Time Allocation Modeling for Weekend Travel in Tokyo, Using Combined Utility Maximization and Activity Choice Approaches

Abstract

Travel time saving benefit is conventionally expressed as a function of wages due to increase in production time. In Japan, value of time saving is considered higher during weekends than on weekdays. The primary reason for this is that people have limited time in the weekend to allocate for activities that are not normally done on a weekday, in particular, recreational activities with family. Explaining the higher value of weekend time saving with the conventional logic of increased production time is rather difficult. So this research proposes a new method that incorporates individual life style priority to explain the phenomenon. The objective of this research is to develop a weekend time allocation model using revealed preference (RP) method with weekend time allocation data and stated preference (SP) method with individual activity extension choice data The underpinning theories are the psychological theory of needs from Maslow (1970), the utility maximization of consumer theory, and discrete choice models. The resulting model is a combination of two approaches: the utility maximization (using RP data) and activity choice by marginal utility (using SP data).