Statewide Data and Information Systems Committee

 SCOP Data Task Force Update
January 2005

 

1.      American Community Survey

• The SCOP Data Task Force coordinated a response to the Federal Register notice soliciting comments on American Community Survey (ACS) Data Products. 
• Task Force members are also continuing their involvement in NCHRP 8-48 on "Using American Community Survey Data for Transportation Planning".  The project will result in a practitioner guidebook for incorporating ACS data into transportation planning processes. The project is 40-50% complete, with a targeted completion date of July 2005.

2.      Commuting In America III

• SCOP Data Task Force members are part of  the NCHRP Research Project to produce an updated Commuting in America III.  Deb Miller chairs the research panel and Alan Pisarski is the principal investigator.  The project team met in July and is scheduled to meet again this fall.

3.      NCHRP Research to Update the AASHTO Guidelines for Traffic Data Programs

• The research panel met for the first time in August.  Jonette Kreideweis is chairing the panel that includes representatives from Pennsylvania, Idaho, Florida, Ohio and California DOTs.
• The request for proposals was advertised in early September.   The research is funded for $350,000 with a 24-month timeframe.

4.      North American Travel Monitoring Exhibition and Conference (NATMEC)

• The June traffic data conference was very successful, attracting more than 450 people, including representatives from 43 states.  The planning committee for the 2006 conference is being appointed and has six state DOT representatives.  The committee will be looking for input from SCOP on critical traffic data needs.

5.      Peer Exchange on Business Plans for State Data Programs

• The TRB Statewide Data and Information Systems Committee hosted a peer exchange this summer on business plans for state data programs.   Six state DOTs as well as university, FHWA, and other transportation partners participated in the discussion.  Individuals interested in obtaining copies of meeting presentations may contact Anita Vandervalk at (850) 219-6388 or avandervalk@camsys.com.

6.      TRB Annual Meeting

• Task Force members are coordinating a panel session on "Evolving Practice and Theory in Travel Demand Modeling - Challenge for Data Systems" as a follow-up to the roundtable discussion that was held at the AASHTO SCOP Spring Meeting in Charleston.  The session will share highlights from the TRB Travel Forecasting Subcommittee peer exchange as well as perspectives from regional and state governments on data issues related to modeling.

7.      Census Data for Transportation Planning Conference:  Preparing for the Future 

• NCHRP 8-36 funding supported the development of five research papers that will provide a foundation for conference discussions on May 11-13, 2005.  These papers include:
• Confidentiality Issues Related to Transportation Use of Census Data
• International Experience in Journey to Work Data from National Censuses
• Impacts of Sample Size in American Community Survey (ACS)
• The Journey to Work in the Context of Daily Travel
• The Census American Community Survey and the New Generation of Travel Models 

8.      Upcoming Data Related Events and Conferences

•  TRB National Household Travel Survey Conference:  Understanding Our Nation's Travel, November 1-2, 2004, Washington, DC.  http://trb.org/calendar/event.asp?id=125
• Census Data for Transportation Planning:  Preparing for the Future, May 11-13, 2005, Irvine, California.
• TRB Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) Conference, July 2005, in conjunction with the joint mid-year meetings in Boston.

Since September 2004:

SCOP Data Task Force members provided input into an AASHTO response to the Census Bureau regarding funding for census data products.

SCOP Data Task Force members collected comments and suggestions for the Eno Foundation to consider as they update their report on Transportation in America:  A Statistical Analysis of Transportation in America.

 

Jonette Kreideweis

AASHTO SCOP Data Task Force, Chair