A direct-reading stadia rod includes a flexible tape and a sensing head that is movable therealong. The sensing head includes a keyboard, a movement sensor, a laser beam receiver, and a display. The rod is calibrated with a benchmark elevation by placing the base of the tape on a point of known elevation and moving the sensing head along the tape until it is properly aligned with the beam of a remote laser level. With the sensing head fixed at that location on the tape, the benchmark elevation is input using the keyboard. Thereafter, the tape is placed upon a point of unknown elevation, and the sensing head is moved until the laser beam receiver again detects alignment with the laser plane. Based on data from the movement sensor indicated by the sensing head from the benchmark position, the elevation of the second point is automatically determined and displayed.