Transportation consultants are increasingly expected to support recommendations with data that is both defensible and relevant to the project at hand. But selecting the right data is not always straightforward.
One common misconception about origin-destination (O-D) data is that every trip matrix provides the same insights. In reality, the value of an O-D dataset depends heavily on the data source used to create it—and, ultimately, the type of movement a consultant needs to understand.
A person commuting to work, a private vehicle traveling through a corridor, and a heavy commercial truck carrying freight are all part of the transportation system. However, they represent very different types of movement. Selecting a data source that aligns with the project objective is an important first step in developing meaningful transportation insights.
When evaluating O-D data, transportation professionals should first consider the type of movement they need to analyze.
Are you evaluating people?
Location-based services (LBS) data can provide insight into person movement, including travel patterns, home locations, and trip purpose.
Are you evaluating private vehicles?
Connected Vehicle (CV) data from OEMs can provide insight into private vehicle movement and travel behavior.
Are you evaluating freight or heavy commercial movement?
Telematics Service Provider (TSP) data can help illuminate the movement of commercial vehicles and freight across the transportation network.
Each data source offers a different perspective. The right choice depends on the transportation question—not simply the availability of a trip matrix.
For consultants, data selection is especially important when developing proposals or responding to RFPs. Project requirements can vary significantly, and the data needed for one transportation study may be very different from what is required for another.
To help simplify this process, AirSage recently introduced the Consultant Partner Program.
The program provides consultant partners with preferred pricing and streamlined access to all three AirSage O-D datasets:
Access to multiple data sources gives consultants greater flexibility to align the data with the transportation question at hand. Rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach, consultants can select the data source that best fits their project objectives.
Choosing the right O-D data starts with understanding the type of movement a project is designed to evaluate. With access to LBS, CV, and TSP-based O-D data at preferred pricing, AirSage Consultant Partners have more flexibility to match the right data to the project.
Backed by more than 25 years of transportation expertise, AirSage helps consultants incorporate high-quality O-D data into proposals, RFP responses, and client projects.
Learn more about the AirSage Consultant Partner Program or contact AirSage to get started.
