ERRATA – 2001 NHTS,  January 2004 Version

If you are using the variables listed below, please check this section for the error or issue we have found.  If revised data are available to correct a problem, it will be noted and the revised data will be available in the Download Data section of this site.

MSACAT, CDIVMSAR, and RAIL

A correction of MSACAT was made on the Household File, but that was not carried through to the other files (Person, Vehicle and Travel Day).  This correction also impacts the coding of CDIVMSAR and RAIL.  It affects only those households located in the 17 CMSAs (Consolidated Statistical Metropolitan Areas).   If you are using these variables, please copy the values from the Household files onto the other three files.

Background – MSACAT is composed of four categories:

• MSA of 1 million or more, with rail
• MSA of 1 million or more, without rail
• MSA less than a million
• Not in MSA (CMSA)

If the household is in an area that is a CMSA, the area must be at least a million in population, and the CMSA is composed of PMSAs (Primary Statistical Metropolitan Areas). For example, if you live in the Chicago CMSA, you could live in one of four PMSAs: Chicago IL, Gary IN, Kankakee IL, or Kenosha WI. 

Originally the coding of MSACAT, CDIVMSA, and RAIL was done at the PMSA level.  In the case of a Chicago household, three of the four component PMSAs do not have rail (subway or heavy rail). However, the coding was later corrected to be at the CMSA level, so all households within the Chicago CMSA are now classified as in an ‘MSA of a million or more with rail’.  This was done because a  resident of Kenosha WI may decide to go or not go into Chicago based on the availability of a subway (actually in this case, an elevated rail system) in Chicago.

When the variables MSACAT, CDIVMSA, and RAIL were recreated to reflect  the CMSA level, the change was made on the Household File, but not carried over to the other files. 

PRMACT - Primary Activity last week

This variable represents the Primary Activity of the respondent in the week preceding travel day (e.g., working, going to school, retired).  In reviewing the data file we found that, for a certain number of respondents, the PRMACT values had been changed to –1 (appropriate skip) on their Person file record, but there was a different category on their Travel Day Trip record.  We reviewed the editing and changes made to the file in the final construction of the January 2004 Release, and could find no reason for this change.  After investigation, we determined that the value on the Travel Day trip record was probably the correct one. If you use this variable, for those cases in which there is a discrepancy between the Travel Day record and the Person record, please replace/overwrite the Person record value with the Travel Day trip record. 

HTEEMPDN - Jobs per square mile-Tract level

The label on this currently says “Jobs per square mile”, however it should read “Workers per square mile.”

Note that this variable, as it is constructed on the January 2004 release, shows workers per square mile LIVING at the place of residence.  In the future, a value-added module will be released with more demographic data from Claritas, Inc.