Factors Affecting Vehicle Occupancy Measurement

Factors affecting vehicle occupancy measurement were examined with the aim of improving state vehicle occupancy monitoring programs. A comparison was conducted of five data sets looking at the effects on average vehicle occupancy (AVO) of time of day, day of week, road types, HOV lanes, locational differences, and traffic volume. It was found that AVO was higher in the afternoons, on Saturdays, and on HOV lanes. Inconsistent differences were found for the other variables, though there were considerable locational variations. Based on these factors, suggestions are made for drawing samples to represent regional and corridor-level vehicle occupancy levels.