survey • The local requirement to match federal funds for planning (SPR/PL funds) can be waived--saving 20% local funds for other purposes

  14. The Add-On Program Drawbacks to the Partnership • The NHTS timing is often uncertain, local budgets require 2-years notice (minimum) • Cost per household collected is slightly higher than contracting local data collection • Some content is determined by DOT policy needs, for example data on internet use is not useful for Des Moines, with 1200 samples • Pooled fund contracting mechanism is unusual for locals, although afterward Add-ons thought it was beneficial

  15. The Add-On Program Benefits to US DOT • Richer data set for analysis, especially for specific populations: • Rural (Wisconsin) • Hispanic (Texas) • Urban/Transit (New York) • Case studies can be conducted within and between local areas/States • Increased visibility for NHTS data program

  16. Currently, small and medium-sized communities use NHTS data: • Based on nation-wide estimates • Based on data from households that are from MSAs of similar size, e.g. • 3M+, 1-3M, 500K-1M,…., < 250K • Based on data from households that are from the same Census Region (4) or Census Division (9) • By buying additional samples of the national survey (The Add-on Program) • By transferring travel data from households in clusters of Census Tracts like their local area. (The Transferability Project)

  17. Transferability Project Transferability Project Objective: To provide timely local data for travel demand forecasting based on “transferred” NHTS samples

  18. Transferability Approach: Transferability Project • Categorize all of the census tracts around the country into “homogeneous” clusters with respect to travel determinants, e.g. • Area Type (urban, suburban,rural) • Median Household Income • Vehicle Ownership • Employment Rate • Find NHTS households in these clusters based on the census tract where the household is located. • Calculate cluster-specific travel estimates based on data collected from NHTS households • Determine how well the estimates work compared to traditional ways to get local estimates.

  19. New York State NPTS Add-on Transferability Project

  20. Transferability Project

  21. Transferability Project Future Steps in Transferability: • Update to 2001 NHTS • Look for finer Census detail in cluster scheme • Provide output for direct input to local models: Trip Rate Tables Purpose (HBW, HBO, NHB) Auto Occupancy

  22. CTPP Example of Another Data Sharing – The Census Transportation Planning Package • Since 1960 Census has included transportation-related questions on the ‘long form’ (Journey-to-Work data). USDOT saw a need for providing a bridge between the National data and local needs. • DOT continues to provide dedicated staff time, coordination, outreach, and guidance for local areas using the CTPP. • In 1990, a national “pooled-fund” process was developed by the States to allow universal access to the data for all MPOs. • Each of the 364 MPOs and 50 States get a package with the CTPP and a GIS-based program for easy access, browsing, export, and thematic mapping.

  23. CTPP Local areas coordinate with DOT/Census by: • Submitting local geographic units to Census Bureau through TAZ-up • Checking and correcting employer location coding

  24. CTPP List based selection Summary Level Geography

  25. CTPP Map Based Selection

  26. CTPP Benefits to Local Areas of CTPP • Standard, Consistent data at small geography • Used for • Comprehensive plans, Long range plans • Trend Analysis • Environmental Justice Analysis • Travel Forecasting • Transit Planning • Descriptive Statistics

  27. CTPP Issues with Census Data • Limited travel information (work trip only) • Data are outdated quickly • Processing requires extensive resources • CTPP Access Tool rectifies this to an extent • Worker counts in CTPP are not total employment • Multiple, and part-time jobs not covered • Census disclosure rules makes it difficult to use work trip flow data

  28. In Summary… These are a few examples of how we have tried to link federal needs with local needs We are acutely aware that actual transportation planning takes place at the State and local level Therefore, our support to find better and more timely data for the local areas is critical to the outcome of the planning process

  29. What have we learned from our data user support initiatives? • Data users and uses are many, diverse, and unpredictable… • Consistent, personal attention is key • Multi-faceted and flexible approach needed to attract and sustain the relationship with data users • Staff knowledgeable about your own and related data to serve specific needs: • It’s about the relationship… “You don’t have to know the data, just someone who knows the data”

  30. In a perfect world… • More and more consistent lines of communication • Structured tutorials in data uses and user needs • Web-based tele-conference learning tools • Informal presentations • Peer exchange sessions • Guidebook for specific data uses for state and local planning • More inclusive feed-back mechanism from local areas

  31. http://nhts.ornl.gov

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