Sustainable Travel Behavior and Perspectives on the Daily Commute – A Questionnaire Survey in a Typical Mid-Sized Greek City

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between commuters’ travel behavior and sustainable transport modes infrastructure in the city of Volos (a mid-sized Greek city) during the years of economic crisis (2008–2017). The scope of this survey was to study how the travel behavior has changed during the examined years and if there is a preference to sustainable transportation. The study was based on a questionnaire survey conducted on a random sample of 293 individuals through personal interviews in the year 2017. The questionnaire was formed of 32 questions divided into four parts. This study supports that citizens have changed their travel behavior in the city during the examined years, favoring the use of sustainable transport modes. The recovery of Greek economy from economic crisis should not be an excuse to increase use of private vehicles but an opportunity to change commuters travel behavior in urban areas and promote sustainable transport modes with relative societal, environmental and economic benefits.