TRAC has conducted extensive research on the use and awareness of sustainable transportation options in Arlington County. Surveys and studies conducted by the TRAC Research Program since 2000 are listed below.
(Please note that links on this page will be updated periodically as the TRAC Research Program transitions and merges with Mobility Lab.)
TRAC Making an Impact Report
These reports highlight TRAC’ significant accomplishments and impacts in each fiscal year, as measured by the surveys and other data collected for this purpose. The research demonstrates the value of these cost-effective services to individual users and the collective value of the travel changes made by these users to achieve County-wide transportation and environmental objectives.
2010 Arlington County Household Survey
In 2008, MWCOG’s regional household travel survey collected data on trip patterns (modes, time, purpose, location, etc.) of 11,500 households in the Washington metropolitan region. Arlington County paid for additional Arlington survey data, especially in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, Jefferson Davis corridor, Columbia Pike, and Shirlington. The Arlington data set includes 1,053 Arlington households and about 2,300 Arlington residents. This report analyzes the data for Arlington residents, as well as residents of other jurisdictions who travel to Arlington, to identify who travels, where, when, and why they travel, and what modes they use. Travel patterns are analyzed for the County as a whole and for the four key planning areas of Arlington County.
2009 Arlington County Resident Transportation and Green Studies
As outlined in the 2006-2008 Transportation Resources for Arlington County (TRAC) Program Research and Evaluation Plan, the 2009 Resident Study is an update to the baseline study conducted in 2006. The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze information to assess the performance of TRAC and to enhance TRAC’ effectiveness in providing travel assistance services in Arlington County. The purpose of the Green Study is to examine the current impact and future promise of “being green” on building greater support and use of alternatives to Drive Alone travel.
2009 ATP Employee Commute Survey
This study was conducted to make direct contact with the employees in Arlington County. The purpose of this study was to: (a) assess current commuting patterns and benefits offered/used by employees in each urban village (b) directly market Arlington’s travel options and benefits to commuters who could then champion change from within the organization (c) create awareness of free ATP services.
2009 Commuter Stores Study (Wave 2)
The purpose of the study is to: understand how TRAC’ Commuter Store™ concept is currently performing; identify ways to improve the product and service delivery; measure the overall impact of TRAC’ investment in the Commuter Store; and benchmark against the 2007 Commuter Store Study.
2009 Arlington Transportation Partners (ATP) Solutions Newsletter Assessment Study
As outlined in the TRAC Program Research and Evaluation Plan, the purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of, and solicit ideas for potential improvements to Arlington Transportation Partners’ (ATP) newsletter – Solutions – that is distributed four times a year.
2009 TRAC CommuterPage Study – Wave 2
The purpose of this study to understand how TRAC’ CommuterPage.com is currently performing, to identify ways to improve the site, to measure the overall impact of TRAC’ investment in CommuterPage.com, and to build on and compare to the 2007 CommuterPage.com Study.
2008 Transportation Resources for Arlington County CommuterDirect Corporate Study
As outlined in the 2006-2008 TRAC Program Research and Evaluation Plan, the purpose of the study are to assess the performance and impact of CommuterDirect.com, to help refine and improve the overall CommuterDirect.com program, and to establish benchmarks from which future performance gains can be made.
2008 STAR User Satisfaction Survey
STAR is an acronym for Specialized Transit for Arlington Residents. The service provides transportation for Arlington residents who have difficulty using public transit due to the effects of age or disability. Basic STAR services are intended to provide a comparable level of transportation as provided by ART, Metrobus, and Metrorail. All rides are arranged in advance through the STAR Call Center. This survey was intended to assess the current performance of the STAR program.
2008 Transportation Resources for Arlington County Commercial Building Study
This study explored the relative roles of site features, public transit, parking, and other transportation services on commercial location decisions in Arlington County and on the choices employees make in how they travel to work. This study was designed to assess the value of TRAC’ services to employers and employees and to define the role of TRAC’ services relative to site location and transportation infrastructure factors that also might influence employees’ travel choices
2008 TRAC BikeArlington and WALKArlington Studies
These studies seek to: understand how the BikeArlington and WALKArlington programs are currently performing; identify ways to improve the products and service delivery; measure the overall impact of TRAC’ investment in BikeArlington and WALKArlington; and establish benchmarks to assess future performance gains.
2008 Arlington Transit (ART) Rider Study
As outlined in the 2006-2008 TRAC Program Research and Evaluation Plan, the purpose of the study is to: understand who is using ART and how they are using it; understand how ART is currently performing; identify ways to improve the product and service delivery; and establish benchmarks to assess future performance gains.
