Conference noted::bicycle

3094.0. "Bicycle Commuter Survey" by COOKIE::MUNNS (dave) Tue May 28 1996 17:40

NOTE: WE WILL STOP ACCEPTING RESPONSES AFTER MAY 30, 1996.

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              SURVEY OF REGULAR BICYCLE COMMUTERS.
                          1995-6

This survey seeks data on bicycle commuting (to either work or
school / college), and is being carried out by the Human Powered
Transportation Program at the University of Washington.

Our goal is to reach as many bike commuters as possible across 
the U.S.A. and Canada.  For the purposes of this survey, a 
'regular' bike commuter uses a bicycle at least 1 day per week, 6 
months a year.  If you do not bike commute at least this much, 
please pass on this survey to someone who does.

All identifying information will be removed upon receipt and the
results will be tabulated so that individual replies will not be
identifiable and only summaries of the responses received will be
reported.  Answers should be based on the all bicycle commuting
you did during the PREVIOUS 12 month period, unless otherwise stated.

Complete answers by replacing the asterisk with your answer.
Where a series of choices is given, replace the asterisk with the
number assigned to your particular choice.

Please share this with other regular bike commuters you know, we
are looking for the widest possible distribution.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.

ABOUT YOUR COMMUTING.
Unless otherwise stated, trip refers to your typical, one-way 
commute trip.  A round trip (e.g. home-work-home) should be 
treated as two one-way trips.

*  1. How long have you been regularly commuting by bicycle (yrs)?

*  2. How many commute trips (each way) do you make per week? [Going
      to work and returning home once per day, 5 days/week would = 10.]

*  3. Over the course of a year, what is your USUAL (>50%)
     commute mode?
      own car=1,  vanpool / carpool=2,  transit=3,  motorbike=4,  
      bike=5, walk=6,  other=7

   4. What is your commute distance and time for your USUAL mode?
*    a. miles (typical one-way trip).
*    b. minutes (typical one-way trip).

   5. What is your commute distance and time by bike ONLY?
*    a. miles (typical one-way trip).
*    b. minutes (typical one-way trip).

*  6. Total miles of bike commuting in the past 12 months.

*  7. How did you commute before you started using your bicycle?
        motor vehicle=1,  car/vanpool =2,  transit=3,
        motorbike=4,  walk=5, always bike commuted=6,  other=7

*  8. If 100% of your commute trips are NOT by bike, what is the 
      PRIMARY reason for not bike commuting on these occasions ?
        need car at work=1,  roads too dangerous=2 
        personal safety=3,  lack of facilities at work=4,
        weather conditions=5,  darkness=6,
        family reasons (i.e. drop off/pick up children)=7,
        other (please specify)=8

*  9. How many months in a year do you NOT commute by bicycle
        because of your regional climate (bad weather)?

ABOUT THE FACILITIES YOU USE.

   10. What percentage of your BICYCLE commute trip is made on...
*%      a. major or arterial roads (w/no specific bike facilities) ?
*%      b. minor streets (w/ no specific bike facilities) ?
*%      c. on-street facilities (bike lanes)?
*%      d. signed bike route (only signs - no bike lanes)?
*%      e. bike paths / trails (off street bike facilities) ?
*%      f. other?

   11. Are any of the following facilities provided at your
        destination for bicycle commuters? ( No=0, Yes=1 )
*       a. Parking lockers
*       b. Racks
*       c. Locked room / cage
*       d. Showers
*       e. Clothes storage
*       f. Others (please specify)

   12. What facilities not provided at your destination would you
        most like to see (& why) ?
*

ABOUT YOUR BIKE.

*  13. What type of bicycle do you use MOST for commuting?
        road / racing=1,  mountain=2,  hybrid=3,  touring=4
        recumbent=5,  other (please specify)=6

*  14. Do you have a second commuting bike for bad weather
        conditions, alternative destination, etc. ?
    Answer No=0, or use key above from Q. 13.

*  15. a. Estimate your total MILES ridden (all purposes), in the 
        past 12 months.
    Indicate what percentage of these MILES were: 
*%     b. commuting trips
*%     c. utility / non-commute trips (i.e. shopping)
*%     d. recreation / touring / exercise
*      e. Are responses on odometer data? ( No=0,  Yes=1 )

The following questions are concerned only with the bicycle you
MOST REGULARLY use for commuting...

$* 16. How much did it cost?

   17. Do you regularly carry / use any of the following on your
        commute?  ( No=0, Yes =1 )
*       a. mirror
*       b. odometer/"computer/speedometer
*       c. bags / panniers
*       d. pump and patch kit
*       e. spare tube and/or tire
*       f. comprehensive tool kit
*       g. front light(s) - NOT a flasher
*       h. approximate total watts for front light(s)
*       i. front flasher(s)
*       j. rear light(s) - NOT a flasher
*       k. rear flasher(s)
*       l. reflectors and / or reflective tape
*       m. bell / horn

*  18. Do you own a cycling helmet? ( No=0, Yes=1 )

*% 19. Percentage of commute trips do you use your helmet?

