SUCCESSFUL ADMINISTRATION OF A MAILED 24-HOUR TRAVEL DIARY: A CASE STUDY

Recent transportation survey research has shown that successful travel diaries can be constructed, and that these diaries can collect information on travel by individuals for a period of 24 hr or more. The successful diaries are comparatively expensive survey instruments and have been described primarily in terms of use in conjunction with a personal visit by an interviewer. The interviewer may collect some information at the time of the visit, but he plays an essential role in explaining the use of the diary. This interviewer visit has made the diary an expensive survey instrument. A case study of the administration of a travel diary survey conducted through a combination of telephone contact and mail-out, mail-back procedures is described. In the description of this case study it is shown that the diary can be administered successfully by this means, that the results obtained are of a high quality, and that a response rate significantly higher than that associated with most mail surveys can be obtained. A number of details of the administration methods used, which are believed to have contributed to the success of the instrument, are discussed. The procedure described produced a usable response rate of 58.5 percent of the mail sample of households, from which it was possible subsequently to calibrate new tripgeneration and modal-split models. Some of the results obtained, including the higher trip rates for non-home-based trips, are described. It is suggested that refinements to the instrument and procedures could generate yet higher response rates.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1984/987/987-003.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=SUCCESSFUL+ADMINISTRATION+OF+A+MAILED+24-HOUR+TRAVEL+DIARY%3A+A+CASE+STUDY&author=E.+Ohstrom&author=J.+Ohstrom&author=P.+Stopher&publication_year=1984
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Traveler Behavior and Values.
• Authors:
  • Ohstrom, Eric G
  • Ohstrom, Joan B
  • Stopher, Peter R
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 14-20
• Monograph Title: Travel measurement issues
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 987
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Data collection; Postal service; Questionnaires; Surveys; Telephone; Transportation planning; Travel; Travel behavior
• Uncontrolled Terms: Travel data
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00451163
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309037719
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Nov 30 1985 12:00AM