Exploring intercity passengers’ attitudes and loyalty to intercity passenger rail: Evidence from an on-board survey

Abstract

The journey to access a passenger rail station has been found to be an important factor in determining whether passengers choose rail as a transport mode alternative. Along with access to rail services, several factors make a transportation system more competitive and appealing to passengers and can influence users' loyalty to the service, such as fare level, service frequency, the quality of the waiting environment, and in-vehicle amenities. However, intercity passengers' attitudes and intentions to travel by rail are not fully understood to date. This paper explores loyalty to intercity passenger rail by i) assessing intercity passengers' attitudes towards intercity rail and other transportation modes for intercity travel through the use of a multi-attribute attitude model and ii) modeling passengers' intention to ride the train in the short and long terms through the use of a bivariate ordered probit model. The proposed methodology is demonstrated in the context of an intercity rail service in the Midwest using data from an on-board survey. The findings of this study suggest that attitudes towards transportation modes for intercity trips can vary by level of access to a rail line. For example, intercity train was found to be the most favorable mode for riders who traveled less than two miles to access a station. Furthermore, available parking facilities near the train stations and on-board amenities, such as space for storing luggage and the availability of bike-cars and other services, can positively affect riders’ intention to use the train. It was also found that specific population groups, such as captive riders and riders who drive less than 100 miles per week, were more likely to ride the train in the future. The results of this study can help intercity rail operators identify the aspects of rail service that can be enhanced to attract more ridership and maximize customer retention.