National origin-destination transport survey database application: user manual version 2.0

User manual version 2.0 - 9 December 2007

Disclaimer

The Department for Transport (DfT) can not guarantee the accuracy and any reliance on the information contained in this manual and the associated database for the National Origin-Destination Survey Databank. It is the responsibility of the individual using such information to verify its accuracy with the data provider.

The DfT will not provide user or technical support for the database for the National Origin-Destination Survey Databank in any manner.

1. Background

Within the UK, there is an increasing interest in ‘regional models’ (i.e. those covering an area larger than a county) to examine the effects of long distance re-routing over a wide area. Large models require a lot of data that is expensive to collect. For this reason, whenever possible, traffic modellers should ensure that they make the best use of existing survey data. However, it is often time-consuming identifying potential sources of movement data and can cause duplication of effort amongst interested transport modellers.

With a growing number of on-going and planned multi-modal studies, it will become increasingly important for Consultants who are developing models to assess alternative options and inform decisions on transport matters to have access to timely sources of existing movement data. As a result, in 1997 the Integrated Transport Economics and Appraisal (ITEA) Division of DfT, in joint working with the UK Highways Agency invited interested organisations to tender for the creation a database that would contain road-side interview information.

The project has resulted in the establishment of a definitive dataset that will provide valuable assistance to transport planners. The Databank contains the location and attributed information with respect to origin-destination transport interview surveys and currently covers the following survey types:

Roadside interview surveys
Public transport surveys
Home interview surveys

The study aimed to:

Establish the coverage of available roadside interview data.
Identify holders of data and information about both the surveys and the specific sites contained in each survey.
Establish a list of contact details such that interested parties like transport consultants could readily identify a contact for additional information.
Create a database that would contain the survey location and attributes and for each roadside interview site, further information about the sites, including its locational description. This would provide a tool to enable transport consultants to use in the identification of appropriate existing roadside interview data.

The information for inclusion on the database was gathered through the use of a postal questionnaire survey to interested parties, including transport consultants, local authorities, government organisations, transport bodies and data collection companies.

Importantly, the scope of the study excluded collecting the individual trip records. The value of the project was clearly to provide a form of ‘brokerage’ tool to match transport modelling needs with potential data holders of useful origin-destination data.

2. User manual introduction

The purpose of this document is to detail the procedures for installation and use of the National Origin-Destination Databank. The manual contains the following information:

Software and hardware assumptions and requirements
Installation and starting the application
Using the application including report generation and index file creation

3. Software and hardware

The databank application has been developed using Microsoft Access 2003 , but you do not need to have the full version of Access on your machine. The installed program is Microsoft Access 2003 Runtime version.

The databank has been tested and found to function correctly on Windows XP operating system.

The databank provided on the ITEA's web-site is for use as a data-viewing and reporting tool to be used in accordance with this document. The Department will not provide any form of user or technical support for the application in any way.

4. Installation and starting the application

4.1 Installation instructions

The file for download from the ITEA web site has been compressed in to a 'zip' file to minimise the download size. Windows XP is able to extract the data from the zip file.

Download the zip file to a suitable folder on your computer.

Using Windows Explorer, right click on the file and select ‘Extract files..” to extract the content of the zip file. This will create a folder called ODS Databank Setup with various files within it.

4.1.1 Installation instructions

Within the ODS Databank Setup folder, run the setup.exe. This will guide the user through a setup wizard. You will need administration rights in order to allow installation.

During installation, you will be prompted to select one of two types of installation as follows:

Typical: Use this option to install a MS Access 2003 runtime version of ODS Databank.

Custom: For the ODS Databank runtime version there is no Custom version available. Please ignore this option.

4.2 Starting the application

Once installed, the application can be executed from the Windows ‘Start Menu’ by selecting All Programs > ODS_Databank_update07. A short-cut will also appear on the desktop.

During and after the program installation, users may be presented with the following screen. Please select the Open button to continue.

This is a standard dialog generated by Microsoft to ensure that users have checked that the file (in this case a database) is from a trusted source. The user should select open, unless the user is aware that the file has been modified since download from the DfT website.

5. Using the application

When the application has been loaded on your machine, you will be presented with the Main Menu from where you can query and report on information and produce index files.

5.1 Query and report on information

From the Main Menu dialog box, click Create Reports and you will be presented with the Create Reports form.

5.1.1 To produce a standard pre-defined report

Click on Standard Reports. The Standard Reports form will appear giving you the option to produce six standard reports.

Click a button for the report you require. A print preview of the report will appear.

Click the Print button to print the document

Close the document by clicking the Close button.

Return to the Create Reports form by clicking the Reports Menu button.

Return to the Main Menu by clicking the Main Menu button.

5.1.2 To browse information for a particular survey type

Click the Custom Reports button. The Custom Reports form will appear.

5.1.3 To create a report for a specific site

Choose the Select a Specific Site button from the Custom Reports form. You will be presented with a form that allows you to enter a site reference number. Use the list boxes to select the site reference that you require.

Select the View Report button. A print preview of the report will be generated

Select the Print button to print the document

Close the document by clicking the Close button.

5.1.4 To create custom reports

Select the Custom Reports button from the Create Reports form and then select Specify Report Criteria. You will be presented with a form that allows you several options of control over how a report is produced

Select the criteria for your report from the options provided. As you select criteria from the lists a summary of the organisations and surveys that you select will be shown at the bottom of the form.

Select the View Reports button. A print preview of the report will be generated.

Select the Print button to print the document

Close the document by selecting the Close button.

5.2 Browse data

From the Main Menu dialog box select Manage Data. Please note that the ‘Delete Data’ button is not operational in the runtime version of the database.

When you select the Input/ Edit Data, a form will appear allowing you to browse survey information. Use page up and down on your keyboard to move through survey records or select an organisation of choice from the list at the top left of the form. To view an organisation's data select the appropriate button at the bottom of the screen for the survey type that you are interested in.

5.3 Index files

Index files are a summary of certain information contained in the databank that can be output in a format for use in other applications or in a standard report format.

5.3.1 To produce an index file

Select the Create Index Files button from the Main Menu dialog box. The Index Files form will appear.

Select the button representing one of the three survey types that you are interested in.

Select CSV File. An index file in a comma-separated text format will be written to your current user directory. After a short while you will be notified that the process is complete and where the CSV file is located.

Or, select Formatted Text Report. A print-preview will appear showing index file information. The report generated is large but you can print a selection of it by selecting File then Print and select the Pages option, specifying the page(s) that you are interested in. Close the report preview with the Close button.

Return to the Index File form by selecting the Index File Menu button.

Return to the Main Menu by selecting the Main Menu button.