Transport Mode Choice Research Articles

Local-Level Challenges in Sustainable Mobility: Survey Results from the Baltic Sea Region

Transportation is a substantial source of greenhouse gas emissions; therefore, achieving climate neutrality requires focusing on sustainable transportation. An assessment of the literature indicated that municipalities can successfully implement sustainable transportation legislation and encourage behavioural shifts toward lower-emission mobility options by tailoring solutions to their community’s specific needs. This study examines travel patterns, reasons for mobility, and transportation mode choices in four European countries – Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Sweden – using survey data from 1 151 respondents in selected municipalities. Using survey data, this study seeks to evaluate public opinion on existing transportation policy measures, identify preferred policies, and highlight regional differences. Notably, Estonia and Latvia strongly preferred cycling, while private car use remained dominant in all regions, contributing to environmental concerns. The survey also investigated the elements that influence travel mode choices, and the most important ones were distance, journey time, comfort, convenience, and public transit availability. While support for sustainable transportation policies varies by country, the findings show a widespread desire for improved public transportation, pedestrian-friendly urban planning, and remote work options to reduce commuting. Municipalities must address issues such as housing and job disparities, as well as a lack of efficient public transportation in rural areas. These findings provide guidance for policymakers aiming to promote sustainable mobility and reduce transportation-related emissions, with an emphasis on measures that are tailored to regional contexts

Analysis of Transportation Mode Choice for Commuting To Campus (Case Study: Undergraduate and Graduate Students of the Faculty of Engineering Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta)

The parking lot density at the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY), reflects students' high use of motor vehicles. Various factors, including demographic characteristics, travel patterns, and the availability and limitations of public transportation infrastructure, influence this. However, no specific research has analyzed students' transportation mode choices at the Faculty of Engineering UMY and their impact on the campus parking capacity. This study aims to describe students' demographic and travel characteristics and analyze the parking capacity at the Faculty of Engineering UMY. The methods used were descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation analysis by distributing questionnaires to 98 respondents. The results show that most respondents are male, within the age range of 19-23 years. Most students have an income higher than the Provincial Minimum Wage (UMP), enabling them to own a private vehicle or pay for transportation costs. The primary transportation mode used by students is motorcycles. Private motorcycles dominate the transportation choice due to their efficiency for short trips (0-15 minutes or 1-7 km). Parking capacity analysis shows that the parking capacity for two-wheeled vehicles at the Faculty of Engineering UMY has exceeded its capacity with a saturation rate 1.21 during peak hours. Meanwhile, the parking facility or four-wheeled vehicles has reached 100%, with a saturation rate of 1, indicating that it is complete but has not exceeded capacity during peak hours. The conclusion of this study emphasizes that the choice of transportation mode for students at the Faculty of Engineering UMY is dominated by private vehicles, particularly motorcycles. This condition results in high parking saturation, which calls for transportation management strategies such as improving public transportation accessibility, regulating private vehicle usage policies, and optimizing parking spaces.

Transport emissions, carbon taxes, and modal choice

Transport emissions, carbon taxes, and modal choice

Strategies to Improve Public Transportation Services for Students of The University of Bengkulu

The choice of transportation mode is a crucial aspect of student mobility, especially in higher education environments with high levels of activity. Students tend to select transportation modes based on cost, travel time, convenience, accessibility, and safety. However, the high use of private vehicles among students has led to increased traffic congestion and road accidents, as seen in Bengkulu City. On the other hand, the suboptimal quality of public transportation services has contributed to the low interest of students in using public transport. This study aims to analyze the factors influencing the transportation mode choice of Universitas Bengkulu students and to evaluate the effectiveness of public transportation services. The method used is binary logistic regression analysis combined with stated preference to understand mode preferences based on cost and travel time comparisons. The resulting mode choice model indicates that students prefer private vehicles unless public transportation offers more competitive costs and travel times. The study results reveal that travel cost and time are the most influential factors in mode selection. If public transportation becomes more affordable or offers shorter travel times, students are more likely to switch to it. The study concludes that improving the quality of public transportation services, particularly in terms of cost efficiency and punctuality, can increase student interest in using public transport, thereby supporting a more sustainable transportation system.

