Pedestrian Travel Survey Instrument

Question: Discuss about the Pedestrian Travel Survey Instrument. Answer: Introduction: The questionnaire is to be issued by means of personal interview, meaning answers will be coerced from the respondent where required. This type of interview can also be referred to as face-to-face method. It is mainly used when the survey involves a targeted population such as in this case, it involves students from the University of Pleasantville. This method of survey is important when an interviewer needs to explore the answers given by the interviewee in order to gather deep understanding of the topic in question. However, this method is considered time consuming because it involves travelling but at the same time, it is effective in collecting the raw data from respondents in the field. This can be considered a longitudinal analysis because the study is about the means that individuals use to get to school. Factors influencing these choices are most likely to develop over time than be a decision. This questionnaire was designed to find answers about transport habits of individuals, preferably members of a household but with a singular regard to only the respondents opinions. In general, students are not expected to have households, so the survey is more individual based and allows for those with living arrangements with other fellow students to list this as a household. This explanation should be attached together with the answer. A great deal of priority has been given to questions about cost of transport, ownership of cars and distance of residences from the university. This is because not all the respondents are expected to deliver precise answers, such as the possibility of their vehicle not being in a drivable state, not taking a drive to school every day or th eir vehicle existing in a different location[1]. The analysis obtained was meant to give information not only about travel habits of the interviewees to the university but also their opinions on the existent transport modes. Moreover, the reason for their choice to walk rather than use vehicles, and if their walking was a travel choices were seasonal or influenced on factors that are within the range of control of the university management. The data obtained should be able to pinpoint the approximate times within which these transport habits have been in effect, and the times when changes occurred if they at all did. The questions were ordered to first get the interviewee at ease by being non-threatening, non-topical and easy to answer and then to get their personal information to determine the viability of the respondent as one who will correctly answer most of the questions before finally delving into their travel habits. This will help the interviewee to feel at ease and generall y give genuine answers without fear of contradiction. From this whole process the questionnaire is expected to deliver a larger percentage of correct and usable replies than not. The questions were mainly derived from the wish list that came with the request from University of Pleasantville. Most of the questions were framed to be open ended so the respondents could elaborate their answers, and the interviewers can freely probe[2]. Being open-ended questions, it would ignite the students response by digging up more questions and answers that were hidden from the face of the interviewer. For instance, if a respondent had answered yes to owning a car and having a driving license, they can also elaborate why they do not find driving to school convenient, or on whether it is being a matter of preference is influenced by factors around the institution. The information gained from administering the questionnaire is expected to be enough and if not, the bulk should make up for the shortage, because the probability of correct or relevant answers is increased when more people are interviewed[3]. The question about the respondents idea of sustainable transportation for a campus is one of the most important ones and respondent elaboration should be encouraged here. This survey will greatly help in achieving a sustainable transportation in the campus premises mainly for cycling, and driving purposes. For a long time, students have been struggling with accessing the campus with their mobility without destroying the face of the campus. Therefore, campus planners should have a modal shift in their planning and start realizing that times have change and students at times drive to school. Bibliography Scottish government . Scottish Executive Travel Survey. 10 January 2007. 30 March 2018 https://www.gov.scot/publications/2007/01/18091926/10. Daveson, Barbara A., et al. "To be involved or not to be involved: a survey of public preferences for self-involvement in decision-making involving mental capacity (competency) within Europe." Palliative medicine 27.5 (2013): 418-427. Blair, Johnny, Ronald F. Czaja, and Edward A. Blair. Designing surveys: A guide to decisions and procedures. Sage Publications, (2013). Sisiopiku, Virginia P., and D. Akin. "Pedestrian behaviors at and perceptions towards various pedestrian facilities: an examination based on observation and survey data." Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour 6.4 (2003): 249-274. Mendoza, Jason A., et al. "Validity of instruments to assess students' travel and pedestrian safety." BMC Public Health 10.1 (2010): 257. Weinstein Agrawal, Asha, Marc Schlossberg, and Katja Irvin. "How far, by which route and why? A spatial analysis of pedestrian preference." Journal of urban design 13.1 (2008): 81-98.