Experts in many fields at ASU say it’s critical that the U.S. Census gets as accurate a count as possible of the number of people in the country. The count is used to apportion seats in Congress among the states and determine how almost $700 billion in federal funds are spent. It’s especially essential for guiding the nation’s transportation planning, says Fulton Schools Professor Ram Pendyala, director of the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment. Pendyala says census data is used to gather socio-demographic information that helps government leaders forecast what will be needed to best serve the future transportation needs of the communities they serve. Ultimately, he emphasizes, good transportation systems are essential to maintaining strong local, regional and national economies.