Abstract:
There is no universal best source of data for transportation planning. In many instances, commercial data are less expensive, more current, and more quickly available than government data. Furthermore, commercial data sources are unaffected by government paperwork-reduction programs that are affecting many data-collection projects. Although there are still problems in using commercial data sources, they are of the same relative magnitude as those of public sources. Commercial data have been used with some success in compiling household, employment, and trip information. In particular, R.L. Polk and Dun and Bradstreet data have already seen considerable use in urban transportation planning. As commercial data sources become more competitive, transportation planners in small and medium-sized communities would be well advised to consider this information in deciding on the means of creating and maintaining data files. (Author)
Supplemental Notes:
This paper appeared in TRB Special Report 187, Transportation Planning for Small and Medium-Sized Communities, Proceedings of a Workshop sponsored by UMTA and FHWA, conducted by TRB, Sarasota, Florida, 3-6 December 1978. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
