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32 Most of the data required for producing the estimates contained in this workbook can be gathered from the ACS. The ACS is administered by the U.S. Bureau of the Census which collects data each year from a sample of approximately 2.5 percent of the households in the nation. The information collected in the ACS has replaced the data previously collected every 10 years in the decennial Census long-form. Results are made available for each year, for a rolling 3-year period, and for a rolling 5-year period. Because the Census must suppress some data to maintain confidentiality, data for areas with a population of 20,000 or less are available only in the 5-year rolling summaries. Use the following steps to retrieve the various tables discussed in the body of the workbook. 1. Go to www.census.gov 2. Hover over Data A P P E N D I X A Retrieving Data from the American Community Survey (ACS)
Retrieving Data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 33 3. Click on American FactFinder 4. Enter the table number associated with the required data (i.e., B08201) in the Search for: box and select GO
34 Methods for Forecasting Demand and Quantifying Need for Rural Passenger Transportation 5. Click the box labeled Geographies 6. Click on County or City of Town in the Geography Filter Options 7. Then click on Within State to narrow the search to a specific state
Retrieving Data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 35 8. Select the appropriate state 9. Check the box(es) for the places that constitute the study area and click Add
36 Methods for Forecasting Demand and Quantifying Need for Rural Passenger Transportation 10. When appropriate geography has been selected, close the filter by clicking Close X 11. Check the box for the most recent ACS 5-Year dataset and click View NOTE: As of the development of this workbook, Census had recently changed the defini- tion for disability characteristics used in the ACS. This limits these data to communities that have a population of greater than 20,000. Because of this change there was no 5-year dataset available for this table. A 5-year dataset will be available in 2013.
Retrieving Data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 37 12. Pull the required data points from the table necessary to complete the estimate calculation. This is discussed in the body of the workbook for each method. 13. To search for another table, click BACK TO SEARCH
38 Methods for Forecasting Demand and Quantifying Need for Rural Passenger Transportation 14. Click the X next to the previous table prior to searching for the next table 15. Type the next table number into the Search for: box and select GO. 16. Then select the box next to the most recent 5-year dataset and click View. The geography should remain unchanged.
