THE ANALYSIS OF TRAVEL REGULARITIES: INTERPRETATION AND MIS-INTERPRETATION

This paper consists of two parts. The first part discusses some methodological issues related to analyses of regularities in human travel behavior. It shows that methodological looseness in this analysis can lead to some mis-interpretation of results. If the method of analysis is inadequate the regularities found can be contrary to the really existing ones, and often meaningless. The following issues are addressed: (A) How does the choice of analysis unit influence regularities obtained? (B) How to treat regularities which are not valid for a specific period (e.g. a day) but not valid for other periods (a week, peak period, etc)? (C) How does model misspecification influence validity of findings? (D) How important is it to deal with homogeneous analysis units? (E) How to avoid treating results of irrelevant stratifications as regularities (similar means and distributions)? (F) How to interpret similar findings coming from non-compatible studies? The second part of the paper analyzes the influence of data quality and compatibility on the overall quality of travel demand analyses. The following issues are addressed: (A) what are the most common discrepancies in large-scale urban transportation surveys? (B) How the Quality of data influences results and the overall verifiability of the theories tested? (C) what recommendations should be made for future surveys to assure comparability of findings? (D) How to assure flexibility of the data recording in order to test different modelling approaches? This paper is presented in the form of an abstract. (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0860501124
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was presented at Seminar N, Developing Countries, held at the PTRC Annual Summer Meeting, University of Sussex, England, 4-7 July, 1983.
• Corporate Authors:

  PTRC Education and Research Services Limited

  110 Strand
  London WC2,   England 
• Authors:
  • Supernak, J
• Conference:
  • Planning & Transport Res & Comp, Sum Ann Mtg, Proc
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Pagination: 15 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accuracy; Behavior; Conferences; Data analysis; Data collection; Human factors; Information management; Information, data, and knowledge; Mathematical analysis; Methodology; Quality control; Questionnaires; Surveys; Transportation; Travel; Travel patterns; Urban areas; Urban transportation; Validity
• Uncontrolled Terms: Interpretation; Quality
• ITRD Terms: 6471: Analysis (math); 9001: Behaviour; 8525: Conference; 2257: Human factor; 8555: Information documentation; 9147: Interview; 698: Journey; 9102: Method; 9063: Quality; 1155: Transport; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Planning and Forecasting; Transportation (General); I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00382844
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• ISBN: 0-86050-112-4
• Report/Paper Numbers: Volume P240
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: May 30 1984 12:00AM