Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
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National Household Travel Survey

The National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) is a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) effort sponsored by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to collect data on both long-distance and local travel by the American public. The joint survey gathers trip-related data such as mode of transportation, duration, distance and purpose of trip. It also gathers demographic, geographic, and economic data for analysis purposes. Policy makers, state DOTs, metropolitan planning organizations, industry professionals, and academic researchers use the data to gauge the extent and patterns of travel, to plan new investments, and to better understand the implications for the nation’s transportation infrastructure. BTS legislation specifically targets data on the volumes and patterns of passenger transportation.

The 2001-2002 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) updates information gathered by two series of travel surveys—the Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (NPTS) conducted in 1969, 1977, 1983, 1990, and 1995 and the American Travel Survey (ATS) conducted in 1977 and 1995.

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