Impact of Accessibility to Educational Facilities on Commuters’ Transportation Choices: Married Females and School-Age Children

This paper empirically analyzes the factors influencing the choice of transportation mode of commuters (especially married women), as well as the influence of accessibility to educational facilities on the choice of transportation mode of parents with school-age children. The results of this study suggest that improving public transportation and accessibility to educational facilities in the region will be important in relation to increasing public transportation usage. The longer it takes for students in a given area to commute to school using public transportation compared to driving, the more likely it is that parents will drive their children to or from school. An 8.4 min increase in elementary school students’ commuting by public transit leads to a decrease in the probability for their parents to choose public transit in their commuting by 55 percentage points. In addition, when the students are younger, the probability of using public transportation is lower. Married females’ education level and labor force participation have been increasing in Korea. Thus, their opportunity cost of driving their children to or from school rises and accessibility to educational facilities by public transit is more important than before.

Comparative analysis of human mobility patterns: utilizing taxi and mobile (SafeGraph) data to investigate neighbourhood-scale mobility in New York City

ABSTRACT Numerous researchers have utilized GPS-enabled vehicle data and SafeGraph mobility data to analyse human movements. However, the comparison of their ability to capture human mobility remains unexplored. This study investigates differences in human mobility using taxi trip records and the SafeGraph dataset in New York City neighbourhoods. The analysis includes neighbourhood clustering to identify population characteristics and a comparative analysis of mobility patterns. Our findings show that taxi data tends to capture human mobility to and from locations such as Lower Manhattan, where taxi demand is consistently high, while often underestimating the volume of trips originating from areas with lower taxi demand, particularly in the suburbs of NYC. In contrast, SafeGraph data excels in capturing trips to and from areas where commuting by driving one’s own car is common, but underestimates trips in pedestrian-heavy areas. The comparative analysis also sheds new light on transportation mode choices for trips across various neighbourhoods. The results of this study underscore the importance of understanding the representativeness of human mobility big data and highlight the necessity for careful consideration when selecting the most suitable dataset for human mobility research.

Machine Learning in Mode Choice Prediction as Part of MPOs’ Regional Travel Demand Models: Is It Time for Change?

This study aims to improve the predictive accuracy of metropolitan planning organizations’ (MPOs’) travel demand models (TDM) by unraveling the factors influencing transportation mode choices. By exploring the interplay between trip characteristics, socioeconomics, built environment features, and regional conditions, we aim to address existing gaps in MPOs’ TDMs which revolve around the need to also integrate non-motorized modes and a more comprehensive array of features. Additionally, our objective is to develop a more robust predictive model compared to the current nested logit (NL) and multinomial logit (MNL) models commonly employed by MPOs. We apply a one-vs-rest random forest (RF) model to predict mode choices (Home-based-Work, Home-Based-Other, and non-home-based) for over 800,000 trips by 80,000 households across 29 US regions. Validation results demonstrate the RF model’s superior performance compared to conventional NL/MNL models. Key findings highlight that increased travel time and distance are associated with more auto trips, while household vehicle ownership significantly affects car and transit choices. Built environment features, such as activity density, transit density, and intersection density, also play crucial roles in mode preferences. This study offers a more robust predictive framework that can be directly applied in MPO TDMs, contributing to more accurate and inclusive transportation planning.

