USE OF THE INTERNET TO ENHANCE TRANSPORTATION DATA COLLECTION

The tremendous growth of the Internet has led to a growing concern in the field of transportation surveys and data collection. However, much basic information concerning the applicability, effectiveness, and overall creditability of survey procedures using the Internet still remains to be established. The major objective of this paper is to investigate the viability of the Internet as a potential tool for transportation data collection. The paper summarizes results of a response analysis for an Origin-Destination (O-D) survey conducted in Central Florida, in which data collection was primarily by prepaid business reply mail or by Internet. The quality and completeness of the responses received via the Internet were much better than the responses received by mail.