Citation

Sersli S, Rothman L, Winters M. J. Sch. Health 2019; 89(5): 365-372.

Affiliation

Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, 7/F, 2635 Laurel Street, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American School Health Association, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/josh.12743

PMID

30883743

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Mode share is an important metric for active school travel programs. Common methods for measuring mode share include Hands Up surveys and family surveys, but these require teacher and parental involvement. We used these methods as part of an evaluation of a school-based bicycle training program, and added a novel observational count approach. This paper compares mode share results across the 3 methods.

METHODS: We collected data over 2015-2017 at 16 elementary schools. Our outcome of interest was mode share (walk, drive, and bicycle).

RESULTS: We found variations in travel mode estimates between methods and across schools. Overall most school journeys were made by walking (55.7% by observational counts, 46.3% by Hands Up surveys, and 51.5% by family surveys) or car (42.5%, 51.4%, and 46.2%, respectively), and a small proportion by bicycle (1.8%, 2.3%, and 2.2%, respectively). At individual schools, Hands Up and family survey results were similar; there was less agreement between these and observational counts.

CONCLUSION: School travel practitioners face pragmatic choices in data collection. Observational counts are a nonintrusive method suited for school-wide travel patterns. Hands up and family surveys may be more appropriate for assessing differences between classrooms, ages, or family characteristics.

© 2019, American School Health Association.

Keywords: SR2S

Language: en

Keywords

active school travel; child & adolescent health; evaluation; travel measurement