Re: [CTPP] [Fwd: Re: "The Truth About Transit", Baltimore Sun, July 12, 2002]

I have been observing the discussion of the past week, and it leads me to wonder: does the long form (and presumably the upcoming ACS) provide enough adequate information on mode of journey to work to make the data useful for transportation planning, including transit planning? I know this is heretical, but this list seems to be the appropriate place to discuss it. Many of you are saying that the question doesn't work because it doesn't handle multi-modal trips well. Very true. The discussion below says that the long form misses too many poor people, who are more likely to use transit. Also very true. (Changes need to be made in the ACS follow-up methods to make sure that the same thing doesn't happen there. Meanwhile, the problem does exist in the C2SS and its follow-ups.) Neither the current form of the question on the long form nor the ACS will handle the problem of people who were not at work 'last week.' All the comments about problems with the transit data results also apply to carpooling. Multi-modal, etc. No wonder the data come out showing "everyone" drives alone to work! It seems to me that the long form does do a good job of providing the characteristics of the work trip for the large group of auto users. So, we don't want to throw out the baby with the bath water. It may be necessary, AFTER the ACS is reasonably institutionalized--assuming we get that far--to try to get a couple more questions about the mode on to the questionnaire in order to at least pick up multi-modal. Or, perhaps a multi-checkoff question: which of the following modes did you use (mark all that apply). This would improve the count of all the non-drive alone responses (actually in a way similar to how the multi-checkoff for race improved the counts of American Indians, etc.). I'm just brainstorming here. But it does appear clear that the question needs to be changed, and this is the group to work toward doing it. Patty Becker At 05:18 PM 07/12/2002 -0400, you wrote: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Patricia C. (Patty) Becker 248/354-6520 APB Associates/SEMCC FAX 248/354-6645 28300 Franklin Road Home 248/355-2428 Southfield, MI 48034 pbecker(a)umich.edu