Google Location History as an Alternative Data Source for Understanding Travel Behavior in Medan, Binjai, and Deli Serdang (Mebidang), Indonesia
The performance of urban transport is a critical aspect of a city’s functionality, which needs to be supported by innovative data sources to analyze travel patterns. This study explores the use of Google Location History (GLH) as a participatory geographic information system for mobility surveys, of...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Future Transportation |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7590/5/2/50 |
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| author | Arif Wismadi Mohamad Rachmadian Narotama Gary Haq Steve Cinderby Deni Prasetio Nugroho Jan Prabowo Harmanto |
| author_facet | Arif Wismadi Mohamad Rachmadian Narotama Gary Haq Steve Cinderby Deni Prasetio Nugroho Jan Prabowo Harmanto |
| author_sort | Arif Wismadi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The performance of urban transport is a critical aspect of a city’s functionality, which needs to be supported by innovative data sources to analyze travel patterns. This study explores the use of Google Location History (GLH) as a participatory geographic information system for mobility surveys, offering a cost-effective and more detailed alternative to traditional approaches. GLH is a novel data source with high potential, but still underutilized and underresearched, especially in developing countries. This study uses a new approach in GLH data collection and data processing. Data were collected from 420 respondents in Medan, Binjai, and Deli Serdang (Mebidang) in Indonesia, to examine urban travel patterns, including trip distances, modes, and purposes, while addressing issues of data accuracy, privacy, and representation. GLH provides granular insights into mobility, reducing biases associated with self-reported surveys and identifying discrepancies between stated and actual transport usage. The findings highlight GLH’s potential for understanding spatial mobility patterns linked to demographic characteristics and travel purpose in more detail. However, technical challenges, such as data anomalies and the reliance on two devices for data collection, underscore the need to improve location readings and develop add-on tools capable of direct data export for large-scale mobility surveys. This study advances the application of GLH in mobility research, demonstrating its potential use and challenges for large-scale mobility surveys. Future research should address privacy concerns and optimize data collection to enable more inclusive and sustainable urban mobility strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7e7dd305663540cea46fcbc4238a67a4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2673-7590 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Future Transportation |
| spelling | doaj-art-7e7dd305663540cea46fcbc4238a67a42025-08-20T03:27:26ZengMDPI AGFuture Transportation2673-75902025-05-01525010.3390/futuretransp5020050Google Location History as an Alternative Data Source for Understanding Travel Behavior in Medan, Binjai, and Deli Serdang (Mebidang), IndonesiaArif Wismadi0Mohamad Rachmadian Narotama1Gary Haq2Steve Cinderby3Deni Prasetio Nugroho4Jan Prabowo Harmanto5Center for Transportation and Logistics Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Sleman 55281, IndonesiaCenter for Transportation and Logistics Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Sleman 55281, IndonesiaStockholm Environment Institute, Environment Department, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UKStockholm Environment Institute, Environment Department, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UKCenter for Transportation and Logistics Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Sleman 55281, IndonesiaCenter for Transportation and Logistics Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Sleman 55281, IndonesiaThe performance of urban transport is a critical aspect of a city’s functionality, which needs to be supported by innovative data sources to analyze travel patterns. This study explores the use of Google Location History (GLH) as a participatory geographic information system for mobility surveys, offering a cost-effective and more detailed alternative to traditional approaches. GLH is a novel data source with high potential, but still underutilized and underresearched, especially in developing countries. This study uses a new approach in GLH data collection and data processing. Data were collected from 420 respondents in Medan, Binjai, and Deli Serdang (Mebidang) in Indonesia, to examine urban travel patterns, including trip distances, modes, and purposes, while addressing issues of data accuracy, privacy, and representation. GLH provides granular insights into mobility, reducing biases associated with self-reported surveys and identifying discrepancies between stated and actual transport usage. The findings highlight GLH’s potential for understanding spatial mobility patterns linked to demographic characteristics and travel purpose in more detail. However, technical challenges, such as data anomalies and the reliance on two devices for data collection, underscore the need to improve location readings and develop add-on tools capable of direct data export for large-scale mobility surveys. This study advances the application of GLH in mobility research, demonstrating its potential use and challenges for large-scale mobility surveys. Future research should address privacy concerns and optimize data collection to enable more inclusive and sustainable urban mobility strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7590/5/2/50participatory mappingGoogle Location History (GLH)mobile phone travel surveytravel behaviorIndonesia |
| spellingShingle | Arif Wismadi Mohamad Rachmadian Narotama Gary Haq Steve Cinderby Deni Prasetio Nugroho Jan Prabowo Harmanto Google Location History as an Alternative Data Source for Understanding Travel Behavior in Medan, Binjai, and Deli Serdang (Mebidang), Indonesia Future Transportation participatory mapping Google Location History (GLH) mobile phone travel survey travel behavior Indonesia |
| title | Google Location History as an Alternative Data Source for Understanding Travel Behavior in Medan, Binjai, and Deli Serdang (Mebidang), Indonesia |
| title_full | Google Location History as an Alternative Data Source for Understanding Travel Behavior in Medan, Binjai, and Deli Serdang (Mebidang), Indonesia |
| title_fullStr | Google Location History as an Alternative Data Source for Understanding Travel Behavior in Medan, Binjai, and Deli Serdang (Mebidang), Indonesia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Google Location History as an Alternative Data Source for Understanding Travel Behavior in Medan, Binjai, and Deli Serdang (Mebidang), Indonesia |
| title_short | Google Location History as an Alternative Data Source for Understanding Travel Behavior in Medan, Binjai, and Deli Serdang (Mebidang), Indonesia |
| title_sort | google location history as an alternative data source for understanding travel behavior in medan binjai and deli serdang mebidang indonesia |
| topic | participatory mapping Google Location History (GLH) mobile phone travel survey travel behavior Indonesia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7590/5/2/50 |
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