Importance of traveler attitudes in the choice of public transportation to work: findings from the Regional Transportation Authority Attitudinal Survey

The commute mode choice decision is one of the most fundamental aspects of daily travel. Although initial research in this area was limited to explaining mode choice behavior as a function of traveler socioeconomics, travel times, and costs, subsequent studies have included the effect of traveler attitudes and perceptions. This paper extends the existing body of literature by examining public transit choice in the Chicago area. Data from a recent Attitudinal Survey conducted by the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) in Northeastern Illinois were used to pursue three major steps. First, a factor analysis methodology was used to condense scores on 23 statements related to daily travel into six factors. Second, the factor scores on these six dimensions were used in conjunction with traveler socioeconomics, travel times, and costs to estimate a binary logistic regression of public transit choice. Third, elasticities of transit choice to the six factors were computed, and the factors were ranked in decreasing order of these elasticities. The analysis provided two major findings. First, from a statistical standpoint, the attitudinal factors improved the intuitiveness and goodness-of-fit of the model. Second, from a policy standpoint, the analysis indicated the importance of word-of-mouth publicity in attracting new riders, as well as the need for a marketing message that emphasizes the lower stress level and better commute time productivity due to transit use.     

Using a stages of change approach to explore opportunities for increasing bicycle commuting

Given the potential benefits of bicycling to the environment, the economy, and public health, many U.S. cities have set ambitious goals for increasing the bicycle share of commute trips. The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change, which seeks to describe how positive and permanent change can be fostered in individuals, may shed light on how cities can most effectively increase bicycle commuting. We use the model’s “stages of change” framework to explore the potential for increased bicycle commuting to the UC Davis campus in Davis, California. Our analysis uses data from the 2012 to 2013 UC Davis Campus Travel Survey, an annual online survey that is randomly administered to students and employees at UC Davis. Based on their responses to questions about current commute mode and contemplation of bicycle commuting, respondents are divided into five stages of change: Pre-contemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, and Maintenance. We construct a Bayesian multilevel ordinal logistic regression model to understand how differences in socio-demographic characteristics, travel attributes, and travel attitudes between individuals explain their membership in different stages of change. In addition, we use this model to explore the potential of various intervention strategies to move individuals through the stages of change toward becoming regular bicycle commuters. Our results indicate that travel attitudes matter more to progression toward regular commute bicycling than travel attributes, tentatively supporting the efficacy of “soft” policies focused on changing travel attitudes.     

The positive utility of the commute: modeling ideal commute time and relative desired commute amount

Two measures of commute time preferences – Ideal Commute Time and Relative Desired Commute amount (a variable indicating the desire to commute "much less" to "much more" than currently) – are modeled, using tobit and ordered probit, respectively. Ideal Commute Time was found to be positively related to Actual Commute Time and to a liking and utility for commuting, and negatively related to commute frequency and to a family/community-oriented lifestyle. Relative Desired Commute, on the other hand, was negatively related to amounts of actual commute and work-related travel, but positively related to travel liking and a measure of commute benefit. Overall, commute time is not unequivocally a source of disutility to be minimized, but rather offers some benefits (such as a transition between home and work). Most people have a non-zero optimum commute time, which can be violated in either direction – i.e. it is possible (although comparatively rare, occurring for only 7% of the sample) to commute too little. On the other hand, a large proportion of people (52% of the sample) are commuting longer than they would like, and hence would presumably be receptive to reducing (although usually not eliminating) that commute.     

When is getting there half the fun? Modeling the liking for travel

This paper analyzes empirically measured values of Travel Liking––how much individuals like to travel, in various overall, mode-, and purpose-based categories. The study addresses two questions: what types of people enjoy travel, and under what circumstances is travel enjoyed? We first review and augment some previously hypothesized reasons why individuals may enjoy travel. Then, using data from 1358 commuting residents of three San Francisco Bay Area neighborhoods, a total of 13 ordinary least-squares linear regression models are presented: eight models of short-distance Travel Liking and five models of long-distance Travel Liking. The results indicate that travelers’ attitudes and personality (representing motivations) are more important determinants of Travel Liking than objective travel amounts. For example, while those who commute long distances do tend to dislike commute travel (as expected), the variables entering the models that hold the most importance relate to the personality and attitudes of the traveler. Most of the hypothesized reasons for liking travel are empirically supported here.     

