Design Characteristics of National Travel Surveys: International Comparison for 10 Countries

In Germany a national travel survey (NTS) was planned for 2002 and was preceded by a pilot study in 2001. As part of this pilot study the state of the practice for NTS in several countries was examined through contact with relevant institutions and persons via the Internet. A structured questionnaire was used for these consultations. The participants in nine countries provided the relevant information describing their NTS. It was found that the core substance of the data gathered by the NTS is similar and that different additional aspects of travel may be covered in the surveys. However, the survey procedures and data collection instruments employed in the fieldwork show wide variety. Numerous survey design elements and combinations thereof are applied (mailback, computer-assisted telephone interviewing, personal interview). Institutional contexts appear to be important for the scope and continuity of the NTS.