Annual transportation survey

The annual transportation survey is commissioned to better understand the travel behaviour and preferences of our residents.

The survey findings help us make better decisions about transportation investments in the city.

The next iteration of data collection for the 2022-2023 Transportation Survey will begin in October 2022.

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What's happening

2021 Vancouver Transportation Survey (VTS) update

The 2021 VTS, performed in fall 2021, included thoroughly reviewing the survey questionnaire and implementing changes to the research methodology (for example, increasing sample size, shifting away from phone-based recruitment to address-based sampling (ABS), and a shift from the traditional trip diary approach to a 24-hour recall approach).

The review and these changes to the approach helped identify:

  • Core survey questions for key transportation indicators that were to be retained in every survey cycle
  • Questions of lesser analytical value to be dropped
  • New demographics to capture to enable new kinds of transportation equity analysis
  • Questions of topical value to ask in the current survey cycle only

Additionally, the survey administration period was colder and rainier, with severe weather events such as the atmospheric river interrupting data collection, which may have influenced travel trends.

As a result, the publishing of data from this survey has been delayed until another dataset is collected to validate the preliminary findings.

How does it work?

In fall 2021, we invited residents to participate in the transportation survey using randomized address-based sampling mail-out letters. Previous survey participants who had indicated their interest in participating again will receive email invitations from RA Malatest & Associates.

Residents who chose to participate are registered into the survey by answering a few questions about their current travel behaviour and mobility preferences. The participant then completed a 1-day trip diary in which they recorded their travel for a single assigned day into an online form.

Key findings from the 2020 transportation survey

Walk, bike, and transit mode share
Residents with a car share membership
Annual vehicle trips decreased
VKT per capita decreased by

Read the 2020 transportation summary report (6 MB)

RA Malatest & Associates Ltd.

RA Malatest & Associates Ltd. (Malatest) is working with us to deliver the annual Transportation Survey. Malatest is a full-service research organization with extensive experience in conducting insightful transportation surveys across Canada.

Learn more about Malatest 

Transportation 2040 Plan

Our plan provides a vision for how people and goods move in and around Vancouver for the next 30 years.