The 2017/2018 Regional Travel Survey (RTS) collected demographic and travel information from a randomly selected representative sample of households in the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) jurisdictions and adjacent areas, which comprise the TPB model region. It is the primary source of observed data to estimate, calibrate, and validate the regional travel demand model. The model in turn is used for the travel forecasting and air quality conformity analysis of the region’s long-range transportation plan as well as to support other key program activities. The survey data is also used for analyzing regional travel trends and provides a comprehensive picture of travel patterns in the region. The RTS captured information on household, person, and vehicle characteristics in the recruitment survey, and actual observed trip information in a one-day travel diary, which household members recorded details of every trip taken on their assigned travel day.From October 2017 through December 2018, the Regional Travel Survey (RTS) collected information on demographic and travel behavior characteristics of persons living in households in the metropolitan Washington region and adjoining jurisdictions. Under the oversight of COG/TPB, the survey was conducted by a nationally recognized transportation survey research firm, Resource Systems Group, Inc. (RSG). Previous COG/TPB regional household surveys for the Washington area were conducted in 1968, 1987/1988, 1994, and 2007/2008. This document describes the technical approach used for the RTS. It provides a brief overview of the survey methodology. Additional information about the survey methodology, including the questionnaire design, survey sampling, survey administration, targeted outreach, and survey response can be found in the final report prepared by RSG (Appendix A). Due to the complexity of multi-modal travel patterns in the National Capital Region, review and editing of the RTS data files was performed internally by staff familiar with travel patterns in the region. This report is primarily focused on the post-survey data processing and survey expansion performed by COG/TPB staff. Appendices also contain file format and file frequency tables for the final public release files.For more information about the RTS, please visit the RTS webpage.To download the RTS Tabulations, please visit the Regional Travel Survey (RTS) Tabulations page.The RTS Public File is also available by request.

The 2017/2018 Regional Travel Survey (RTS) collected demographic and travel information from a randomly selected representative sample of households in the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) jurisdictions and adjacent areas, which comprise the TPB model region. It is the primary source of observed data to estimate, calibrate, and validate the regional travel demand model. The model in turn is used for the travel forecasting and air quality conformity analysis of the region’s long-range transportation plan as well as to support other key program activities. The survey data is also used for analyzing regional travel trends and provides a comprehensive picture of travel patterns in the region. The RTS captured information on household, person, and vehicle characteristics in the recruitment survey, and actual observed trip information in a one-day travel diary, which household members recorded details of every trip taken on their assigned travel day.The Regional Transportation Data Clearinghouse (RTDC) Regional Travel Survey (RTS) Tabulations were prepared by TPB staff to provide an online resource for the RTS data to be used by practitioners, researchers, and other stakeholders. The RTDC RTS Tabulations share the standard 2017/2018 Regional Travel Survey tabulations from the RTS which include the household, person, vehicle, and trip files. The purpose of the RTDC RTS Tabulations is to provide descriptive summaries of the data items from these files. These are first level tabulations of the RTS dataset that can be quickly pulled “off-the-shelf” when needed. Note that no cross tabulations are included in the RTDC RTS Tabulations. The user can perform customized tabulations and cross tabulations by requesting the RTS Public File.File DetailsThe RTDC_RTS_Tabulations.zip file contains the RTDC RTS Tabulations Matrix (RTDC RTS Tabulations Matrix.xlsx) that includes the tabulation variable, tabulation description, RTS source file, along with the corresponding file names. Tabulations were prepared for the entire RTS universe, in addition to County/Independent City Jurisdiction, Subregional Area, Activity Centers and Equity Emphasis Areas. For tabulations by Subregional Area, Activity Centers, and Equity Emphasis Areas, “Elsewhere” refers to outside of the TPB Planning Region but within the RTS Universe; almost all of these records are within the TPB Modeled Area. The tabulation files contain two standard data structures: 1) Universe Tabulations; 2) Jurisdiction, Subregional Area, Activity Centers, and Equity Emphasis Area Tabulations.There are two sets of RTDC RTS Tabulations contained in the following folders: 1) ‘All Records’ which includes all records in the RTS universe; and 2) ‘NotAscertRemoved’ which removed ‘not ascertained’ records before the tabulations were generated. Users should exercise discretion in determining which set of tabulations to use when conducting their analysis.Please see the Regional Travel Survey (RTS)- 'About the RTDC RTS Tabulations' Documentation for further details about the contents of this ZIP file. For more information about the RTS, please visit the RTS webpage. Should you have further questions about these tabulations or the RTS in general, please contact Ken Joh.