TRUCK TRIP DATA COLLECTION METHODS

A considerable body of research exists for addressing the data needs for passenger transportation models and statewide freight truck movements. The number of studies which focus on methods for capturing the necessary data on urban freight movements is less abundant. This study addresses this problem by identifying those freight data attributes necessary for both urban region truck modeling and freight planning efforts and evaluates alternative data collection methodologies for providing these necessary data attributes. Data attributes such as origin-destination detail, route identification, land-use at stops, commodity, weight, vehicle configuration, time of day, volume of shipments and location of trip generators were identified as necessary for modeling and planning needs. Two pilot studies were conducted in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area, to test truck trip data collection methodologies. One pilot study tested a roadside intercept survey method at three different locations, including an interstate highway weigh station, a Port of Portland marine terminal, and a private freight warehouse/distribution center. The other pilot study tested a combination of mail and fax survey methods used with two different sample types. The survey methods tested included straight mail, phone-mail, phone-mail-phone, straight fax, phone-fax, phone-fax-phone, sent to a "Known" and "Unknown" mail population. The results from the different freight data collection methodologies are presented and evaluated.