Travel Behavior Inventory

About the study

What is the Travel Behavior Inventory?

The Travel Behavior Inventory is a household survey that collects demographics, daily travel activities, and typical transportation patterns of people who live in the greater Twin Cities area. This information is vital for regional and local planning agencies to understand how community growth, development, and other changes impact the transportation system. Reliable transportation and viable travel options contribute to the region's quality of life and economic vitality. The survey data and reports will help agencies propose practical transportation investments, produce competitive federal grant applications, and prioritize the improvements that best fit regional needs.

This study is sponsored by the Metropolitan Council in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

For more information about this study, please visit our frequently asked questions or contact us.

Questions? Start here.

About the Study

What is this study all about?

We want to learn how, when, where, and why people travel in and around the greater Twin Cities region. We're asking you to log your travel to help us understand regional transportation patterns. By participating you can help us plan for future transportation improvements in your community.

Why should I participate?

Your participation ensures that households like yours are represented in our regional transportation plans. Your input has a big impact because only a limited number of households are invited to participate.

How was I selected to participate?

Invited households were selected at random from the greater Twin Cities region.

Who is sponsoring this study?

This study is sponsored by the Metropolitan Council in partnership with Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

Completing the Study

How much time does it take to participate?

It takes about 10 minutes to sign up for the study. Once you sign up, we'll give you instructions for logging your travel and completing the study. Households that log their travel for seven days in the smartphone app, rMove, will spend about 5-10 minutes each day reporting their travel. Households that log their travel online or over the phone will spend about 10 minutes per household member reporting their travel for one day.

What do I get for participating?

If your household participates using the smartphone app, rMove, each participating adult will receive a gift card (e.g., a household with two adults receives two gift cards). Households that report their travel online or by calling in will receive a single gift card.

What if I don’t travel much?

Any amount of travel (even if you don’t make any trips) will help us improve regional transportation planning. Don't forget that short trips, such as walking the dog, count too.

What if my transportation habits during the study aren’t my typical habits?

That’s no problem - we still encourage you to participate. We’ll also ask about your typical travel habits, how your travel has changed over the past year, and how you think you’ll travel in the future.

I was invited to use the study smartphone app, rMove. How does it work?

After you download rMove and sign up, rMove will log your trips for one week while you go about your daily life. Each day you'll be asked to complete a short daily survey about your travel habits as well as a trip survey about each trip you make.

Study Results

How is my personal privacy protected?

We are committed to protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and security of your personal information. We take this responsibility seriously. We will not disclose or share personal information we collect from you except as required by law. Our Privacy Policy is intended to help you understand how we collect and safeguard your information. To read the study’s full privacy documentation, visit MSPtravelstudy.org.

How are the results of the study used?

The study results will help local and regional planners understand how day-to-day travel varies across the region. As technologies and the way people get around continue to change, the results of the study will help agencies propose practical transportation investments, produce competitive federal grant applications, and prioritize the improvements that best fit regional needs.

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