Community Based Survey Techniques (CBST)

Click here to access Travel-Dairy pdf  

Motivation

For a variety of reasons, it is likely that unique characteristics of this population’s transportation needs and patterns are not well known, and this is an important disadvantage when trying to better account for these needs in the transportation planning or funding process. Low income and minority populations often experience greater separation from jobs and other needed services and activities, as those activities increasingly shift in number and quality from the center city to outlying areas. Difficulty in accessing these opportunities is magnified by lower rates of vehicle ownership and public transportation systems that are not well suited to serving reverse-flow travel patterns.

This research combines a variety of survey data collection techniques into a single instrument to aim at better understanding the transportation challenges and needs of low income and minority individuals. In this project we identify categorical situations where data are insufficient for planning and decision-making purposes, and subsequently investigate and combine a different survey and market research approaches for obtaining the appropriate data into a single tool. The all in one survey data collection application technique enhances community understanding of transportation equity issues, provide useful data for transit agencies seeking community input, and further the efforts of the local participating groups to secure job training and internships for minority and low-income residents under the provisions of the 2005 SAFETEA-LU federal highway funding bill.

The initial purpose of the questionnaire is to provide support to EJ communities that the project has connected with as well the random user. The BREJT Project and TECR Program provided an unique opportunity to explore survey approaches that are appropriate to particular problems in depth in one area (Baltimore), while obtaining original information on minority/low-income travel behavior and needs from a cross-section of metropolitan areas using a common survey instrument and administrative approach. It attempts to recognizes how low income and minority user of the public transportation infrastructure   are more likely to think of their experience in terms of their overall time and accessibility, i.e., the total time too two arbitrary intermediate service points. The travel diary tool attempts to get a handle on “satisfaction during the trip along the arterial”. In terms of transit this would suggest (bus cleanliness, seat comfort, security cameras, degree of crowding (as measured by number of passengers on board or standing). And for highway this would measure usage (vehicle miles traveled VMT). It has often suggested the VMT is a rich folk performance measure.           

Thus addressing situations that range from sufficient representation of key population segments in regional household travel surveys to application of special methods to statistically ascertain unmet needs and the potential effectiveness of various alternative solutions, as well as measuring the impact of an existing or proposed transportation project or policy. Subsequently, this survey will be administered to a significant sample of households (or individuals) in the Baltimore region using a variety of administration media, ranging from electronic/web-based approaches to contact and personal administration through an intermediary, such as one of the community outreach organizations. The survey was intended a three pronged drill down process. From the

Community Assessment the user would see three choices:

Level 1 Neighborhood Profile
Level 2 Travel Profile
Level 3 Activity Based Travel Profile

Methodology

The survey techniques were developed and tested in the Baltimore area the primary site for development of the Toolkit. In particular, a range of survey techniques were  identified for appropriate application to specific types of issues in Baltimore, ranging from comprehensive household travel surveys to more targeted market studies and needs assessments. Ongoing case studies already defined for the project served as test beds for testing this alternative survey technique. Each area, however, will test the application of the household travel survey and needs assessment, making use of the special capabilities represented in the outreach groups. This group-wide activity will support the overall objective of obtaining better base information on the travel characteristics and special needs of minority and low-income households, when viewed across a variety of settings. Subsequently, the techniques will be made available for review and possible application in the other participating areas.

The survey methods developed and tested anticipate the full range of situations where improved market research data is desired. At the top of this list is the need for improved data on the travel behavior patterns and needs of low income and minority populations. The survey instrument obtains a reliable and in-depth profile of current travel behavior via a travel diary approach. The intent of this diary will be to capture the full schedule of trips, regardless of purpose or mode, made by all members of the household. Often, trips for non-essential purposes, or those made on foot, are imperfectly recorded in travel surveys. It is important to know about these trips when describing travel mobility, and it is also important to know about trips or destinations that could not be made due to limitations in travel options or affordability. We made an overt effort in designing this approach to ascertain “unmet needs”, employing a combination of objective assessments of accessibility to different types of activities, teamed with contextual information derived from the household which helps describe economic or other limitations to travel.

The diary can be accessed at: http://www.brejtp.com/travel-diary . The form has been split up into 3 pages—the other questions have been moved to pages 2 and 3. The first page is the trip specs—time/cost/location information for each leg. The second page is questions about the whole trip, not a specific leg. The third page is general questions about the user, not about a specific trip. If the user already has a profile saved they can skip the last page, unless something about their profile has changed. The first page allows up to 10 legs of a trip to be added by clicking the “continued your trip” button, and the arrival location and time are pre-populated in the departure location and time of the next leg. This high-level survey is intended to fill some important gaps in our knowledge of the travel patterns and needs of the populations which are the subject of environmental justice concerns. A similar survey will then be administered in each of the other four BOSMP locations (Pittsburgh, Saginaw, Oakland and Minneapolis) drawing upon the team outreach capabilities at those sites. From this information, we should be able to begin to trace a more enlightened profile of the actual travel opportunities and constraints facing the disadvantaged traveler. Ideally, this is information that can be used to support both regional and national debate on travel needs, and help shape existing and upcoming planning and decision-making exercises in the respective areas.