Thank you, Clara.

 

I think that having 3 different boxes for rail and none for ride-hailing is a bit antiquated. If need be, can you merge the 3 rails into two, and add a ride-hailing box? Of course, in a few years taxis may totally disappear, replaced by ride-hailing.

 

Also noticed that we don’t capture ADA compliant paratransit services, such as Access-A-Ride (NYC), but lump it in with other categories. Yes, people do commute to work on paratransit vehicles of various forms. Is it significant? How would we know if we don’t ask?

 

My two cents.

 

Once again, thank you, Clara.

 

Best,

 

Abe Kohen, MS CS, MBA

Transportation Analyst, Socio-Economics Demographics

 

New York Metropolitan Transportation Council

25 Beaver Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10004

+1.212.383.2534 | abraham.kohen@dot.ny.gov

www.NYMTC.org

 

NYMTC-logo - Copy-mail-1

 

From: ctpp-news [mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Reschovsky, Clara (OST)
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2018 4:02 PM
To: ctpp-news@chrispy.net
Subject: [CTPP] Means of Transportation changes

 

ATTENTION: This email came from an external source. Do not open attachments or click on links from unknown senders or unexpected emails.

CTPP community,

 

As some of you may remember, or not since it has been a while, the Census Bureau is changing the Means of Transportation question categories for public transit options in 2019.  This change is the result of a content test conducted in 2016 by the Census Bureau.  Here is the current question as it appears on the form and the new version which will be implemented in January 2019.

 

2018 Version:

cid:image002.jpg@01D41DBE.4DCAE000

 

 

2019 Version:

cid:image003.png@01D419FB.68C93710

 

So now that you see that change can happen even if it takes a long time, we have a new opportunity! 

 

Currently the Census Bureau is planning another Content Test for the American Community Survey.  US DOT has the opportunity to propose a new change to the journey-to-work questions.  At this point, we are thinking of proposing the addition of ride-hailing services to the Taxicab category in the Means of Transportation question.  The initially proposed change is from ‘Taxicab’ to ‘Taxi or ride-hailing services’.

 

The Content Test will be conducted in 2021 and any changes that are deemed successful will be implemented in 2024.  At this point, it is hard to know how technology will change in the next six years and how that will affect the ACS data, but this is a known emerging mode.  However, we need to act now to have any changes considered.

 

I am interested in hearing your input and hopefully support on this proposed change, but I must caution you on a few details.  We cannot add a specific company name (such as Uber and Lyft) to the options.  We also have very limited space available on the form, however, in consultation with the form design experts at the Census Bureau we can change Taxicab to be a two line choice like ‘Long-distance train or commuter rail’ on the 2019 form.  I know that some of you would really like to see ride-hailing as a separate option and that is unlikely to be successful because of space of the form.  If you have any thoughts on this topic, please let me know by July 31st, and for everybody, look forward to the new data detail on Means of Transportation from Census!

 

Clara

 

Clara Reschovsky

Survey Statistician

Office of Survey Programs

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

US Department of Transporation

(202) 366-2857

clara.reschovsky@dot.gov