April 27, 2026
How have the pandemic, new technologies, and work-from-home policies changed the way people travel through southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey? To understand this, residents are invited to share how they travel today.
PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) and the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO) are inviting residents to participate in new Household Travel Surveys to collect data about their daily travel habits. Conducted approximately every ten years, the Household Travel Survey was delayed due to the pandemic. The new survey results will update the understanding and assumptions about daily travel habits, which have been influenced by new technologies and work-from-home policies since the last survey. This information will inform transportation infrastructure investments to improve travel throughout the region. The results of the survey will also be used to update the regional travel demand models for both MPOs, which are powerful tools used by transportation planners and engineers to make infrastructure investment decisions.
The survey is being sent to people in communities throughout the DVRPC and SJTPO areas, which together cover Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania, and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Mercer, Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem Counties in New Jersey. Over the coming months, thousands of randomly selected households will be invited to participate in the study. Each household will be asked to record where they go, how they travel, and why they make their trips, all of which helps transportation planners make more informed decisions about future infrastructure projects. All information gathered will be held strictly confidential and will be used for regional planning purposes only.
“Daily travel habits help us see the big picture,” said Ariella Maron, DVRPC executive director. “This data will help ensure transportation investments—such as road improvements, bus routes, and new bike lanes and sidewalks—match how people actually move in southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. The region has limited transportation funding, and the information from the Household Travel Survey will help us be strategic with our investments.”
The survey is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, and Korean. Households can participate using a smartphone app, a secure website, or by phone with support from a trained interviewer. All responses are confidential and will only be used for planning purposes.
“We are grateful to all who agree to participate in the survey. They will be making a direct, positive impact on each of their communities by helping us improve mobility, safety, and economic viability in the region,” added Maron.
The project is being conducted by ETC Institute, a national research firm with more than 20 years of experience conducting similar surveys across the U.S. They are offering participants gift card rewards to thank them for their time. The amount of the reward varies depending on household size and how the survey is completed.
Residents who receive a mailed invitation or see an online ad are encouraged to respond quickly. A dedicated project website with more information and sign-up instructions is available at https://www.greaterphillytravelsurvey.com/ and https://www.southjerseytravelsurvey.com/.
About the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Greater Philadelphia region, established by an Interstate Compact between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey. Members include Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania, and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Mercer counties in New Jersey. As the MPO for the region, DVRPC builds consensus for a shared regional vision; enables data-based, community-centered solutions; and helps put plans into action. Learn more at www.dvrpc.org.
About the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization
The South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO) is the federally designated MPO serving Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem Counties in southern New Jersey. Formed in 1993, SJTPO serves as a technical resource, provides access to funding, and works to provide a regional approach to address transportation planning and engineering issues. For more information about SJTPO, visit: www.sjtpo.org.