Understanding transantiago users’ motivations for paying or evading payment of bus fares

Abstract

Transantiago, the public transport system implemented in Santiago, Chile, remains a controversial subject of public debate due to constantly increasing fare evasion rates throughout its decade-long existence. TheTransantiago, the public transport system implemented in Santiago, Chile, remains a controversial subject of public debate due to constantly increasing fare evasion rates throughout its decade-long existence. The research question under consideration in this paper is as follows: What motivates individuals to evade or pay bus fares? To answer this question, we developed a multidisciplinary study that combined relevant engineering expertise with a sociological perspective and combined quantitative analyses with qualitative methodologies to include new variables and categories that previous studies on the subject have omitted. We formulated a poll, which was administered to Transantiago, the public transport system implemented in Santiago, Chile, remains a controversial subject of public debate due to constantly increasing fare evasion rates throughout its decade-long existence. The research question under consideration in this paper is as follows: What motivates individuals to evade or pay bus fares? To answer this question, we developed a multidisciplinary study that combined relevant engineering expertise with a sociological perspective and combined quantitative analyses with qualitative methodologies to include new variables and categories that previous studies on the subject have omitted. We formulated a poll, which was administered to 503 public transport system users. The data we obtained were analyzed using a factor analysis. As a result, we identified 6 dimensions that explain motivations for fare evasion: i) behavior and social norms, ii) the public transport service’s image, iii) social acceptance of evasion, iv) trip planning, v) anti-evasion methods, and vi) fear of law enforcement. public transport system users. The data we obtained were analyzed using a factor analysis. As a result, we identified 6 dimensions that explain motivations for fare evasion: i) behavior and social norms, ii) the public transport service’s image, iii) social acceptance of evasion, iv) trip planning, v) anti-evasion methods, and vi) fear of law enforcement. research question under consideration in this paper is as follows: What motivates individuals to evade or pay bus fares? To answer this question, we developed a multidisciplinary study that combined relevant engineering expertise with a sociological perspective and combined quantitative analyses with qualitative methodologies to include new variables and categories that previous studies on the subject have omitted. We formulated a poll, which was administered to 503 public transport system users. The data we obtained were analyzed using a factor analysis. As a result, we identified 6 dimensions that explain motivations for fare evasion: i) behavior and social norms, ii) the public transport service’s image, iii) social acceptance of evasion, iv) trip planning, v) ineffective anti-evasion measures, and vi) fear of law enforcement.