Understanding how people move and how they would like to move
Big Data allows for the analysis of current patterns with much greater precision, and transport models allow for projections and scenario analysis based on certain hypotheses. However, neither of these tools can explain on its own why a person chooses a car when public transport would be just as fast, or what conditions would make them stop using it. To answer these questions and support the hypotheses of the models, it is necessary to ask people directly.
Mobility surveys are a fundamental tool for understanding the real travel behaviors of the population, identifying the barriers that limit the use of sustainable modes, and measuring the sensitivity of citizens or specific groups to different future alternatives and proposals. They are the empirical basis upon which sustainable mobility plans are built and the guarantee that planning decisions respond to real needs and not to assumptions.
How we work on mobility surveys
From VAIC Mobility, mobility consultancy, we design, conduct, and process mobility surveys tailored to the objectives of each project, combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies and in-person, telephone, and digital formats according to the profile of the target population and territorial coverage needs.
The survey design is the critical phase: a poorly structured questionnaire generates data that does not answer key questions, cannot be compared between segments, or induces biased responses. Experience in mobility planning is essential here: designing a satisfaction survey is not the same as designing a demand elasticity survey or an origin-destination survey to calibrate a transport model.
Do you need to design a mobility survey for your municipality, company, or transport project?
We help you obtain the data you need to make planning decisions based on the real behavior and preferences of citizens.
Survey types
Origin-destination and daily mobility surveys
They characterize the travel patterns of the population: how many trips are made, between which zones, by which mode, at what time, and for what reason. They are the basis for transport demand studies and the calibration processes of territorial transport models. They can target the general population or specific groups such as residents of a neighborhood, users of a facility, or workers in an economic activity zone.
Satisfaction and perceived quality surveys
They measure users’ perception of the quality of public transport services, cycling infrastructure, or walking conditions. They identify the service attributes that most influence user satisfaction and loyalty, and provide actionable information to improve the experience and increase demand. Gender perspective is especially relevant in this type of survey: perceptions of safety, comfort, and accessibility often show significant differences between men and women that objective data do not capture.
Stated preference surveys
They allow us to measure citizens’ sensitivity to changes in transport supply or travel conditions: how public transport use would vary if frequency increased, what ticket price would maximize revenue without excessively penalizing demand, or which cycling infrastructure improvements would increase bicycle use among regular non-cyclists. These surveys are fundamental for public transport studies and for evaluating the impact of new active mobility policies.
Surveys targeting specific groups
Some projects require understanding the mobility patterns and needs of specific groups: the elderly, students, employees of a large employment center, users of a healthcare facility, or residents of a neighborhood with accessibility deficits. We design specific surveys for these groups, adapting the format, channel, and language to maximize response rates and the quality of the data obtained.
Surveys within the framework of corporate mobility plans
Companies and organizations required to draft a Company Mobility Plan need to understand their employees’ travel patterns and their willingness to change modes of transport. We design and manage workplace mobility surveys, including questionnaire design, digital distribution, response tracking, and results processing.
Formats and Channels
- Digital Surveys: Online questionnaires distributed via email, social networks, or integrated into municipal portals. They allow for large sample coverage at low cost and facilitate automated response processing. Ideal for populations with good digital connectivity and for surveys within company mobility plans.
- In-Person Surveys: Face-to-face interviews at high-traffic locations such as public transport stops, entrances to facilities, markets, shopping centers, or in specific areas of the territory. They allow reaching population segments with lower digital connectivity and obtaining richer, more contextualized responses.
- Telephone Surveys: Suitable for representative samples of the general population, especially when wide territorial coverage is required or when the target demographic profile has low digital penetration.