Bicycle commuting market analysis using attitudinal market segmentation approach

The market segmentation analysis for bicycle commuting can help identify distinct bicycle market segments and develop specific policies or strategies for increasing the bicycle usage in each segment. This study aims to use the approach of attitudinal market segmentation for identifying the potential markets of bicycle commuting. To achieve the research objective, the household survey is conducted to obtain the travelers’ attitudes towards their commuting travels. The factor analysis is used to explore the latent attitudes. The structural equation modeling (SEM) simultaneously estimates the correlations between the attitudinal factors. The K-means clustering is conducted to segment the bicycle commuting market into several submarkets. Finally, six segments of bicycle commuting market with distinct attitudes are identified by four dividing factors including the willingness to use bicycle, need for fixed schedule, desire for comfort, and environmental awareness. The attitudinal characteristics, socioeconomic features, and actual bicycle choices in each market segment are analyzed and compared. The policy implications that best serve the needs of each submarket are discussed to promote the bicycle commuting.     

What determines commute time choices? A structural equation modelling approach

Abstract

Many researchers have been attracted by the phenomenon of constant travel time, and the time spent on travel has been an important indicator of understanding travellers’ behaviours. This paper is based on a survey conducted in a university in London which includes both objective and subjective variables in relation to commute time and some demographic characteristics. Two conceptual structural models are examined in order to explore the factors determining travellers’ choices. Results of the analysis reveal some interesting relationships: (1) a positive relationship between age and commute time; (2) females are more likely to read or listen to music during their journeys, and their ideal commute time (ICT) and current commute time (CCT) generally tend to be longer; (3) academic staff tend to have the habit of working during their commute, administrative staff tend to commute longer while students tend to spend a shorter time commuting; (4) normally, a habit while travelling is significantly associated with CCT; those with a habit of reading or working during their commute journey tend to have longer commute times and (5) the relationship between CCT and commuters’ ICT and tolerable commute time is positive; both hypothesised causal relationships are significant so that a loop is formed between subjective and objective variables, and thus a dynamic modelling process could be envisaged as temporal sequences of those variables.     

The impact of transit station areas on the travel behaviors of workers in Denver,Colorado

Transit development is one planning strategy that seeks to partially overcome limitations of low-density single use car oriented development styles. While many studies focus on how residential proximity to transit influences the travel behaviors of individuals, the effect of workplace proximity to transit is less understood. This paper asks, does working near a light rail transit station influence the travel behaviors of workers differently than workers living near a station? We begin by examining workers’ commute mode based on their residential and workplace proximity to transit station areas. Next, we analyze the ways in which personal travel behaviors differ between those who drive to work and those who do not. The data came from a 2009 travel behavior survey in the Denver, Colorado metropolitan area, which contains 8000 households, 16,000 individuals, and nearly 80,000 trips. We measure sustainable travel behaviors as reduced mileage, reduced number of trips, and increased use of non-car transportation. The results of this study indicate that living near a transit station area by itself does not increase the likelihood of using non-car modes for work commutes. But if the destination (work) is near a transit station area, persons are less likely to drive a car to work. People who both live and work in a transit station area are less likely to use a car and more likely to take non-car modes for both work and non-work (personal) trips. Especially for persons who work near a transit station area, the measures of personal trips and distances show a higher level of mobility for non-car commuters than car commuters – that is, more trips and more distant trips. The use of non-car modes for personal trips is most likely to occur by non-car commuters, regardless of their transit station area relationship.     

