American Travel Survey

ETC Institute

About this app

The purpose of this American Travel Survey app is to facilitate administration of household travel surveys. Participation in each survey is by invitation only. Every participant is part of a randomly selected household that has agreed to take part in the survey.


Household members (who are 18 and older, or 13 and older with adult permission) participating in the survey are asked to download the app, install it, and log in with a PIN that uniquely represents their household. The household member then selects their provided nickname or name from a list of household members in order to correctly assign the trips. Prior to downloading the app, household members have provided contact information via an online or over-the-phone survey which allows ETC Institute staff to contact them with any questions or clarifications to update the User’s trip diary during or after the collection period. After login, the app begins to automatically detect and record stops that the User makes during a prescribed period, usually 24 hours. The User is asked to review the stops and answer a few questions about each stop before finishing/submitting the completed trip diary directly from the app.


App users are aware that while the app is installed on their smartphone or tablet, their GPS location is used to detect and record their stops and to help draw their vehicle’s approximate travel path, which in turn facilitates the stop review process. In addition to the GPS signal, the app also uses - with the User’s permission – their device’s accelerometer and gyroscope sensors. The data from these sensors are used by the app’s logic engine to confirm that a stop has indeed been made. ETC is committed to keeping each participant’s identifying information private. Our data privacy policy is available for review on our Company’s website and can be accessed directly via a link on this page.

Ratings and reviews

Once I got past the battery optimization part of it on my OnePlus phone (I lucked into it), then the rest of the setup was easy. BUT I completed the survey and let it follow me around for 24 hours, and now I won't stop getting texts and emails saying that I haven't finished my trip diary. But when I click the link to view, it shows everything is completed. Support won't respond to email or phone (mailbox full). Pretty sure I'm not going to get any credit!

I downloaded this app to use for 24 hours as part of an online research group. I was to record my trips for a single day to receive an additional $10 gift card. Unfortunately, it took too much to set it up to begin using it like certain notifications had to be activated,certain settings had to be on, and all the app does now is crash and close on me, so I guess I won't get my extra incentive.

The app was installed for two days to track my travel habits for a TX DOT-associated project. The app collected data for 24 hours and then asked me to confirm stops and modes of transportation. It wasn't designed to handle walkers (vs. drivers) very well. My walks on my typical routes to pick up litter had a number of high litter areas, where I lingered longer, which were then listed as destinations, which I had to remove. Uses a lot of battery power, as location is necessarily always on.