Data, data everywhere…

[lordofthemark]

@dasgeh 64735 wrote:

But is any broken down by commute distance?

Specifically, does anyone know of any commute (or other) mode share data for our region broken down by distance? I’ve seen lots of “of all trips taken in Arlington; X% are by car, Y% by bike, Z% walking, etc”, but I’m looking for: “of all commutes of 3 miles or less [in Arlington or region-wide], A% are by foot; B% by bike; C% by car, etc”

Does that make sense? I bet google could help, but I’m super short on time these days (today is my last day in this office – Monday I start on the Hill).

The census page on the american community survey has a lot of mode breakdowns by other variables, including I think distance, but I also think those group bikes into “other” along with taxi and motorcycle. The only table that spefically breaks bike out is the one that has total for the jurisdiction and by gender. Thats from some quick examination after looking at yesterdays post by WashCycle. There may be more there.

[cyclingfool]

@lordofthemark 64737 wrote:

The census page on the american community survey has a lot of mode breakdowns by other variables, including I think distance, but I also think those group bikes into “other” along with taxi and motorcycle. The only table that spefically breaks bike out is the one that has total for the jurisdiction and by gender. Thats from some quick examination after looking at yesterdays post by WashCycle. There may be more there.

Unless they significantly changed the structure of the ACS questions (doubtful) for the most recent dataset, you’re right. I did a project for one of my planning courses last semester and did a fair amount of digging through data on commute mode share. The grouping of bikes with motorcycles and taxis was a major shortcoming of the data. As far as distance-related commute statistics go, also not well covered in the ACS. It’s possible MWCOG or some other local planning agency has done some surveys, but I am not aware of any offhand.

I think the type of info you’re thinking about would be really interesting to look at, though, dasgeh.

[lordofthemark]

@cyclingfool 64745 wrote:

Unless they significantly changed the structure of the ACS questions (doubtful) for the most recent dataset, you’re right. I did a project for one of my planning courses last semester and did a fair amount of digging through data on commute mode share. The grouping of bikes with motorcycles and taxis was a major shortcoming of the data. As far as distance-related commute statistics go, also not well covered in the ACS. It’s possible MWCOG or some other local planning agency has done some surveys, but I am not aware of any offhand.

I think the type of info you’re thinking about would be really interesting to look at, though, dasgeh.

The problem can’t be the questions, or they couldn’t put out any bike data at all. Its the mode granularity that they publish in the tables with the various cross tabulations. They only cross tab after consolidating the modes into a smaller number of categories. I am not familiar enough with the deep nitty gritty of ACS to know if there is any way around that with any public ACS data. But census has the individual survey responses to create that. It would take some agency with sufficent clout, and, I guess, with funding to share via MOU (or just a congressional committee that cared) to get the cross tabs done with bike specifically broken out.

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