Household car and motorcycle ownership in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur in comparison with Nagoya

Abstract

This study investigates household car and motorcycle ownership behaviours in the Asian metropolises of Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur (developing countries), and of Nagoya (developed country). Mode choice models are first estimated to calculate accessibility measures, and then car and motorcycle ownership models are estimated using bivariate ordered probit models with the accessibility measures as explanatory variables. Inter-regional comparisons and spatial transferability analysis are conducted. Results suggest that: (i) accessibility measures and car and motorcycle ownership behaviour are correlated; (ii) car and motorcycle ownership is substitutable in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, but is complementary in Nagoya; (iii) car and motorcycle ownership behaviour in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur is similar and quite distinct from Nagoya; and (iv) car and motorcycle ownership behaviour in Nagoya in 1981 was closer than the ownership behaviour in Nagoya in 1991 and 2001 to the behaviour in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. Policy implications are also discussed.