Michigan agencies again inviting residents to participate in travel survey

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) reminded residents last week that invitation letters for the fall portion of the MI Travel Counts household travel survey will be sent to randomly selected households in September and October.

MI Travel Counts will provide vital information necessary to set transportation priorities for the next 20 years. The survey is being conducted for MDOT and SEMCOG by Westat, a nationally recognized research firm. Transportation agencies will use the data to better understand changes in household travel and project citizens' future travel needs. The survey isn't new; the same information was last collected by MDOT and SEMCOG in 2004-2005 and updated by MDOT in 2009.

Randomly selected households will receive a letter inviting household members to participate in the study by providing some demographic information and filling out a travel diary.

The diary will detail household activities for 24 hours; information can be provided online or by phone. Some participants will be asked to take part in an additional piece of the study that will use GPS devices provided by Westat to collect specific route information about all the places visited over a three-day period.