The role of children’s independent mobility and social media use for face-to-face social interaction with friends

Transportation - Social interaction with friends is an important contributor to children’s well-being, but how transport affects this is rarely studied. For two or more children (not of the...     

Persuasive communication aimed at public transportation-oriented residential choice and the promotion of public transport

In this study, we developed a persuasive communication program to induce public-transport-oriented residential (PTOR) choice. We implemented an experiment that targeted students from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, who were in the process of changing their residential location. These students were randomly assigned to four groups: the first group was a control group; the second group received an information brochure about apartment flats typically used by students in Tsukuba city; the third group received a brochure identical to the one given to the second group, except that it also included information about the level of bus service for every flat; and the fourth group was provided with a leaflet that provided motivation for PTOR choice, in addition to the brochure used for the third group. The residential locations were investigated 5 months after the intervention. There was a significant difference between the control group and the third and fourth groups. The ratio of PTOR choice in the group with the information was twice as high as that for the control group. Furthermore, the persuasive message also increased PTOR choice. Additionally, the target groups’ frequency of bus use from home or the university was significantly high compared with the control group.     

Limits to resources, economic growth and happiness

Terrible scenario for the future aspect of our society was issued by “The Limits to Growth”. Basic problems that we confront are the restricted natural resources and the environment. Regarding the resources, the overall average of the reserve/production ratio is predicted to fall below 10 years by 2040. Aggressive developments of mines based on the sense of urgency for metal resources cause strong confliction with the environment and the people living there. Resultantly, urban mine becomes more realistic than before. From the view point of ecological foot print, 5.3 globes are needed if all the people living in the world attain the affluent life same as USA. On the other hand, it is clear that we can get larger utility by smaller goods if our scale of satisfaction is reduced. We have to notice that happiness is our ultimate purpose, economy and industry are intermediate, and natural resources support the all from the basis.     

Promoting Public Transport Using Marketing Techniques in Mobility Management and Verifying their Quantitative Effects

Mobility management (MM) is a transportation management policy that uses “soft” measures to attempt to reduce car use and promote sustainable transportation modes such as public transport, bicycles, and walking. Using communication and other means, MM induces voluntarily change towards more sustainable transportation modes. We implemented MM marketing to promote an experimental community bus service. This project had two components: a questionnaire conducted in the service area and a monthly newsletter. The questionnaire was more than a survey; it also communicated information about the bus and helped promote bus use. One month after the survey, we implemented a follow-up survey targeting the initial survey respondents. Results suggest that the MM program produced a general increase in bus use, as well as mouth-to-mouth advertising, that helped promote bus use.