Travel Survey
A Travel Survey is a research tool used by transportation planners to understand how people move around in a city or region. It involves collecting information about how, when, and why people travel from place to place. This could include their daily commute to work, shopping trips, or leisure activities. The information helps cities and organizations make better decisions about roads, public transit, and walking/biking facilities. Similar terms include "transportation survey," "mobility study," or "travel behavior analysis." This is a fundamental skill in transportation planning as it provides the foundation for making informed decisions about transportation improvements.
Examples in Resumes
Managed Travel Survey data collection for a citywide transportation study serving 500,000 residents
Analyzed Transportation Survey results to recommend improvements to bus routes and bike lanes
Led team of 5 researchers conducting Mobility Survey and Travel Survey programs across 3 counties
Typical job title: "Transportation Planners"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Transportation Planners
Professional Organizations
Online Communities
Job Resources
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How would you design a large-scale travel survey for a major metropolitan area?
Expected Answer: Should discuss project management aspects, including selecting survey methods, ensuring representative sampling, managing budget and timeline, coordinating with stakeholders, and quality control measures.
Q: How do you handle challenges with low response rates in travel surveys?
Expected Answer: Should explain strategies like incentives, multiple contact methods, clear communication about survey importance, and statistical methods to account for non-response bias.
Mid Level Questions
Q: What methods do you use to analyze travel survey data?
Expected Answer: Should mention basic statistical analysis, identifying travel patterns, creating summary reports, and making practical recommendations based on findings.
Q: How do you ensure data quality in travel surveys?
Expected Answer: Should discuss validation techniques, checking for logical inconsistencies, following up with respondents, and proper data cleaning procedures.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What basic information is typically collected in a travel survey?
Expected Answer: Should list key elements like trip purpose, mode of transportation, time of day, origin/destination, and basic demographic information.
Q: What are different methods for conducting travel surveys?
Expected Answer: Should mention phone surveys, online questionnaires, paper surveys, travel diaries, and maybe mobile apps, with basic pros and cons of each.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-2 years)
- Basic survey data collection
- Simple data entry and organization
- Understanding of transportation terminology
- Basic statistical analysis
Mid (2-5 years)
- Survey design and implementation
- Data analysis and visualization
- Project coordination
- Report writing and presentation
Senior (5+ years)
- Complex survey program management
- Advanced statistical analysis
- Stakeholder engagement
- Strategic planning and recommendations
Red Flags to Watch For
- No experience with data collection or analysis
- Poor understanding of transportation planning basics
- Lack of attention to detail in data handling
- No knowledge of survey best practices
- Unable to explain how survey data informs planning decisions
Related Terms
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