Balinese Public Perception Towards Climate Change Adaptation (Case Study: Governor's Regulation No. 48 Of 2019 On the Use of Battery-Based Electric Motor Vehicles)

The Bali Provincial Government has welcomed the Indonesian government's commitment to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This study was conducted to determine the perception of the Balinese people towards the climate change adaptation policy that the Bali Provincial Government has made. The study was conducted qualitatively using content analysis. Interviews were conducted with respondents in the Sanur Tourism Area until the saturation point was reached. The results obtained were that most of the climate change perception stimuli were obtained through the sense of taste. There are three groups of perceptions, namely negative, positive, and neutral towards the policy of Governor Regulation No. 48 of 2019. In addition, some people feel the benefits and disadvantages personally and in the community. Based on the results of this study, it can be seen that the tendency of the formation of respondents' perceptions is based on the work environment and daily activities. However, this policy is considered impossible for most people who do not have a choice of transportation modes. It is hoped that this study can provide information to local governments.

Identifying main drivers for students and staff members’ choice or to work/study from home or attend university campus and their transport mode choice: a case study in Australia

Identifying main drivers for students and staff members’ choice or to work/study from home or attend university campus and their transport mode choice: a case study in Australia

Optimizing the Equality of Healthcare Services in Wuhan, China, Using a New Multimodal Two-Step Floating Catchment Area Model in Conjunction with the Hierarchical Maximal Accessibility Equality Model

The equity of medical services is crucial for the quality of life of a population and the sustainable development of cities. Current research on optimizing the maximal equity of medical facilities has the following limitations: (1) In the accessibility calculation models for multiple transportation modes, the impact of factors such as public transport transfers and travel distance on the choice of transportation mode is often overlooked. (2) Existing spatial equity indicators are mostly derived from the overall study area, failing to fully consider the differences in population distribution and development gaps within different development zones inside the region. This study proposes a novel Incorporating Multiple Transportation Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (IMT-2SFCA) and a Hierarchical Theil-based Maximal Accessibility Equality model (HT-MAE) to optimize the equity of access to tuberculosis medical institutions in Wuhan. The findings reveal that, compared to single-mode transportation accessibility models, the multimodal accessibility model integrates the characteristics of four transportation modes, providing a more realistic reflection of residents’ access to medical services. The optimization results show a significant improvement in the equity of access to medical services across Wuhan and among different economic development zones, although the equity indicators in non-central urban areas have declined. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis and practical insights for alleviating the inequality of access to medical services across different urban layers.

Enhanced utility estimation algorithm for discrete choice models in travel demand forecasting

Abstract Recent data-driven discrete choice models in travel demand forecasting have achieved improved predictability. However, such prediction improvements come at the cost of black-box models and lost transparency in travel demand forecasting, which makes scenario testing and transportation planning difficult (if not impossible). Furthermore, these predictability gains have often been modest compared to handcrafted parsimonious models, which benefit from enhanced behavioural interpretability and transparency. This paper introduces a novel bi-level model and estimation framework (DUET) to enhance predictability in traditional utility-based discrete choice models. The proposed model improves the specification process by identifying effective variable transformations and interactions in utility functions. Utilising a genetic algorithm, the upper level of our framework selects feasible functional forms from an extensive array, while the lower level applies iterative singular value decomposition and maximum likelihood estimation to optimise model parameters and prevent overfitting. This approach ensures superior predictability through a general utility functional form that considers extensive variable interactions. Case studies on both synthetic data and the Swissmetro dataset highlight the framework’s effectiveness in improving model performance and uncovering critical behavioural patterns and latent trends. Notably, incorporating interactions among variables in Swissmetro data, our model demonstrates a 6.5% improvement in the Brier score (probabilistic prediction accuracy) compared to the state-of-the-art deep neural network-based discrete choice model.Lastly, our results on transport mode choice data align with existing literature, indicating that younger individuals are less sensitive to travel costs. This confirms the need for targeted pricing policies to encourage public transit use among different age groups.

