Smartphone ownership has skyrocketed to above 80% among US adults, including 70% or higher ownership rates among low-income households. In fact, more US adults own smartphones than own personal computers or tablets (Pew 2019). The rate of smartphone ownership will continue to grow rapidly over the next few years, creating even more survey and research opportunities. While smartphone ownership grows, there is still a need for supplemental participation options to ensure a representative survey sample. RSG offers a full array online and telephone survey options to complement smartphone-based data collection.

Users must receive an invitation to activate rMove and participate in a study. Once invited, users can download rMove from the Apple App Store or the Android Apps on Google Play Store. After download, users provide demographic information and answer a few questions before proceeding with the rest of the study. This step helps calibrate the app and tailor it to the user.

rMove automatically and securely collects location, speed, and time information using the location services and accelerometer on participants’ phones. When rMove senses that a user has stopped moving, the app prompts the user to answer a survey about that trip or location (e.g., “Why did you stop here?”). Customization allows the app to collect trip information without asking users to answer a survey each time. This lowers the respondent burden over a longer study period.

Most rMove studies include three types of surveys: initial sign-up surveys, post-trip surveys, and end-of-day surveys. Most participants require no more than two minutes to answer each survey. In fact, most participants respond to trip-related surveys within two hours of ending the trip, ensuring that each survey is answered quickly and accurately.