South Sound Travel Survey Logo - icons showing bicyclist, walker, bus, car, person in a wheelchair

SOUTH SOUND TRAVEL STUDY
Your Participation is Important!

In April and May 2022 TRPC will be conducting a household travel study to better understand residents’ travel patterns and attitudes about transportation. As technologies evolve and travel behaviors change quickly over the next few years, transportation planners need to collect current travel data to inform future transportation investments and prioritize improvements. This study will help us plan for a more efficient future transportation system.

If you’ve received an invitation to participate in the South Sound Travel Study, please visit SouthSoundTravel.org to learn more and complete the study.

Approximately 2,000 households in the Sound South will be selected to participate in the survey. 

The information collected in this study will help agencies improve the transportation system, for example:

  • How should we prioritize transportation investments?
  • Where will road widening be needed in the future?
  • What role can transit, biking, and walking play in improving regional mobility?
  • What do we do about I-5?

6 N_Sound_shutterstock_1800742975

Needed Data

We need data about local travel characteristics to understand and answer questions like these. That is why we conduct a household travel study every about every 10 years, last conducted in 2013. Data from this research is used to update our models and analysis tools so that they reflect local conditions and preferences. Some households in the area were randomly selected for this study and their input will shape transportation decision-making over the next 20 years.

What is the study about?

  • This study is about day-to-day travel in the South Sound region: How people travel, where they go, how long it takes, how much it costs, etc. 
  • Our goal is to get a complete picture of regional transportation patterns to better plan for future improvements. 

How will the study results be used? 

  • The results of the study will be used by regional planners to inform future transportation decisions. For example, should we prioritize spending on projects that facilitate bicycling or roadways? Which factors most influence transit usage in the region, and how do those factors vary by income level? How do food and package delivery impact travel? 

Image of cars on street in Yelm, WA

Why participate? 

  • Gathering input from a wide range of residents is critical to ensure transportation planners are aware of the many travel behaviors and needs across the region when making planning decisions. 
  • This type of data is collected only periodically (once every few years at most) and may be used in planning decisions for years to come. This type of data was last collected in the South Sound region in 2013, so collecting data is critical to help the region understand quickly evolving travel trends and future needs. 
  • By participating now, you will help ensure people like you are adequately represented in this important dataset and accounted for in planning decisions over the coming years.

How can residents participate?

  • Households throughout region will be randomly selected and invited by mailed invitation this spring. 
  • Invited households can complete the study by visiting SouthSoundTravel.org.
  • The study includes two parts – a 10-15-minute household composition survey (including questions like age of household members and number of vehicles) and a 5-10-minute travel diary. Participants can complete the travel diary online, by phone, or using a smartphone app, rMove™. 
  • Households that complete the entire study will receive a gift card as thanks for their time.

How confident can we be in the final study data?

  • This study will collect travel behavior from all members in at least 2,000 South Sound households – a regional share consistent with travel study best practices – for up to seven consecutive travel days. 
  • This high quantity of data will enable us to capture sufficiently diverse travel observations from households with varied backgrounds and day-to-day travel behaviors. 
  • Following data collection, this data will also undergo a thorough weighting process to ensure it accurately represents regional travel.

How are participants’ privacy protected?

  • The study team takes participants’ privacy very seriously. To read the study’s full privacy guidelines, visit SouthSoundTravel.org.