Use of GPS and self-reported data to evaluate daily trips and the impact of travel information

Abstract

Daily trips in medium-sized cities are based more on habitual patterns, resulting sometimes in less optimal route choices. In this study, an attempt is made to investigate trips in a medium-sized city and evaluate them to explore the impact of travel information. To achieve that, a survey of two phases was performed. First, self-reported and GPS data of an examined group of 96 participants of the University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece was collected. The data was used to evaluate the daily trips in terms of travel time, cost, and environmental friendliness. Second, a stated preference survey was designed targeted at motorized vehicle users of the examined group. The survey investigated the extent that shared information on social media can be used to recommend a different route than the usual one or convince them to shift to a sustainable way of transportation.