PILOT-STUDY FOR A NATIONAL TRAVEL SURVEY IN BELGIUM




Andrea BARBIERI (Institute of Statistics, University of Louvain-La-Neuve)
Philippe BARETTE (GRT, University of Namur)
Carole DURAND (Institut Wallon asbl, Namur)
Els HEYLEN (Langzaam Verkeer vzw, Leuven)
Michel MOUCHART (Institute of Statistics, University of Louvain-La-Neuve)
Samuël SAELENS (Institut Wallon asbl, Namur)
Philippe TOINT (GRT, University of Namur)
Peter VANSEVENANT (Langzaam Verkeer vzw, Leuven)



January 1998











Abstract

This paper describes the development and pilot-testing of different survey methods and the 
survey material for a nation-wide travel survey in Belgium. Two methods were tested, on 
a sample of 800 households: a mail survey with telephone support and a telephone survey 
with mail support. Furthermore, two types of diary for the collection of travel information 
were tested: a conventional trip-based diary, and an activity-based diary. Face-to-face non-
coverage and non-response interviews, and telephonic validation interviews were carried 
out as well, to allow a better comparison of the different options tested. The different 
survey protocols and questionnaires are described. The first results showed no major 
significant differences in response rates for the different survey methods and the different 
types of diary tested. Further results, among which a detailed analysis of the response rates 
and of the quality of the data collected with the different survey methods and diaries, will 
be reported later.