FHWA Resource Center
PLANNING TEAM
Planning Data
Data for transportation planning is broad and vast area as well as the resources behind it. Are you looking for supply data in the terms of the number of traffic signals or for something from the demand side like the vehicle miles traveled for the neighborhood you live in? If you are, odds are that the RC can help you find your way to what you want. The RC Planning Team encourages you to contact them with your particular data question. For additional information on this subject, contact Ed Christopher ed.christopher@fhwa.dot.gov.
Some Useful Planning Data Links
Census Transportation Planning Products
http://www.dot.gov/ctpp/
Census Transportation Planning Products
http://trbcensus.com/
National Household Travel Survey
http://nhts.ornl.gov/
Longitudinal Employment Household Dynamics Data
http://lehd.did.census.gov/led/
Energy Data Fact Book
http://cta.ornl.gov/data/download26.shtml
VMT, Network and Other Supply Data
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/ohpi/qftravel.htm
FHWA HEPGIS Executive Data System
http://hepgis.fhwa.dot.gov/hepgis_v2/GeneralInfo/Map.aspx
Travel Model Improvement System
http://tmip.fhwa.dot.gov/
Compendium of Data Collection Practices and Sources
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=6341
Freight Data
Freight transportation contributes to economic growth, affects state and local transportation networks, adds to highway congestion, and poses safety concerns and environmental challenges. Thus, state and local transportation planners and decisionmakers need timely and reliable freight data to analyze the relationship between freight demand and economic activities, identify and locate needed infrastructure and operational improvements, and meet the needs of their communities.
Freight data are available from many public and private sources and vary by collection method, timeframe, format, and quality. Although no one source can provide a comprehensive picture of freight transportation, the following list of major sources of publicly available freight data can provide valuable insights on volume and value of freight movements, freight infrastructure, freight vehicles, and the economy.
The following list contains those freight data sources that reveal useful information on the volume (and value) of transported goods commonly used for freight planning and forecasting applications. Please contact Eric Pihl (eric.pihl@fhwa.dot.gov) if you have any questions.
Some Useful Freight Data Links
Freight Analysis Framework (FAF)
http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/faf
Commodity Flow Survey (CFS)
http://www.census.gov/econ/www/cfsnew.html
Transborder Surface Freight Data
http://www.bts.gov/transborder
U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico Border Crossings
http://www.bts.gov/programs/international/border_crossing_entry_data
Carload Rail Waybill Sample
http://www.stb.dot.gov
Waterborne Commerce
http://www.iwr.usace.army.mil/ndc
Oil Pipeline
http://www.eia.doe.gov/neic/a-z/petroleuma-z.htm#p
Air Traffic Statistics
http://www.bts.gov/programs/airline_information