Built environmental impacts on commuting mode choice and distance: Evidence from Shanghai

The impacts of the built environment characteristics in residential neighborhoods on commuting behavior are explored in the literature. Scant evidence, however, is provided to scrutinize the role of the built environment characteristics at job locations. Studies also overlooked the potential error correlations between commuting mode and commuting distance due to the unobserved factors that influence both variables. We examined the impacts of the built environment characteristics at both residential and job locations on commuting mode and distance, by applying a discrete-continuous copula-based model on 857 workers in Shanghai. In contrast with studies of Western countries, we showed residential built environment characteristics are more influential on commute behavior than the built environment characteristics at job locations. This suggests the importance of local specificity in policymaking process. We also found the proportion of four-way intersections, road density, and population density in residential areas are negatively associated with driving probability, with elasticity amounts of −1.00, −0.23, and −0.08, respectively. Hence, dense and pedestrian- and cyclist-oriented development help to reduce travel distance and encourage walking, biking, and transit modes of travel.     

The rational locator reexamined: Are travel times still stable?

The rational locator hypothesis posits that individuals can, if they choose, maintain approximately steady journey-to-work travel times by adjusting their home and workplace. This hypothesis was coupled with the observation of long-term stability in drive alone journey-to-work times in metropolitan Washington (those times were unchanged from 1957 through 1968 to 1988). Despite the increase of average commuting distance and congestion, trip duration remained constant or even declined when controlling for travel purpose and travel mode because of shifting a share of traffic from slow urban routes to faster suburban routes. This observation has significance, as it is important to know for travel demand analysis if there is an underlying budget, or even a regularity, as this helps us determine whether our forecasts are reasonable. To re-test the underlying rationale for the hypothesis that travel times are stable, intra-metropolitan comparisons of travel times are made using Washington DC data from 1968, 1988, and 1994, and Twin Cities data from 1990 and 2000. The results depend upon geography. For the larger Washington DC region, keeping the same geography shows little change in commute times, but using the larger 1994 area suggests an increase in commute times. However, the Twin Cities, starting from a much shorter commute time, shows a marked increase over the decade, using either the smaller or the larger geography. Despite the remarkable continuing observation of stability in drive alone commuting times in metropolitan Washington, we reject the theory of personal commuting budgets, as we find that not only are commuting times not generally stable over time at the intra-metropolitan area, but that commuting time clearly depends on metropolitan spatial structure.     

Commuting and wellbeing: a critical overview of the literature with implications for policy and future research

ABSTRACT

This review provides a critical overview of what has been learnt about commuting’s impact on subjective wellbeing (SWB). It is structured around a conceptual model which assumes commuting can affect SWB over three time horizons: (i) during the journey; (ii) immediately after the journey; and (iii) over the longer term. Our assessment of the evidence shows that mood is lower during the commute than other daily activities and stress can be induced by congestion, crowding and unpredictability. People who walk or cycle to work are generally more satisfied with their commute than those who travel by car and especially those who use public transport. Satisfaction decreases with duration of commute, regardless of mode used, and increases when travelling with company. After the journey, evidence shows that the commute experience “spills over” into how people feel and perform at work and home. However, a consistent link between commuting and life satisfaction overall has not been established. The evidence suggests that commuters are generally successful in trading off the drawbacks of longer and more arduous commute journeys against the benefits they bring in relation to overall life satisfaction, but further research is required to understand the decision making involved. The evidence review points to six areas that warrant policy action and research: (i) enhancing the commute experience; (ii) increasing commute satisfaction; (iii) reducing the impacts of long duration commutes; (iv) meeting commuter preferences; (v) recognising flexibility and constraints in commuting routines and (vi) accounting for SWB impacts of commuting in policy making and appraisal.     

A micro-analysis of land use and travel in five neighborhoods in the San Francisco Bay Area

This study examined the effects of land use and attitudinal characteristics on travel behavior for five diverse San Francisco Bay Area neighborhoods. First, socio-economic and neighborhood characteristics were regressed against number and proportion of trips by various modes. The best models for each measure of travel behavior confirmed that neighborhood characteristics add significant explanatory power when socio-economic differences are controlled for. Specifically, measures of residential density, public transit accessibility, mixed land use, and the presence of sidewalks are significantly associated with trip generation by mode and modal split. Second, 39 attitude statements relating to urban life were factor analyzed into eight factors: pro-environment, pro-transit, suburbanite, automotive mobility, time pressure, urban villager, TCM, and workaholic. Scores on these factors were introduced into the six best models discussed above. The relative contributions of the socio-economic, neighborhood, and attitudinal blocks of variables were assessed. While each block of variables offers some significant explanatory power to the models, the attitudinal variables explained the highest proportion of the variation in the data. The finding that attitudes are more strongly associated with travel than are land use characteristics suggests that land use policies promoting higher densities and mixtures may not alter travel demand materially unless residents' attitudes are also changed.     

