Recommendations to harmonize travel behaviour analysis

Among several other efforts to identify data needs and to harmonize travel surveys in Europe, this report aims to define recommendations to collect and report travel data with the identification of main data needs and gaps, and with the analysis of alternative sources of information and new data collection techniques. Based on the findings of the previous tasks and a stakeholder workshop in OPTIMISM project, and after a brief review of past studies in the same direction, this report starts from a list of variables which are needed for policy making but are unavailable/insufficient in the context of existing data collection methodologies especially with respect to NTS. The report then, explores alternative sources of information, potential use of modern data collection techniques (mainly ICT applications such as GPS and smart phone technologies) and options to merge them with NTS data. Finally, it discusses recommendations for a Europe-wide travel survey considering the current data needs for policy making in transportation.