How do you commute? Track it and get $50, planners promise
How do you get to work, school or play? The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning wants to know and is willing to pay.
Between now and May, households that participate in and complete CMAP's My Daily Travel Survey will receive $50. The agency conducted a similar survey in 2007-2008, but new modes of travel have revolutionized how people get about.
"When we did our last survey, ride- and bike-sharing were not options for people," CMAP spokeswoman Mandy Burrell said. "There are new mobility options some people use and we're interested in seeing how they use those services. Other things like telecommuting may or may not be expanding in the region. We expect to get new information and that's why we're doing this again."
The budget for the program is $2.7 million, provided through a federal grant. To participate, go to cmap.illinois.gov/data/transportation/travel-survey.
The survey consists of two parts: an intake survey providing basic information, which lasts about 15 minutes, and providing a record of your household's movements for one day, which can be completed using an app.
CMAP will use the data to better understand how residents travel around the region, which allows it to prioritize funding on roads and transit, planners said.
Respondents must be at least 18 years old and live in the county of Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry or Will.
CMAP in October will launch its On To 2050 plan. The document is intended to guide growth and development in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties in the coming decades.