New subject: ACS: Means of Transportation Categories

15 May 2013

My staff general  agrees with Alan Pisarski' s comment below that the third option
should include railroad and long distance commuter rail, but for a different reason.  If
the question is left as shown in Ken Cervenka' s message we  think the few people in
Michigan who take Amtrak may be confused because they probably don't think of it as
"long distance commuter rail".

[cid:image001.jpg@01CE514B.D6E6F3A0]<https://www.research.net/s/ZKC9H99>
Susan A. Gorski, Section Manager
Statewide & Urban Travel Analysis Section
Michigan Department of Transportation
Van Wagoner Building - B340
425 W. Ottawa Street
P.O. Box 30050
Lansing, MI 48909
E-mail:  gorskis@michigan.gov<blocked::mailto:gorskis@michigan.gov>
phone:  517-335-2958
cell:      517-243-0734
fax:       517-373-9255

From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net [mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net] On Behalf Of
wendell cox
Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 8:13AM
To: ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net
Subject: Re: [CTPP] ACS: Means of Transportation Categories

Havn't been in this discussion... but this issue with respect to railroad is, in my
view, irrelevant with respect to carrier. An Amtrak commuter from Baltimore is, from a
transportation perspective, no different than a MARC commuter, for example. Hope the
question can be framed to make that clear. Could have the same problem, obviously,
especially in the Phila, and Boston areas.
On Wed, May 15, 2013 at 11:22 AM,
<alanpisarski@alanpisarski.com<mailto:alanpisarski@alanpisarski.com>> wrote:
Ken:  re Railroad I would make it both railroad and long distance commuter rail service.
people in Balt take Amtrak to DC as well as MARC.  use a comma.    Alan
-----Original Message-----
From: Ken.Cervenka@dot.gov<mailto:Ken.Cervenka@dot.gov>
[mailto:Ken.Cervenka@dot.gov<mailto:Ken.Cervenka@dot.gov>]
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 07:59 PM
To: ctpp-news@chrispy.net<mailto:ctpp-news@chrispy.net>
Subject: [CTPP] ACS: Means of Transportation Categories
Hello Tom and all,

Agencies must send justification for proposed revisions or new content to OMB and the
Census Bureau by June 14, 2013.  The intent is for U.S. DOT (via BTS) to formally submit
the ?please include light rail? request.  Based on various discussions that have taken
place (particularly those on this listserv), here are the (current) proposed modifications
to the three rail transit categories in the Means of Transportation Question 31 (with all
other modal groups to be unchanged):
__ Rail:  light rail, streetcar, or trolley (a change from the current ?Streetcar or
trolley car?)
__ Rail:  subway or elevated (a change from the current ?Subway or elevated?)
__ Rail:  long-distance commuter service (a change from the current ?Railroad?)

Assuming OMB approves a ?cognitive testing? program, the exact wording of whatever
eventually goes ?final? will of course depend on the test results.  I sure don?t want to
stretch this out to the point of missing the June 14 deadline, but it may be useful to
subject this to another round of public vetting on the CTPP listserv.  So:  what do you
all think?

Ken Cervenka
FTA Office of Planning and Environment

From: ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net<mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net>
[mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net<mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net>] On
Behalf Of TMarchwinski@njtransit.com<mailto:TMarchwinski@njtransit.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 2:38 PM
To: ctpp-news@chrispy.net<mailto:ctpp-news@chrispy.net>
Subject: Re: [CTPP] County Commuting Flows

Penelope-  I found this email from a few months ago, and would like to let you know that
NJT uses CTPP 3 year data to show broad county to county flows for Trans-Hudson transit
planning.  We used the 2006-08 data to show trends since 2000 in where commuting to
Manhattan and other key areas has changed. We also saw that there was a shift to bus and
rail commuting, vs. auto for this market in most counties.  The 3 year is helpful for
understanding broad trends, and specific changes. I noticed with the 5 year flow data at
the county level that we saw changes related to the Great Recession. Since the 5 year data
has the 3 year data imbedded as part of the 5 year data, I have looked at the difference
between the 5 year and 3 year data to surmise changes between 2008 and 2010. I know
statistically this may not be totally accurate, but we have seen a drop in total work
trips from some counties from the 3 year to the 5 year data, and some increases in others.
The numbers made sense because close in, more urban counties still increased the number of
work trips to Manhattan, while mostly further out areas which were hit hard in the
recession by defaults, and aging population showed a decline compared to 3 year data, but
still an increase compared to 2000.

The new procedure to make CTPP continue as a research project is a good one. Also I am
happy to see Light Rail will be tested for inclusion in the Census. I brought this up back
in 2007/2008 with Elaine Murakami of FHWA who was supportive, but we could not get FTA
interested.  I had and extensive conversation and email exchange with FTA on this issue
(Ken Cervanka), and was involved in an online debate on this.  My understanding is that
the census will not allow an increase in the number of modes, but will allow Light Rail to
be added. The issue was how do you classify all of the other modes, and my point was that
railroad should be changed to commuter or regional rail (including Intercity), then there
was bus; Light rail , Trolley, or streetcar; subway or elevated; and then Ferry I believe.
 Can you tell me of the status of when Light Rail will be tested, and also how it will be
shown, as a separate mode, or with trolley or streetcar (which is where it belongs in my
opinion).   Some of the federal types wanted streetcar as a separate mode, which I did not
believe made sense given its small amount of ridership, and also the fact that its more
like light rail and Light Rail is much bigger in usage.   Thanks for any information you
can provide.

Thomas Marchwinski
Senior Director, Forecasting and Research
NJ Transit, Newark, NJ

From: ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net<mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net>
[mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Weinberger, Penelope
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2013 10:54 AM
To: ctpp-news@chrispy.net<mailto:ctpp-news@chrispy.net>
Subject: Re: [CTPP] County Commuting Flows

As Liang said, the next CTPP is due in mid 2013.  It will be based on five year ACS from
2006 ? 2010 and include small area data.

In answer to the larger question; the CTPP program at AASHTO was recently transformed to
an ongoing technical services program.  As you rightly point out, this follows the change
at CB to an ongoing survey methodology.  The CTPP is historically user directed and wishes
to continue to be so.  So I have two things to throw out there:
                One, please share the value of the program with your decision makers ?
when we come for funding, help them get to yes!
                Two, please let me know how you have used the three year data and if it is
useful to have along with the planned five year data ? the difference between the sets is
the three year is more frequent, while the five year covers all geography.

Thanks!

Penelope Z. Weinberger
CTPP Program Manager
AASHTO
202-624-3556<tel:202-624-3556>
ctpp.transportation.org<http://ctpp.transportation.org>

From: ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net<mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net>
[mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Estersohn Dan
Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2013 9:55 PM
To: ctpp-news@chrispy.net<mailto:ctpp-news@chrispy.net>
Subject: [CTPP] County Commuting Flows

Is there any information about production of the CTTP or the county-to-county commuting
flows more than once every ten years?  Since they are based on the annual ACS there is an
opportunity for more frequent updates than in the past.  What are the current plans?

Dan Estersohn
Senior Demographer
[cid:image002.jpg@01CE514B.D6E6F3A0]
    Arbitron Inc
    9705 Patuxent Woods Drive
    Columbia, MD  21046

410-312-8434<tel:410-312-8434>
Dan.Estersohn@Arbitron.com<mailto:Dan.Estersohn@Arbitron.com>

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