2007 Arlington County Residents’ Satisfaction with Transportation Internet Study
As outlined in the 2006-2008 Transportation Resources for Arlington County (TRAC) Program Research and Evaluation Plan, the purpose of this study was to target those residents who use modes of travel that are less popular (bicycle, walk, transit) and were more difficult to come by in the 2006 Arlington Resident Satisfaction Telephone Study. The primary objective of this study was to explore differences between groups of residents who used various modes of transportation in their needs, characteristics, perspectives, and experiences.
2007 Arlington Transportation Partners (ATP) Client Study
The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze information needed to assess the performance and impact of Arlington Transportation Partners (ATP) and their programs, and to establish benchmarks from which performance gains can be made.
2007 Transportation Resources for Arlington County (TRAC) Commuter Store Study
The purpose of this study is to understand how TRAC’ Commuter Store™ concept is currently performing, to identify ways to improve the product and service delivery, to measure the overall impact of TRAC’ investment in the Commuter Store, and to establish benchmarks from which performance gains can be made.
2007 Transportation Resources for Arlington County (TRAC) CommuterPage.com Study
The purpose of this study is to understand how TRAC’ CommuterPage.com is currently performing, to identify ways to improve the site, to measure the overall impact of TRAC’ investment in CommuterPage.com, and to establish benchmarks from which performance gains can be made.
2007 Arlington County Business Leaders Study
The purpose of this study is to assess the importance and impact of the transportation system and transportation support services in making Arlington County an attractive business location, to identify opportunities for enhancing impact of transportation support services, and to establish benchmarks against which performance gains can be measured.
2007 TRAC CommuterDirect – Individual Users Study
As outlined in the 2006-2008 TRAC Program Research and Evaluation Plan, the purpose of this study are to collect and analyze information needed to assess the performance and impact of CommuterDirect.com, and to establish benchmarks from which performance gains can be made.
2007 State of the Commute – Arlington Study
This study analyzed data collected in two commuter surveys: one undertaken by the Commuter Connections program of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) for the metropolitan Washington, D.C. region, including five Northern Virginia jurisdictions; and the other by the Department of Rail and Public Transportation of the Commonwealth of Virginia for the rest of Virginia. Commuter Connections also conducted this survey for the metropolitan Washington region in 2001 and in 2004. This report analyzes Arlington-related information collected through the MWCOG 2007 State of the Commute Study, specifically: profiling 2007 commute patterns for Arlington; assessing awareness of local Transportation Demand Management (TDM) services; assessing support for non-drive alone mode use and overall support for TDM activities; and highlighting Arlington’s mode and TDM performance in relation to other Virginia regions and other areas of the Washington metropolitan region; This report offers broad-based strategic recommendations on what will encourage Arlington residents and employees to reduce commuting by single-occupant vehicle (SOV).
2006-2008 Transportation Resources for Arlington County (TRAC) Research and Evaluation Plan
This plan outlines a research and evaluation process to collect and analyze data to assess the performance of Transportation Resources for Arlington County (TRAC) and to enhance TRAC’ effectiveness in providing travel assistance services in Arlington County. The plan establishes a series of performance indicators related to objectives and expectations established for TRAC, defines data needed to assess progress in the indicators, recommends data collection and analysis tools, presents a schedule for implementation of the research and evaluation activities, and suggests protocols to report results periodically.
2006 Arlington County Residents’ Satisfaction with Transportation Telephone Study
As outlined in the 2006-2008 Transportation Resources for Arlington County (TRAC) Program Research and Evaluation Plan, the purpose of this study was to collect and analyze information needed to assess the performance of TRAC in order to enhance TRAC’ effectiveness in providing travel assistance services in Arlington County.
2006 Arlington County Teen Transit Initiative Study
The purpose of this study was to provide a marketing information foundation for the Arlington County Teen Transit Initiative, a teen-led task force charged with planning additional transit-oriented services for Arlington County teens.
2006 Arlington County Carshare Program Study
This research study was the follow-up tracking wave to the initial Pilot Carshare Study conducted in April 2005. Since then, the Arlington County Carshare Program has become a permanent transportation service. This study measured Carshare Members’ feelings and opinions of the program. The results helped assess the overall effectiveness of the Carshare program.
