Route-Recording Technology for the Swiss Microcensus on Mobility and Transport 2010: An Innovative Alternative to Distance Estimations by Respondents

Route recording is a key new feature of the Swiss Microcensus on Mobility and Transport 2010 (MCMT 2010). Whereas in previous micro-censuses information on distances was based on respondents' estimates, the MCMT 2010 for the first time supplemented these estimates with effective distances determined by means of routing. Given the far greater accuracy of routed distance data compared with subjective estimates, the routed distances were applied for all motorized distance-related analyses. It was found that route recording provided reliable and valid distance measures and was one way to overcome the difficulty with participants' distance estimates. But development work is needed on the routing of non-motorized travel regarding both digital networks and the survey method. The paper concludes by drawing on the findings of this examination and formulating opportunities for improvement and enhancement.