CONDUCTING A SUCCESSFUL ON-BOARD SURVEY OF PUBLIC TRANSIT CUSTOMERS

Customer surveys can play an important role in the evaluation of current and planned public transit services. This paper presents a best-practices manual for conducting an on-board survey of public transit customers. The manual describes the various steps of the on-board transit customer surveying process, including: specifying and defining objectives; collecting data; constructing questionnaires; determining sample size; deciding on the appropriate level of analysis; accurately reporting results; data entry; writing reports; and archiving data. This how-to manual can help public transit planners better understand the surveying process and its importance in providing the highest quality service.