The Effects of Weather on University Students’ Activity-Travel Patterns: A Case Study in Batu Pahat, Johore

Abstract

Weather conditions influencing people’s activity-travel patterns, especially on students that portray more active lifestyles (e.g. conducting outdoor physical activities) than middle-age adult and elderly. However, this effects are still less explored in Malaysia, especially in Parit Raja, Johor. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effects of weather on students’ activity-travel patterns by analysing the association between weather parameters (temperature and humidity) and students’ activity-travel patterns in terms of travel time, number of trips, mode choice, and activity duration with regard to mandatory (e.g. study on campus) and non- mandatory (e.g. leisure and routine) activities. Initially, a total of 110 students were selected randomly among the undergraduate students of Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM). However, only 101 students were participated in this study. A one-day of weekday and one-day of weekend activity-travel data were collected by using stated and revealed preferences approach through travel diary and questionnaire instruments. Temperature and humidity hourly data were obtained from the internet sources. The obtained data was analysed by using SPSS software version 23 that include descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression as the model for analysis method. The results show that the number of trips, activity duration and travel time are much higher in weekday compared to weekend. The students preferred to use cars as their main modes to travel. Temperature significantly affect students’ activity-travel patterns in all activities. Mandatory activity-travel patterns is not affected by the weather attributes but otherwise for non-mandatory activity-travel patterns in terms of number of trips. However, all the effects are considered small, based on the adjusted R 2.