The methodology described here was used to conduct a survey of persons with disabilities living in the area served by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). The survey was designed to learn about the travel behavior, attitudes toward modes, effect of disabilities on travel, and demographics of this population. The effectiveness of the survey is measured by the level of response from those receiving the survey. The substantive results of the survey are reported elsewhere. The survey was conducted just before the beginning of service, andintended to serve as a baseline for comparison of future survey results. It consisted of three parts. A telephone screening survey was used to obtain a random sample of persons with disabilities as well as to ascertain the incidence of disabilities in the total population. This survey revealed that 4.2 percent of the population of the CTA service area age 12 or over "have some difficulty in traveling". These respondents, plus a sample drawn from a list of registrants forthe CTA's paratransit service, were mailed a 7-day travel diary, followed by telephone administration of a questionnaire covering travel behavior, preferences, attitudes, and demographic information. In spite of the length of the diary and the relatively long telephone survey, the overall response rate was 52.3 percent, aided by a $5 financial incentive, extensive telephone follow-up, and the credibilityof the sponsoring organizations. (A)
Abstract