reizigersenquêtes

Reizigersenquêtes, literally translating to traveler surveys in Dutch, are structured surveys of travelers designed to gather data on who travels, how they travel, and why. They are a common tool in transport planning and policy evaluation in Dutch-speaking contexts and beyond. These surveys can be cross-sectional, providing a snapshot of travel behavior at a point in time, or longitudinal, tracking the same individuals or households over multiple periods. They often include travel diaries to record trips in detail.

Data collection methods include on-site intercept surveys at stations or stops, telephone or mail surveys, and online questionnaires. More recent implementations use smartphone apps or GPS to capture routes, travel times, and modes of transport. Sampling aims to reflect the population of interest; responses are weighted to correct for biases. Ethical considerations, including informed consent and privacy, are integral, especially when location data or sensitive socio-demographic information are collected.

Collected data cover socio-demographic characteristics, origin and destination of trips, trip purpose, mode of transport, trip distance and duration, costs, transfers, frequency, and attitudes toward transport options. These datasets feed travel demand models such as four-step models and activity-based models, support appraising new policies and infrastructure, and enable monitoring of travel patterns over time.

Limitations include nonresponse bias, recall or diary-keeping errors, observer effects, and high cost. Data quality depends on careful questionnaire design, pilot testing, and consistent coding. Reizigersenquêtes are often coordinated with other data sources, such as censuses or administrative records, to improve accuracy.