Understanding cycling behaviours of commuters: Methodological issues Northumbria Research Conference - May 2012

Godwin Yeboah*, PhD Student, 2nd Year. Supervisors: Dr. Seraphim Alvanides* & Dr. Emine M. Thompson*

• Participants (i.e., Utility Cyclists) carried the GPS device for one

week (7 days) while filling self-administered questionnaire

forms.

• Data collection wave: October – November 2011

• Participation: 81 out of 118 cyclists

• Evaluation and procurement of GPS devices

• Preparation of survey materials and meeting

arrangements with participants

• Data cleaning and extraction of cycle tracks

Forsyth, A. & Krizek, K. (2011) 'Urban Design: Is there a Distinctive View

from the Bicycle?', Journal of Urban Design, 16 (4), pp. 531-549.

Skinner, D. & Rose, P. (2007) 'Hell is other Cyclist: rethinking transport

and identity', in Horton, D., Rosen, P. & Cox, P. (eds.) Cycling and

Society. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, pp. 83-96.

WHY CYCLING?

INTRODUCTION METHOD

SPACE-TIME VISUALISATION

SELECTED REFERENCES

CHALLENGES

• Exploratory analysis of collected data

• Analysis and visualisation of revealed movement

patterns (i.e., actual route and destination

choices) using Space-Time Cube

• Reconstruction of travel behaviour of cyclists

using agent based modelling and simulation

(ABMS) techniques – Cycle Track Modelling

(CTM)

FUTURE WORK

This poster gives an illustration of methodological

issues encountered during a recent Global

Positioning System (GPS) based personal travel

survey on everyday utility cycling is presented.

Utility cycling is defined as any (bi) cycling which is

not done primarily for fitness, recreation such as

cycle touring, or sport such as cycle racing, but

simply as a means of transport. The results of the

survey are presented. Additionally, GeoTime with

ArcGIS, OpenStreetMap (OSM), and Google

technologies are used to map and visualised a

sample of the collected data.

Cleaned DATA–Not MESSY!

STUDY AREA

RAW DATA–MESSY!

Data Cleaning

• Tested survey materials

with 7 people before

survey

• Evaluated 4 GPS

devices: i-gotU GT-600;

Atmel BTT08; Canmore

GT-750 (L); and Qstarz

BT-Q1000XT (selected)

• Over 362 email

exchanges

Many thanks to Northumbria Graduate School for financing the cost for

printing the poster. Special thanks to Northumbria University for funding

this project. To all those who participated in the survey, special thanks for

your support. Thanks to “Oculus Info, Inc” for providing GeoTime Software

under special license for this research. To my Supervisors, I am grateful!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

* AFFILIATION

Area:

in & around

Newcastle upon

Tyne

Background map: Google Maps 2012

Screening: Mainly cyclists

with home or work/school location in Newcastle area

whiles grouping invitees into cyclists and potential cyclists.

Further analysis

Stepwise flow (main survey)

Stepwise flow (during testing)

Recruitment: face-to-face

meeting with participants; introducing and handing

over GPS device with travel diary & questionnaire form

Data collection: Participant carries GPS

device and fills travel diary. Fills other forms-only on first and last days of survey week

Preparation: of materials

(Online & offline questionnaires, travel diary, flyer, brochure, poster, email

content, mailing list)

Invitation: of potential

participants using - Emails, Notice Boards, Handing over flyers/brochures, Twitter, &

Surveymonkey.com

OFF/NAV/OFF options

Battery status LED (Red/Green)

GPS status LED Power jack (mini USB type)

Charging GPS with mini USB cable to the PC/laptop/etc

GeoTime Software

Google Earth

Export

This work is, in part, a response to existing calls,

from literature, for further research to incorporate

the investigation and discovery of cyclist’s

perception and experiences (Skinner & Rose, 2007;

Forsyth & Krizek, 2011); to support urban designers

as well as cycling policy interventions and

transportation engineers and thereby increase

cycling uptake.

Background map: OpenStreetMap 2012

Qstarz GPS & Usage

HOME WORK/SCHOOL STUDY AREA

LEGEND

Overview