Understanding the impact of occasional activities on travelers’ preferences for mobility-as-a-service: A stated preference study

Abstract

Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) is a promising solution for sustainable mobility and has therefore received considerable attention from researchers. People have complicated travel diaries. Larger households, especially with children, with a limited number of cars, are essentially prone to delays or travel cancellations. MaaS options fill this gap for such families by offering mobility options accessible at low ownership costs. This paper investigates the impact of non-mandatory trips (mandatory trips include work and school) on MaaS subscription preferences. Different likelihoods of occurrence and the corresponding travel pattern shifts are examined using a stated preference survey of 997 individuals in Hong Kong. A two-stage model is developed: we first calibrate individual risk attitudes using the Constant Relative Risk Aversion (CRRA) utility function. Then we develop several mixed logit models that incorporate risks associated with activities and the response of travelers to the scale of such uncertainty on mode shift decisions. The results reveal that respondents tend to be more multimodal after subscribing to a MaaS bundle, and the use of a taxi is greatly encouraged after subscription. In terms of users’ risk preference, we find that more risk-averse individuals tend to be reluctant to subscribe to MaaS bundles when the level of uncertainty increases. Moreover, our findings demonstrate that travelers are more willing to pay for flexible travel options and have a higher value of time when facing uncertainties (i.e., in the presence of occasional activities). These findings can provide valuable insights for both policymakers and MaaS operators, reflecting users’ perceptions regarding the features of MaaS.