Citation

Lester MS, Dare JW, Roach WT. Transp. Res. Rec. 1979; 701: 7-15.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1979, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Research directed at developing and testing analysis techniques for evaluating changes in average automobile occupancy is reported. The goal was to develop low-cost techniques that would be sensitive to variables of season, time, and commuting distance and then to test several hypotheses that relate to variations in the parameters of automobile occupancy. A list of four study tasks was drawn up, and data on automobile occupancy were collected at a number of sites in the Seattle region over a 15-month period. Statistical techniques that specifically address the issue of automobile occupancy were developed. The data were synthesized by computer and analyzed statistically to determine whether patterns existed among sites over time or distance. The results show no predictable patterns or trends in automobile occupancy by type of facility, traffic volume, level of transit service, distance to the Seattle central business district, month or season, day of week, or time of day. These results contradict initial hypotheses that patterns did exist that would make an abbreviated count program sufficient for measuring changes in automobile occupancy. Other variables that might relate to automobile occupancy are identified, and areas for further study are suggested. Guidelines are presented for other transportation engineers who may wish to conduct monitoring studies of automobile occupancy.