   20. Amounts spent (total dollars) in the last 12 months on...

     NOTE: When considering yearly costs, assign each cost item 
     to one category only, e.g. do not assign home repair costs 
     to 'consumables' & 'repairs'.

$*   a. bicycle purchase
$*   b. accessories at the time of bike purchase except clothes
$*   c. upgrades after bike purchase (e.g. better wheels, pedals)
$*   d. consumables (e.g. chains, brakes pads, tires etc.)
$*   e. clothing
$*   f. bike shop repairs/service
$*   g. tools / supplies for HOME repairs and service
$*   h. bike parking
$*   i. any other costs not included above (specify below)

*% 21. What percentage of repairs do you do yourself (as opposed
       to taking your bike to a bike shop)?


ABOUT YOUR MOTIVATION.

   22. Does your employer/school encourage bike commuting by:
        ( No=0, Yes=1)
*       a. Loaner bikes / free bikes
*       b. Cash incentives
*       c. Prizes / award ceremonies
*       d. Guaranteed ride home
*       e. Ride companion scheme
*       f. Education program
*       g. New facilities
*       h. Other (please specify)

   23. Did any of the following play a part in your decision to
       bike commute? ( No=0, Yes=1 )
*       a. Motor vehicle parking costs / availability
*       b. Motor vehicle fuel costs
*       c. Congestion
*       d. Improved public bicycle facilities
*       e. Moved closer to work
*       f. Environmental concerns
*       g. Health/fitness

ABOUT SAFETY / ACCIDENTS.
        
   24. Regarding SERIOUS accidents that you have been involved in 
     while commuting by bicycle in the last 12 months (count only 
     those incidents in which injuries or property damage in 
     excess of $50 resulted):

*       a. How many have you been involved in?
$*      b. Estimate TOTAL property damage for these accidents.
$*      c. Estimate TOTAL medical costs for these accidents.

   25. How many of the accidents from Q. 24..
*       a. were reported to the police?
*       b. resulted in legal action?

   26. How many of the accidents from Q. 24...
*       a. involved a motor vehicle?
*       b. involved other cyclists?
*       c. involved pedestrians?
*       d. involved animals?
*       e. involved no-one else?

   27. How many of the accidents from Q. 24...
*       a. required you to visit a doctor &/or accident room?
*       b. required a stay in hospital?

   28. How many of the accidents from Q. 24...
*       a. occurred on a major street / highway?
*       b. occurred on a minor street?
*       c. occurred on a bike lane / bike route?
*       d. occurred on a bike path?
*       e. occurred on another type of facility?


ABOUT YOUR HEALTH.

*  29. Your general health since you started bicycle commuting?
        improved greatly=1, improved somewhat=2,
        not improved at all=3, has deteriorated=4


ABOUT YOU AND YOUR HOUSEHOLD.

*  30. Age?

*  31. Gender?  (Female=1, Male=2)

*  32. Total Household Income per year.  Less than $15K=1,
       $15-$30K=2, $30K-$45K=3,  $45-60K=4,  More than $60K=5

*  33. Occupation.  Student=1,  Clerical=2,  Professional=3,
        Administrative=4, Academic/Teacher=5,  Managerial=6,
        General/Skilled Labor=7, Sales=8,  Other=9

*  34. a. How many motor vehicles do you own ?
*      b. If ZERO, is this by choice ? ( No=0, Yes=1 )

*  35. City.
*  36. Zip / Postal Code.



Other comments.

*  

Thank You!

Please complete and return this survey...

via post to...      Professor William E. Moritz
                    Human Powered Transportation,
                    College of Engineering,
                    University of Washington,
                    Box 352500
                    Seattle, WA 98195 - 2500.
                    USA

via e-mail to...    [email protected]

via fax to...       206 - 543 - 3842

Here is what I received after returning the survey:
    
Thanks for returning the bike commuting survey.  Many people ask
when and how the results will be made available.  Since this is a
non-supported research project we do not have legions of grad
students feverishly entering and analyzing your responses.  With
the recent surge in interest following the Bicycling magazine
announcement we have been swamped with both electronic and regular
mail inquiries/responses (several hundred every couple of days).

Over 1500 responses have been entered in the data base but several
hundred remain.  Once data entry is completed it will take some time
to complete all of the analysis we'd like to do.  I had hoped to have 
something ready by Bike-To-Work Day this year but that is no longer
possible.  Look for announcements in major bicycling mags toward the
end of summer.

It will not be possible to send copies of the final report to everyone
due to lack of funding.  We are in the process of mounting a Web page
which at the least will have some of the summary results and information
about how to order a copy of the complete results.  Don't search for it
yet because it is still being laid out.

Bill Moritz
Human Powered Transportation

College of Engineering
University of Washington
Box 352500
Seattle, WA 98195-2500
email: [email protected]
(206) 543-6049
FAX: (206) 543-3842