The role of travel satisfaction and attitudes toward travel modes in the prospect of adoption of urban air taxis: Evidence from a stated preference survey in Tehran

Abstract

Urban air mobility (UAM) is a new mode of transportation which has the potential to curb congestion in urban areas by providing a fast alternative that bypasses surface-level traffic by employing low altitude urban airspace. However, the successful adoption of this innovation among other modes of transportation remains a critical challenge, as public acceptance plays a pivotal role in the uptake of any emerging technology or service. To transcend traditional ground transportation, it is imperative to investigate the factors that drive a transition from current modes, particularly private cars, to the utilization of urban air taxis (UATs). While prior research has explored different aspects of UAM adoption, there is a notable dearth of studies examining the influence of travel satisfaction and attitudes towards travel modes on the preference for UAM. Notably, existing transportation literature has established that both satisfaction and attitudes significantly shape travel behavior. To achieve this, a stated preference survey was conducted in the Tehran metropolitan area, and a multinomial logit model incorporating latent variables was developed to assess the influence of socio-demographic and psychological factors on UAM adoption in hypothetical scenarios with predetermined travel times and costs. The findings highlight the pivotal role of service cost and affordability, with individuals of higher incomes exhibiting a significant inclination toward UAT adoption. The adoption of UAT is significantly higher when the cost is comparable to the existing modes. Moreover, satisfaction components, specifically enjoyment and time-saving benefits, exert a significant influence on UAT preference. Unfavorable perceptions towards private cars and ride-hailing services positively contribute to the likelihood of preferring UAT, with a greater impact observed for negative attitudes towards ride-hailing. The study explicitly underscores the influence of travel satisfaction and attitudes towards conventional modes of transportation on the adoption of innovative alternatives such as air taxis within the context of mode choice scenarios.