Transportation Data: Household Travel Survey

Measuring how people get around northeastern Illinois

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) periodically surveys households throughout northeastern Illinois about their travel habits to learn more about how and why people navigate the region. The survey, also known as My Daily Travel, was last conducted in 2019 and surveyed more than 12,000 households in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties about trips they made for work, school, shopping, errands, and socializing with family and friends.

CMAP conducted similar travel surveys in 2008 and 1990. The data collected through the survey helps CMAP understand regional travel patterns and ensures that ON TO 2050, the long-range plan for northeastern Illinois, is consistent with current and forecasted transportation and land use trends. My Daily Travel survey results are available on the CMAP Data Hub.

CMAP is preparing for the next generation of My Daily Travel. A pilot survey was conducted in the spring of 2024, with a full survey deployment in the fall of 2024. Sign-up for CMAP’s newsletter to stay informed about the survey.

2019 survey results and analysis

CMAP created a four-part policy brief series on the latest My Daily Travel survey exploring how the data can help northeastern Illinois better understand everyday travel patterns. The series dives into the characteristics of regional travel, examines disparities in travel behavior, and highlights new and emerging forms of mobility.

How people travel in northeastern Illinois

The first part of the My Daily Travel series provides insight into the questions of when, where, why, and how much people in the region are traveling. It explores the different ways residents move around the northeastern Illinois for work, school, and essential trips like health care appointments. Read the full analysis: A pre-pandemic snapshot of travel in northeastern Illinois.

Travel patterns in the region change by demographics

The second part of the series investigates disparities in regional travel. It looks at how residents experience the transportation system differently based on age, household income, disability status, and race and ethnicity. Read the full analysis: The experience of moving around the region varies based on who is traveling.

The effects of telecommunting on travel in the region

The third part of the series examines telecommuting behavior, and what survey data says about the future of remote work in northeastern Illinois. It also explores the effect remote work has on peak travel times and trips. Read the full analysis: Pre-COVID telecommuting patterns reveal possible future impacts of remote work.

Ride-hailing and bike-share services were changing regional mobility before the pandemic

Even before the onset of COVID-19, new and emerging forms of mobility were gaining popularity in northeastern Illinois. In the fourth part of the series, CMAP looks at the potential effects these services may have on regional mobility going forward. It examines the rapid growth of ride-hailing services and transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft, as well as the emergence of Divvy and other bike-sharing systems. Read the full analysis: Changes in mobility were underway even before COVID-19.

Previous surveys

• Trips underway by time of day by travel mode and trip purpose for metropolitan Chicago
• Chicago regional household travel inventory: Mode choice and purpose for the 2008 and 1990 surveys