This handbook focuses on the status of market research as practised in transit agencies and identifies major market issues confronting them. The handbook also evaluates market research strategies appropriate for transit and provides guidance to integrate and institutionalise market research into decision-making processes of transit agencies. Finally, it examines some institutional barriers that limit the use of market research. The handbook is intended to expose transit managers and staff to current market research practices and cutting-edge ideas in market research. Transit managers and marketing professionals are continually looking for effective ways to recruit new riders, retain existing riders, and build constituencies. It appears, however, that some of the "old rules" concerning what factors most influence transit use may not be applicable in today's environment. Market research strategies, tools, and methods can help transit professionals learn more about the markets they serve and identify new markets and market niches in today's changed environment. Under TCRP Project B-2, Integrating Market Research Into Transit Management, research was undertaken by Northwest Research Group, Inc., to examine current market and organisational theory as it applies to the integration of market research into decision-making, to document current practices, and to provide examples of the successful use of market research in the transit industry. To achieve the project objectives, the researchers first defined the state of practice of market research as applied in transit agencies and the level of integration into transit management. Next, the researchers, via survey, identified the market issues now confronting transit agencies and the information required for effective decision-making that can be generated by market research. The results of the survey were analysed and, on the basis of those results, in-depth case studies of a range of transit agencies were performed. Further, market research design strategies and processes were described and refined. The executive summary to this report, "Directions: A Simple Guidebook for Integrating Market and Customer Research into Transit Decision-Making to Become Customer Oriented," summarises the analyses and case studies performed during the course of the project. It is available as "TCRP Web Document 3" on the Internet at www2.nas.edu/trbcrp. (A)
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