August 17, 2011

Bureau of Transportation Statistics / Office of Survey Programs

National Census of Ferry Operators Database Update

August 17, 2011

2U.S. Department of TransportationResearch and Innovative Technology Administration

Presentation Outline

2010 NCFO questionnaire updates

2010 NCFO data collection efforts

Current NCFO website (TranStats)

New NCFO website (Oracle)

Status summary


2010 NCFO questionnaire Development Reviewed the old form and corresponding data

□ Reformatted paper questionnaire□ Modified question wording (stems and responses)□ Deleted some questions and added new questions

Conducted cognitive interviews□ 5 interviews among 4 different operators□ Made more changes based on results□ Summary report will be available

Created a web version based on finalized paper questionnaire□ Discrete user IDs□ Pre-populated with 2008 data (static information)□ Allowed operators to modify/add/delete information as needed.


Highlights of Questionnaire Changes Adjusted 2-sided printing to flip the page along the short edge (i.e., book style)

Removed footnotes and simplified text for operations to be included in the census.

Moved background info to bottom of the page and reduced the font.

Separated geographic scope info from operation to be included and moved it to the top of the page.

Simplified the header text on each section to make it more clear where to find pertinent details.

Moved “important changes” text box to beginning of questionnaire.

Removed extraneous text from “important changes” text box.


Highlights of Questionnaire Changes Split item 3 into two questions (publicly/privately owned/operated)

Added more specific language to the question stems.

Removed CEUs from vehicle capacity.

Removed Maximum Operating Speed.

Reworked the peak period questions by breaking them down into component parts.□ Added items for total yearly passenger and vehicle boardings.□ Added an item to allow operators to easily identify their peak season.□ Added an item to allow operators to indicate peak periods during the week.□ Added an item to allow operators to more easily identify peak Weekday hours.□ Added an item to allow operators to more easily identify peak Weekend hours.


2010 NCFO Paper Questionnaire






























NCFO Web Based Questionnaire






























2010 NCFO Data Collection First mailing sent out on December 6, 2010.

Second mailing sent out on January 18, 2011 (No paper Qx).

Third and final mailing sent on April 20, 2011 (including second copy of paper Qx).

Non-respondents contacted by phone (June and July 2011).□ Data verified/collected over the phone.□ Contact information updated to resend census Qx.□ Directed to web Qx as appropriate.□ Some operators taken out of scope, others added.

243 ferry operators active in 2009.

202 ferry operators completed the census questionnaire.

Response rate = 83%


Current NCFO Database (TranStats)NCFO Main Page: Gives background about the NCFO


Current NCFO Database (TranStats)Database Page: Central location where each table in the database is defined


Current NCFO Database (TranStats)Data Table Page: Each table has a separate page where variables are defined


Current NCFO Database (TranStats)Analysis Page: Each table has a page where you can obtain summary statistics


Current NCFO Database (TranStats)Download Page: Each table has a separate page where you can select data to download


New NCFO Database (Oracle)Home Page: Provides background information, instructions for and links to the query tool.








New NCFO Database (Oracle)Methods Page: Provides information on how the data were collected.






New NCFO Database (Oracle)Data Schema Page: Provides a detailed description of the data included in the database.


New NCFO Database (Oracle)Query Page: Data selection can be made at each step to refine your database search.


Current Status of NCFO database

Cleaning 2010 data.

Cleaning/recoding old data (2000, 2006, 2008).

Compiling new database on oracle servers.

Debugging new data query tool.

Imputing missing passenger data.

September target for data release

October target for summary report


Current Status of NCFO database

Questions / Comments?

Thank You

Documents

August 17, 2011