Gendered mode choice preferences and characteristics for educational trips in Abbottabad, Pakistan: An empirical investigation

Abstract

Educational trips are a major component of traffic in peak hours on working days. For proper trip forecasting, gendered preferences and dynamics must be understood. This study identifies gender-based model choices, preferences, and travel characteristics among school-going children and investigates the satisfaction level regarding public transport in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Using Slovin’s sampling method, a total of 370 samples were collected. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and paired sample t-tests were conducted to determine the significant differences between genders and their travel characteristics. For public transport satisfaction, an index was constructed using indicators extracted from a rigorous literature review. The results show a significant difference between the mode choices and preferences of boys and girls. There was no significant difference in travel time, distance, and cost, but boys tended to make more trips than girls. The satisfaction level shows that girls had a more negative opinion about public transport than boys. This study argues that transport and urban planners must incorporate both gender preferences for developing transportation alternatives for students.