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

Additional survey information
Is the survey mandatory?

Participation in the survey is voluntary. Only a limited number of households are invited to join the study and the few minutes you take to participate will have a big impact.

What questions are asked?

Survey participants are asked about their household, demographics, transportation-related attributes, as well as specific trip-level information.

What will be done with the data collected from this survey?

The information gathered by the survey will help us better understand residents’ current travel patterns, transportation choices, and trip purposes. Your survey data will remain confidential and will only be analyzed when combined with the information of other participants.

Your input will help to:
- Track the travel mode share and number of trips for the nine transportation zones within Vancouver
- Assess the average annual vehicle-kilometres travelled (VKT) by residents
- Determine factors that have contributed to changes in travel behaviour and travel patterns
Who will be surveyed?

Eligible survey participants are residents who are
- 18 years of age or older
- Living at addresses that have been randomly selected
Residents are those who have a home address within Vancouver.

How long will the survey take?

The survey takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes to complete online, depending on your situation and your answers.

Should I participate even if I don't often leave the house?

Yes, residents who do not travel often are just as important as those who do. Your survey answers will help build a snapshot of the travel patterns of the population as a whole, including people who did not travel on the day for which travel information is being provided. Your participation will ensure that the survey reflects the make-up of the general population.

Can the survey be completed over the phone?

Yes. Survey completion instructions are provided within your letter of invitation.

Can the survey be completed online?

Yes. Survey completion instructions are provided within your letter of invitation.

How is my privacy protected?

Your privacy is important to us. The 2021 City of Vancouver Transportation Survey information is protected under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. When reporting survey results, survey data is combined with other responses in the area and cannot be traced back to an individual or household.

One of the goals of this annual survey is to understand and track changes in Vancouver residents' travel patterns over time. Participants who consent to being re-contacted will be invited to complete a short follow-up survey next year. If you consent to be contacted in next year’s follow-up survey, your contact information and linked survey responses will be retained by us until the next survey. Your survey responses will be stored securely and your contact information will only be used to contact you for the follow-up survey.

Transportation 2040 Plan

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