LBS Data vs. CV Data: Why Both Are Valuable for Transportation Planning

LBS Data vs. CV Data: Why Both Are Valuable for Transportation Planning

The transportation planning industry is increasingly data-driven, with advanced technologies shaping the way professionals model, plan, and optimize infrastructure. Among the many data sources available, two powerhouses have emerged as critical tools in this space—Location-Based Services (LBS) data and Connected Vehicle (CV) data. Professionals often wonder, "Which data type is better?" The answer isn't straightforward, as both data types serve distinct purposes and excel in different aspects. 

This blog dives deep into how LBS and CV data compare, their respective advantages, and why a combination of both may hold the key to smarter transportation planning.

What is LBS Data?

Location-Based Services (LBS) data is anonymized information collected from mobile devices based on their GPS signals. These devices periodically send "pings" through apps and services, creating rich datasets about movement patterns and locations.

LBS data is best known for:

• Person movement patterns, irrespective of whether they are pedestrian, riders, drivers or transit users.
• Reflecting the number of people on the move and not the number of vehicles they are traveling in. 
• The ability to correlate between multiple trips of the same user, for example to be able to measure commute frequency.
• Assigning Home and Work locations to devices, hence being able to assign a purpose to each trip (e.g. Home to Work, Work to Other etc).
• Providing continuous trajectories even when crossing borders between neighboring countries.

It is particularly valuable for generating insights beyond vehicular traffic. For instance, LBS data helps analyze pedestrian and cyclist movements or public transit utilization, insights which vehicle-focused data sources like CV data cannot provide.

What is CV Data?

Connected Vehicle (CV) data, on the other hand, is generated directly by vehicles with embedded sensors and communication devices. These vehicles and devices exchange data with each other and infrastructure systems. Unlike LBS data, CV data is vehicle-specific and provides highly precise information about:

• Vehicle speed
• Harsh breaking and acceleration
• Direction and route patterns

CV data is particularly effective for vehicle-centric applications, such as safety planning and traffic flow optimization.

The Unique Advantages of LBS Data in Transportation Planning

While CV data excels at capturing car-related movement, LBS data goes beyond vehicles, offering a broader perspective on how people move through a region. Here’s where LBS data stands out:

1. Mode of Transit

LBS data tracks not just cars but also walking, biking, and public transit. This breadth of insight makes it highly versatile for cities prioritizing sustainable and multimodal transportation systems.

2. Trip Frequency

Understanding how often trips occur is essential when planning services like public transit schedules. LBS data captures recurring patterns that aid in identifying key demand periods.

3. Trip Purpose

Do most people travel to work? To shop? Or for leisure? LBS data can infer trip purposes, revealing critical insights that allow planners to design purpose-specific infrastructure.

4. Home Locations

Knowing not only the origin and the destination of a trip but also the home location of the traveler is greatly valuable. For example, by identifying home and work locations, planners can better understand the geographies and communities that are using the road infrastructure based on extrapolated demographic information at the census block group level. Furthermore, the ability to distinguish between locals and visitors is critical for planning better transportation solutions. Origin-destination insights derived from LBS data help bridge gaps that CV data may miss.

Is LBS Data Still Reliable After Recent Industry Changes? 

Despite its benefits, there has been uncertainty around the reliability of LBS data due to shifts in data availability in the market. However, companies like AirSage have taken steps to address these challenges.

For example, AirSage applies a rigorous evaluation process that considers device quality, source reliability, and panel size (the quantity of high-quality devices) to maintain the accuracy of its LBS data panel. This kind of commitment to data quality has enabled AirSage to continue to produce highly reliable LBS data for more than a decade. Read more about LBS data reliability and AirSage’s approach in this article.

Why CV Data Alone Isn’t Enough 

While CV data is a rich resource for vehicle-specific metrics like lane-level speed adjustments or crash detection, it misses important context surrounding non-vehicular movements. Without insights into pedestrian or public transit patterns, CV data provides an incomplete picture, especially in urban areas where multiple modes of transport coexist.

For example:

• A planner solely relying on CV data might recommend investment in widening a congested road, while LBS data might reveal that public transit improvements could alleviate the issue more effectively.
• CV data might recognize a peak in traffic levels but fail to identify that many trips start from pedestrian-heavy zones, such as residential neighborhoods or transit hubs. LBS data can uncover these patterns.

The Case for a Combined Approach

Rather than choosing between LBS and CV data, transportation planners should treat these as complementary tools. By integrating insights from both sources, cities can craft holistic solutions that account for all modes of travel and maximize efficiency. Here’s why blending the two is powerful:

1. Broader Coverage: CV data captures details on vehicle behavior, while LBS expands the scope to pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users.
2. Enhanced Modeling: Combining CV traffic patterns with LBS origin-destination information gives planners a 360-degree view for robust travel demand models.
3. Better Decision-Making: Cross-referencing trip frequency (LBS) with road performance (CV) enables smarter investments in infrastructure.
4. Future-Proof Solutions: Together, LBS and CV data prepare cities to adapt to evolving mobility trends like micromobility and smart transit systems.

Transform Your Planning with Both LBS and CV Data

The debate between LBS and CV data isn't about picking one over the other—it’s about leveraging the strengths of both. For projects that demand a comprehensive view of regional mobility, the combined usage of these data types is unbeatable.

Transportation planners, engineers, and data scientists can take advantage of AirSage’s reliable LBS data solutions, which complement CV data seamlessly. Whether you’re designing multimodal infrastructure or focusing on vehicle safety, combining the insights from these two powerful data sources can elevate your planning outcomes.

Curious to learn more about LBS data and how it can empower your work? Contact AirSage here.

About the Author:

Jonathan Silverberg, CTO & Co-President of AirSage has over 22 years of experience in senior technology management. He is the former CEO at Decell, a global leader of real-time traffic information specializing in leveraging mobile signaling data as well as GPS data for transportation applications. He is also the inventor of several granted patents in the fields of mobile communication and traffic information.