The TPB’s once-in-a-decade Regional Travel Survey (RTS) helps paint a detailed picture of the daily travel patterns of people who call this region home. The survey, which has been conducted approximately every ten years since 1968, collects demographic and travel information from a randomly-selected representative sample of households in the region and adjacent areas. It is the primary source of observed data used to estimate, calibrate, and validate the regional travel demand model, which is used for the travel forecasting and air quality conformity analysis of the region's long-range transportation plan. The survey data are also used to analyze travel trends and for other key program activities.
The initial results of the 2017/2018 RTS were made available in a series of presentations, TPB staff have prepared tabulations that provide insights on travel patterns in the region. The Regional Transportation Data Clearinghouse (RTDC) RTS Tabulations are an online resource for the RTS data to be used by practitioners, researchers, and other stakeholders. In addition, staff conducted in-depth analysis and developed a series of responses to thought-provoking questions offered by regional stakeholders.
Plans are currently underway for the 2026 RTS, which will be the region’s first post-pandemic survey. More information about this survey can be found here.
To request a copy of the 2017/2018 RTS data files please complete the data request form.
News & Multimedia
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News
April 2, 2013
The results of a series of in-depth travel surveys released by the Transportation Planning Board in March highlight key differences in how people live and...
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News
March 20, 2013
Survey is the second by the Transportation Planning Board to focus on transportation behavior in geographic subareas.
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News
November 13, 2012
At 7.7 miles, the average length of a one-way trip by car in the Washington region is well within the range of a typical electric vehicle on a single battery...