Determinants of bicycle commuting in the Washington,DC region: The role of bicycle parking,cyclist showers,and free car parking at work

This article examines the role of bicycle parking, cyclist showers, free car parking and transit benefits as determinants of cycling to work. The analysis is based on commute data of workers in the Washington, DC area. Results of rare events logistic regressions indicate that bicycle parking and cyclist showers are related to higher levels of bicycle commuting—even when controlling for other explanatory variables. The odds for cycling to work are greater for employees with access to both cyclist showers and bike parking at work compared to those with just bike parking, but no showers at work. Free car parking at work is associated with 70% smaller odds for bike commuting. Employer provided transit commuter benefits appear to be unrelated to bike commuting. Regression coefficients for control variables have expected signs, but not all are statistically significant.     

Values,attitudes and travel behavior: a hierarchical latent variable mixed logit model of travel mode choice

Values lie at the heart of an individual’s belief system, serving as prototypes from which attitudes and behaviors are subsequently manufactured. Attitudes and behaviors may evolve over time, but values represent a set of more enduring beliefs. This study examines the influence of values on travel mode choice behavior. It is argued that personal values influence individual attitudes towards different alternative attributes, which in turn impact modal choices. Using data from a sample of 519 German commuters drawn from a consumer panel, the study estimates an integrated choice and latent variable model of travel mode choice that allows for hierarchical relationships between the latent variables and flexible substitution patterns across the modal alternatives. Results from the empirical application support the value-attitude-behavior hierarchical model of cognition, and provide insights to planners and policy-makers on how better to sell public transit as a means of travel.     

Shared versus private mobility: Modeling public interest in autonomous vehicles accounting for latent attitudes

Emerging autonomous vehicles (AVs) and shared mobility systems per se will transform urban passenger transportation. Coupled together, shared AVs (SAVs) can facilitate widespread use of shared mobility services by providing flexible public travel modes comparable to private AV. Hence, it may be conjectured that future urban mobility is likely an on-demand service and AV private ownership is unappealing. Nonetheless, it is still unclear what observable and latent factors will drive public interest in (S)AVs, the answer to which will have important implications on transportation system performance. This paper aims to jointly model public interest in private AVs and multiple SAV configurations (carsharing, ridesourcing, ridesharing, and access/egress mode) in daily and commute travels with explicit treatment of the correlations across the (S)AV types. To this end, multivariate ordered outcome models with latent variables are employed, whereby latent attitudes and preferences describing traveler safety concern about AV, green travel pattern, and mobility-on-demand savviness are accounted for using structural and measurement equations. Drawing from a stated preference survey in the State of Washington, important insights are gained into the potential user groups based on the socio-economic, built environment, and daily/commute travel behavior attributes. Key policies are also offered to promote public interest in (S)AVs by scrutinizing the marginal effects of the latent variables.     

The effect of attitudes toward cars and public transportation on behavioral intention in commuting mode choice—A comparison across six Asian countries

This study investigated the contribution of psychological factors in explaining the choice of transportation mode in six Asian countries. Data were collected from 1118 respondents in Japan, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The dependent variable was the intention to use one of three modes for work travel after getting a job: car, public transit, or other modes. The explanatory variables were three attitude factors taken from a previous study, including: 1/symbolic affective, reflecting affective motives of travel mode use; 2/instrumental, referring to functional attributes of travel modes; and 3/social orderliness which represents for environmental friendliness, safety, altruism, quietness et cetera. Several logit model estimates were made using the samples from the six countries separately and together. We obtained three main findings. First, attitude variables about the car were all significant determinants for the entire sample from Asian countries. Second, the social orderliness aspect of public transit was a common concern of respondents from developing countries in selecting this mode for work trips. Third, in countries in which the intent to use a car was not very high, attitude factors about the car were found to be significant determinants of the behavioral intention to commute by car but were less significant in countries in which the desire to use a car was high.     

