Transportation planning agencies are using Bluetooth data collection methods to collect data used in validating and calibrating transportation planning and traffic operations model such as Origin-destination and travel time data. Advocates of Bluetooth methods emphasize the ease of use, its cost, passivity, and data collection continuity as superior in comparison to other methods such as automatic license plate recognition and intercept surveys. However, Bluetooth methods have a significant shortcoming related to selection bias in terms of age, vehicle classification, and geography. This could lead to inaccurate data being used to validate models with severe consequences to the models output.

This seminar will present a case study that evaluated the ability of Bluetooth technology to accurately collect statistically valid External OD and travel time data (data with at least one end at the external cordon of the study area) at reduced costs and to develop methodologies to estimate the length of time needed to obtain reliable traffic data.