2006 Impact of Promoting Arlington to Tysons Corner Transit Services Study
In hopes of further alleviating some of the traffic congestion on I-66, a modest marketing fund was put together to promote four transit routes (Metrobus 23A and 24T, Fairfax Connector 425 and 427) connecting Arlington and Tysons Corner. Funding was directed towards a brief promotional campaign that employed both paid and PSA advertising – bus sides and bus tails – and a direct mail promotional offer (coupon for 6 free rides and a chance to win an iPod via a sweepstakes drawing). This offer was mailed to homes along the targeted transit routes. The PATC (Promoting Arlington to Tysons Corner) campaign ran for 30-days during July 2006. The goal of this research study is to assess the impact of this PATC marketing/promotional effort and, in so doing, gain additional insight into who currently uses these four transit services and how these services could be improved to attract more riders.
2005 Transportation Resources for Arlington County (TRAC) Fiscal Year Annual Report
This report outlines TRAC’s FY2005 programs and accomplishments. Details are provided on programs designed to increase awareness and use of alternative forms of transportation in Arlington County through its various divisions: Marketing, Sales, Distribution, Retail, Internet, and Transit Demand Management (TDM) Planning/Administration. The Sales Division employs Arlington Transportation Partners (ATP), which is responsible for employer, residential, and visitor services.
2005 Arlington County Public Perceptions of Transit Study
This project was a component of a semi-annual psychographic and behavioral study of Washington area residents. The purpose of this study was to determine Washington area residents’ behaviors and attitudes toward transportation, in particular toward the private car, Metrobus, and Metrorail.
2005 Arlington Transportation Partners’ (ATP) Fiscal Year Annual Report
This document outlines Arlington Transportation Partners’ (ATP) FY 2005 programs and related accomplishments. ATP provides transportation benefit implementation services to businesses, residential communities, and hotels in Arlington County. Sales representatives from ATP contact and work closely with clients representing private and public sector employers, property managers, civic associations, and hoteliers to implement services benefiting employees, residents, and visitors to the County.
2005 Demographics and Development for Commuter Service Managers Guide
The purpose of this guide is to: compile demographic information to help guide commuter services managers in planning and delivering services; summarize demographics of Arlington County residents and commuters based on U.S. Census Bureau and Arlington Planning Division data; understand residential and commercial development characteristics and trends in Arlington County; and forecast future populations, employment numbers, and commuter work sites.
2005 Development Related Ridership Study
This report is an update to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) sixteen-year old development related ridership study – a study of the travel behavior of persons going to and from office, residential, hotel, and retail sites near Metrorail stations. This effort seeks to determine if modal splits for land uses have changed over time and whether certain physical site characteristics still influence transit ridership.
2005 Arlington Pilot Carshare Program First-Year Report
In March 2004, the Transportation Resources for Arlington County (TRAC) unit of the Department of Environmental Services partnered with the two carshare companies —Flexcar and Zipcar—to provide expanded carshare services and promotions called the Arlington Pilot Carshare Program. This report documents the success of the program, and makes the case for replicating the program in other Arlington urban villages to make it a permanent part of the transportation landscape in Arlington.
2004 Arlington County Public Perceptions of Transit Study
This project was a component of a semi-annual psychographic and behavioral study of Washington area residents. The purpose of this study was to determine Washington area residents’ behaviors and attitudes toward transportation, in particular toward the private car, Metrobus, and Metrorail.
2004 MetroDC State of the Commute Study – Arlington
This study analyzed data collected in two regional commuter surveys undertaken in the Washington DC metropolitan region by Commuter Connections. The first survey was conducted in 2001 and the second in 2004. The study analyzed data for respondents who lived in Arlington County and those who worked in Arlington County and compared these results to results for all regional respondents.
2003 Arlington County Pike Ride Transit Service Study
The purpose of this study was to assess the initial launch of Arlington County’s new “Pike Ride” transit service and to identify ways to improve the service. The new service began in September 2003 and is provided by Metrobus.
2003 Arlington County SOV Driving Trip Reduction Study
The purpose of this study was to identify ways to reduce the number of Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) driving trips.
2001 Arlington Transportation Partners (ATP) Solutions Newsletter Assessment Study
The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of, and solicit ideas for potential improvements to Arlington Transportation Partners’ (ATP) package of promotional materials targeted to employers in Arlington County. This package primarily consists of ATP’s Solutions newsletter that is mailed out three times a year.
2000-2002 Arlington County Commuter Assistance Program Research Plan
The purpose of this plan is to outline how Arlington County can best meet the opportunities and challenges ahead as the County continues to experience economic growth and the increasing demands of regional mobilization. This plan recommends a basic market research program to monitor the overall attitudes of existing and trial riders and track the retention of trial riders. The Metro rider and non-rider research base also is to be utilized. This plan also recommends a major new segmentation study of Arlington residents and non-residents. The study would provide usable data about a variety of market segments by neighborhood and corridor.