Do cycling facilities matter during the COVID-19 outbreak? A stated preference survey of willingness to adopt bicycles in an Indonesian context

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate to what level bicycles can replace motorized vehicles during the outbreak. The survey respondents were asked to choose between a bicycle and existing motorized vehicles for seven choice scenarios based on traffic congestion and bicycle infrastructure. This study integrated a multiple-indicator, multiple-cause (MIMIC) and a mixed logit model to examine the attitudes change caused by the outbreak and the social influences on the preference for bicycles. The results indicated that developing bicycle infrastructure encourages the adoption of bicycles, although most users tend to come from low-income and less-educated people. Based on the MIMIC model results, this study found significant differences in attitudes change and social influences across respondents’ socioeconomic characteristics, as male respondents were more likely to be easily influenced by their friends with respect to cycling than females. Attitudes change related to global warming and environmental consciousness also affected the preference for bicycles.