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Introduction and Research Approach 9
The results of the study have been publicized and disseminated in several ways. First, NCHRP
Research Results Digest No. 261: The Case for Standardizing Household Travel Surveys (TRB, 2002)
was prepared to summarize the findings of Phase 1 of the project. It was distributed at the 2002
Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board and through the normal channels by
NCHRP thereafter. The digest includes a list of candidate procedures and measures considered in
Phase 2 of the project. Second, an interim report documenting Phase I of the project was completed
in June 2001. Third, papers on results emerging from this study have been presented at several con-
ferences (Alsnih and Stopher, 2004; Stopher, Wilmot, Stecher, and Alsnih, 2004; Nilufar and
Wilmot, 2003; Stopher et al., 2004; Stopher and Wilmot, 2002). Last, the issue of identifying appro-
priate procedures for standardization of personal travel surveys was the topic of the first half of the
7th International Conference on Travel Survey Methods held in Costa Rica in August 2004. At the
conference, the results of the NCHRP study were related to the delegates in a presentation and
resource paper, and individual aspects of the travel survey process were discussed in eight work-
shop sessions.
It is expected that the information in this report will be useful to transportation practitioners in
state DOTs and MPOs in preparing statistically sound data collection and management programs.
It is also expected to be useful to travel survey professionals in designing their surveys, training their
staff, managing the survey process, reporting the results, and archiving the data. The opportunity
to compare results among travel surveys and to assess the potential of transferring data from one
location and time period to another will be enhanced with the application of the recommendations
in this report. At the same time, these recommendations should not prevent introduction of new
procedures to thereby stifle innovation; a balance must be maintained between standardization
and new development. Also, allowance should be made to amend or update the recommendations
of this report as new and improved information is gained.
1.5 Report Organization
This report has been produced in two parts--NCHRP Report 571, the printed report, and NCHRP
Web-Only Document 93, the technical appendix. NCHRP Report 571 is organized as follows:
· Chapter 1 is an introduction to research and an outline of the report.
· Chapter 2 summarizes the recommendations that have been developed. The reader who
desires to know why specific recommendations are made or what research and reviews were
undertaken should consult Chapters 410 in the Technical Appendix.
· Chapter 3 outlines recommendations for training and dissemination of the research results.
· Chapter 4 provides a description of the areas that are recommended for further research for
the development of standardized procedures in personal travel surveys.
· Chapter 5 is sample template for RFPs that embodies all of the standardized procedures and
guidelines that are summarized in Chapter 2.
· Glossary provides terms used in surveys.
The reference section contains references cited in this report. Intentionally, these have been kept
to a minimum. An exhaustive set of references is to be found in Chapter 11 of the Technical Appen-
dix. The Technical Appendix is available on the TRB website as NCHRP Web-Only Document 93
(http://trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=8858).
