Exploratory Advanced Research . . . Next Generation Transportation Solutions

Designing a New National Household Travel Survey

Innovations in Collecting and Analyzing Long-Distance Travel Information

system locally and nationally, for developing travel demand models for forecasting, 

to assess investment alternatives for 

transportation-related infrastructure, and 

to examine how legislation and regulations affect the broader transportation 

system and its utilization. 

Because specific research objectives depend 

on anticipated funding levels, the study has proposed specific research objectives under each 

of three distinct funding levels.

Exploring Candidate Approaches 

to Survey Design

In a series of studies, researchers assessed several 

features of survey design relative to their usefulness in characterizing the long-distance travel 

behavior of the Nation’s households. 

Integrating New and Existing Surveys—“Piggybacking” strategies are ideal for realizing cost efficiencies and maximizing the information obtained 

from a sample size. This study noted examples of 

existing surveys that would be best suited for 

integration with a long-distance travel survey 

and assessed the benefits and limitations of 

such integration. 

Designing a Core Probabilistic Sample—Researchers examined microdata from the 1995 American Travel Survey and the 2001 National Household Travel Survey to identify demographic 

patterns of long-distance travelers for effective 

stratification and efficient screening of households and to determine an appropriate retention 

period for gathering information on the longdistance trips of household residents. 

Fusing Probabilistic and Nonprobabilistic Data—

A series of mathematical simulations, using data 

from the 1995 American Travel Survey, were performed to assess whether combining trip data 

from a core probabilistic sample with data obtained by nonprobabilistic means (e.g., an opt-in 

panel) can lead to improved precision on travel 

parameter estimates. The data fusion concept is 

a novel alternative when the cost of achieving the 

The Exploratory Advanced Research Program Fact Sheet

Establishing Research Goals and 

Objectives for the Survey 

This EAR Program project encompasses multiple studies to examine different aspects of collecting and analyzing long-distance travel data. 

Recent trends, including the shift to wireless 

communications, reduced funding for conducting surveys, declining survey response rates, 

and sampling inefficiencies, have created significant challenges for traditional survey methods. New technologies and evolving survey 

methodologies, on the other hand, offer potential for improving travel survey results. The project’s initial task was to draft a set of research 

goals and objectives for studying long-distance 

travel. First, a broad statement of research goals 

was formulated: 

The long-distance travel study seeks information about travel of people living in 

the United States involving trips of 50 

miles or more one way. The data are to be 

used in planning the U.S. transportation 

The Federal Highway Administration 

(FHWA) is seeking new approaches 

to the design of the next national longdistance travel study—advanced methods 

of capturing and analyzing travel data to 

support effective, defensible transportation decisionmaking. To further that 

search, the FHWA Exploratory Advanced 

Research (EAR) Program has funded 

the study “Design of a Completely New 

Approach for a National Household Travel 

Survey Instrument,” which is being conducted by Battelle, teamed with the Urban 

Institute and the University of Maryland.
necessary sample size for a probabilistic-based 

national survey exceeds available resources.

Modeling Methods for Imputing Trip Information—While advanced travel survey methods 

(e.g., GPS, smartphone, social media) can provide temporal-spatial information on travel more 

accurately than the recall techniques used in 

traditional surveys, the newer methods cannot 

provide all necessary trip information, such as 

trip purpose. Researchers derived a set of postprocessing methods (based on machine learning techniques) for estimating trip purpose, and 

validated these methods. 

Developing Applications for Trip Detection and 

Data Capture—To facilitate passive data collection on long-distance travel surveys while minimizing trip recall bias, researchers developed 

and tested applications for iPhone® and Facebook® users that have the potential to improve 

data quality and response rates. The iPhone 

application periodically checks the distance 

between the user’s home and the iPhone and, 

when this distance exceeds the 50-mile threshold, prompts the participant to take a short survey regarding the trip. The Facebook application mines and analyzes information on the 

user’s Facebook page to detect when the user is 

on or has recently completed a long-distance 

trip and then prompts the participant to take a 

trip-related survey.

Designing a New Survey

The project will culminate in a proof-of-concept 

pilot survey and the development of a set of recommendations for the design of FHWA’s next 

long-distance travel survey. The small pilot will 

demonstrate the feasibility of various techniques 

and methods examined in this exploratory research. The research will lead to more efficient 

data collection, reduced respondent burden and 

need for recall of past events, and the ability to 

collect data of sufficient quality within a reduced 

budget.

What Is the Exploratory 

Advanced Research Program?

FHWA’s Exploratory Advanced Research 

(EAR) Program focuses on long-term, 

high-risk research with a high payoff 

potential. The program addresses underlying gaps faced by applied highway 

research programs, anticipates emerging issues with national implications, and 

reflects broad transportation industry 

goals and objectives. 

To learn more about the EAR Program, visit the Exploratory Advanced 

Research Web site at www.fhwa.dot.gov/

advancedresearch. The site features information on research solicitations, updates 

on ongoing research, links to published 

materials, summaries of past EAR Program events, and details on upcoming 

events. For additional information, contact 

David Kuehn at FHWA, 202-493-3414 

(email: david.kuehn@dot.gov), or Terry 

Halkyard at FHWA, 202-493-3467 (email: 

terry.halkyard@dot.gov).

Designing a New National Household Travel Survey

Innovations in Collecting and Analyzing Long-Distance Travel Information

Publication No. 

FHWA-HRT-13-081

HRTM-30/09-13(1M)E

Learn More

For more information on this EAR Program 

project, contact Patrick Zhang, FHWA Office 

of Highway Policy Information, at 202-366-

1941 (email: patrick.zhang@dot.gov). Photo credit, page 1:

© Shutterstock.com/

Goodluz 

Photo credit, page 2:

© Shutterstock.com/

Andre Blais