Multi-wave Travel Surveys | Transit Laboratory

A two-wave survey of the OSU community (including students, faculty, and staff) was designed and implemented by Transit Lab team to elicit information about general travel behavior, effects of passenger information system, and perceptions of Campus Area Bus Service (CABS) as a component of the multi modal transportation system. The first wave was undertaken to study factors that influence transportation choices, traveler satisfaction, and to develop insights on individual preferences and perceptions of transportation options as impacted by the provision of passenger information system. OSU’s CABS and the Smart Bus system was used as a case study. The first wave of the survey took place in Fall 2008, before the provision of real-time passenger information, and the second wave was done after the technology had been implemented in Spring 2010. Responses from over 3,500 students, 2,400 faculty members, and 3,300 staff employees have been collected to date.

The questionnaire consisted of 9 demographic questions, 10-13 questions (the number depends on a subject’s response on certain questions, which would then prompt follow-up questions) dealing with subject’s mode of transportation to and on campus, and 14 questions about his or her perceptions and evaluation of CABS service, safety, and externalities, such as CABS’ role in contributing to reduction of traffic on campus or making the campus “green”.  In all, there were up to 36 questions that a respondent could answer.