Willingness to accept longer commutes for better salaries: Understanding the differences within and between couples

This paper reports on an analysis aiming to understand differences across individual people in their willingness to accept increased commuting time in return for higher salary, using Hierarchical Bayes (HB) analysis of a dataset collected in Sweden. We find that socio-demographic and attitudinal differences are significant in explaining the variations in values of time for individuals, in particular income, who drives when carpooling and hours worked per week. Additionally we also examine the values of individuals when their choices also impact on the salary and commute of their partner, finding that incomes, income differentials, driving behaviour when carpooling, division of housework and car user decisions significantly explain the values assigned to others and variations in an individual’s own values once their partner is affected. The overall richness of the results reflect the benefits that posterior analysis can bring, and highlight the computational efficiency of Bayesian methods in producing such conditionals at an individual level.     

The intra-household choices regarding commuting and housing

This paper is an empirical analysis of the relationships between commuting decisions of spouses in dual-income households, where the role of housing and housing tenure is taken into account. The study is based on a large survey of US commuters and actual commuting and housing choices. Household commuting decisions are analyzed together with housing choices using the data from the 2001 American Housing Survey. A sample of dual-career spouses who commute to work by car only is used to explore the inter-relationship between male and female commuting decisions in such households and the effect of housing choices on their commuting. The inter-relationships between spousal commuting decisions are examined separately for the two forms of housing tenure: ownership and renting. In general, men commute further than women and owners commute further than renters.It is shown that for both renters and homeowners, journeys to work by men and women in such dual-earner households appear to be “complements” and not “substitutes”. This means that commute trips are jointly chosen to be longer (or shorter) for both spouses, as part of household selection of preferred housing and neighborhood characteristics. The residuals of equations explaining commute times and commute distances for men are strongly positively correlated with those for women. Many of the explanatory factors affect the men and women in similar ways. In particular, housing value is positively correlated with commute times and distances for both genders. The commute distance for women owners appears more sensitive to housing value than that of men, meaning women adjust their trips to work even more so than men do, as part of obtaining better housing.For both homeowners and renters, longer commute distances were correlated with higher salaries for both spouses. Somewhat surprisingly, it was found that commuting distances for women are similarly or even more sensitive to income increments than are those of men. Household size appears to affect women who own housing in ways opposite from those who rent. Other housing and neighborhood factors also affect the joint commuting decisions of these men and women.     

The relationship between land use and automobile travel utility: A Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes approach

The relationship between land use and the utility of automobile travel is examined by refining the utility concept, particularly by combining the microeconomic utility theory, which is concerned with the disutility of travel, and the perspective on the positive utility. A conceptual model is accordingly developed and then adjusted considering different purposes of travel. The purpose-specific models are tested through a Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes approach in Seoul, Korea, using datasets from a sample survey and geographic information systems. The major finding is that land use affects the utility mainly by changing synergy and affective utility rather than instrumental utility, which encompasses disutility variables. Among land use variables, the utility is found to be the most sensitive to the number of transit facilities for commuting and shopping travel and land use balance for leisure travel.     

Modeling the structural relationships among short-distance travel amounts,perceptions, affections,and desires

Using structural equation modeling, the relationships among travel amounts, perceptions, affections, and desires across five short-distance (one-way trips of less than 100 miles) travel categories (overall, commute, work/school-related, entertainment/social/recreation, and personal vehicle) are examined. The models are estimated using data collected in 1998 from more than 1300 working commuters in the San Francisco Bay Area. A cross-model analysis reveals three robust relationships, namely: (1) myriad measures of travel amounts work together to affect perceptions; (2) perceptions are consistently important in shaping desires; and (3) affections have a positive relationship with desires. The second finding suggests that two individuals who travel the same objective amount may not have the same desire to reduce their travel: how much individuals perceive their travel to be is important. The third point argues that the degree to which travel is enjoyed is a key determinant of shaping desires to reduce travel: the more travel is enjoyed, the less the desire to reduce it.