Proposed TCRP Project
Problem Title
Census Data for Transit Systems
Planning
RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT
Transit system planners require census data
for various activities including route service planning, accessibility
and equity analyses, and major investment analyses. Transit planners need
comprehensive training in the use of census data and other federal statistical
data sources. Transit planners also need training in the use of American
Community Survey (ACS) data. ACS is a new Bureau of the Census program
to provide continuous census data to its customers, and is intended as
the eventual replacement for the traditional census “long form.”
Transit planners need to take best advantage of the multitude of census products, including traditional summaries from the decennial census “short form” and “long form” data, Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) data, and the Census Transportation Planning Package (CTPP).
Tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are increasingly important in transit planning activities. The research will explore innovative and creative means to use census data within a GIS software environment.
The objective of this project will be the development of training materials to assist transit system planners to obtain and use census and other federal statistical data sources. These training materials may be in the form of handbooks or other multimedia training materials.
PROPOSED RESEARCH
The following are the proposed specific research
elements:
URGENCY AND PAYOFF POTENTIAL
Transit system planners are in urgent need
of recent, small area socio-economic data to better understand and serve
the needs of a changing population. The American Community Survey is a
major departure from previous census activities and will be a boon in terms
of current, small area socio-economic data. The data will be needed for
Title VI and environmental justice analyses, current route planning, and
long-range transit system planning efforts. The research is needed since
there is no existing guidance on how to use small area, continuous survey
data for transit planning activities.
RELATIONSHIP TO FTA VISION
AND TCRP PRIORITIES
This proposed project best relates to the
FTA Strategic Goals related to Planning and Policy Research; and Specialized
Transit Services. In terms of Specialized Transit Services, the Census
American Community Survey may be the only source of current, small area
(neighborhood-level) data on the distribution of low-income elderly and
other transit-dependent travelers within a transit service area.
In terms of TCRP’s Strategic Priorities, this proposed project relates well to all four priorities. Probably the most germane priority is to “Place the Customer First” since the Census American Community Survey will provide the best neighborhood-level data for understanding the distribution of existing and potential customers.
RELATED RESEARCH
In terms of completed research, proceedings
of the two most recent conferences on census data for transportation planning
are the most relevant: TRB Conference Proceedings #4 “Decennial Census
Data for Transportation Planning” (1995); and TRB Conference Proceedings
#13 “Decennial Census Data for Transportation Planning: Case Studies and
Strategies for 2000” (1997).
USDOT, the Census Bureau, and AASHTO are currently collaborating on the Census 2000 Census Transportation Planning Package (CTPP) including product specification and preparation of travel analysis zones for tabulating CTPP data.
In addition, using CTPP data in transportation planning was offered as a NHI course several years ago. In 1996 this course was modified for transit properties and piloted for the Northeastern Illinois transit agencies. Twenty transit planners attended the class that was held in the Chicago Transit Authority’s training center.
DEVELOPED BY
Chuck Purvis
Senior Transportation Planner/Analyst Metropolitan Transportation Commission Oakland, CA cpurvis@mtc.ca.gov |
Mary Kay Christopher
General Manager, Service Planning Chicago Transit Authority Chicago, IL marykay.christopher@usa.net |
PROCESS USED TO DEVELOP PROBLEM
STATEMENT
This problem statement is a collaborative
effort of the TRB Subcommittee on Census Data for Transportation Planning,
A1D08[1].
SUBMITTED BY
Ed Christopher
Chair, TRB Subcommittee A1D08[1] (Subcommittee
on Census Data for Transportation Planning) and
Transportation Analyst
Bureau of Transportation Statistics
U.S. Department of Transportation
Washington D.C. 20590
EdC@TRBcensus.com
May 22, 2000