Perencanaan Angkutan Feeder (Rute Terminal Joyoboyo – Terminal Osowilangon)

Intermodal transportation embodies dynamic individual journeys as passengers transition by involving multiple transportation modes in one trip at multiple transportation node points. Feeder transportation is a means of transportation that provides facilities to all communities so that they can reach residential areas and commercial sectors in urban areas. Feeder transportation planning research aims to determine the socio-economic characteristics and travel characteristics of respondents which influence feeder transportation planning. Knowing the number and location of shelters in feeder transportation planning and knowing the number of fleets in feeder transportation planning, especially on the Joyoboyo Terminal - Osowilangon Terminal route. The method applied in this study was to provide questionnaires to several visitors to the Joyoboyo Terminal and Osowilangon Terminal with questions that had been compiled using the stated preference method. Determining the number and location of shelters referring to the Decree of the Directorate General of Land Transportation 1996 and calculating the performance of planned public transportation to be able to determine the number of planned fleets referring to the Decree of the Directorate General of Land Transportation 2002. The results obtained are that the socio-economic characteristics that influence feeder transportation planning are age, occupation, income and travel characteristics that influence feeder transportation planning, namely travel destination and choice of transportation mode. The number of shelters will be planned at 8 points, each of which is located along the planning route. The planned number of fleets from Joyoboyo Terminal - Osowilangon Terminal is 13 fleets and from Osowilangon Terminal - Joyoboyo Terminal is 19 fleets.

Economic Analysis of Supply Chain for Offshore Wind Hydrogen Production for Offshore Hydrogen Refueling Stations

In order to solve the problem of large-scale offshore wind power consumption, the development of an offshore wind power hydrogen supply chain has become one of the trends. In this study, 10 feasible options are proposed to investigate the economics of an offshore wind hydrogen supply chain for offshore hydrogen refueling station consumption from three aspects: offshore wind hydrogen production, storage and transportation, and application. The study adopts a levelized cost analysis method to measure the current and future costs of the hydrogen supply chain. It analyses the suitable transport modes for delivering hydrogen to offshore hydrogen refueling stations at different scales and distances, as well as the profitability of offshore hydrogen refueling stations. The study draws the following key conclusions: (1) the current centralised wind power hydrogen production method is economically superior to the distributed method; (2) gas-hydrogen storage and transportation is still the most economical method at the current time, with a cost of CNY 32.14/kg, which decreases to CNY 13.52/kg in 2037, on a par with the cost of coal-based hydrogen production using carbon capture technology; and (3) at the boundaries of an operating load factor of 70% and a selling price of CNY 25/kg, the offshore hydrogen refueling station. The internal rate of return (IRR) is 21%, showing good profitability; (4) In terms of the choice of transport mode for supplying hydrogen to the offshore hydrogen refueling station, gas-hydrogen ships and pipeline transport will mainly be used in the near future, while liquid organic hydrogen carriers and synthetic ammonia ships can be considered in the medium to long term.

Evaluating Middle-Distance Passenger Transportation: A Comparison of the Time Efficiency, Sustainability, and Break-Even Distances Between High-Speed-Rail and Air Travel in Sweden

Debate regarding the use of airplanes or high-speed trains in middle-distance passenger transportation has evolved into a strong field of research. With the aim to mitigate the environmental footprint of air travel, the European Union’s initiatives are focused on redirecting passengers from airplanes to high-speed trains. This shift is hampered by significant variations in train accessibility across Europe. Using Sweden as an example, we tested the break-even distance and evaluated the findings from both a time-efficiency perspective and a sustainability perspective. Airplanes hold the upper hand on high-speed trains in middle-distance passenger transportation from the time perspective. This perspective provides us with a clear answer, but if we consider the sustainability perspective, it may affect the results. The results indicate that the presented proof of concept makes sense and can be easily adapted to any decision-making process regarding the choice of the preferable transportation mode, although the procedure is extremely time consuming. For policymakers, this proof of concept can represent a priceless tool because the resulting figures carry valuable information about (under)developed and (less-)integrated transportation modes in commuting and transportation systems.

The Impact of Multitasking on Transport Mode Choice in Autonomous Vehicle Age

The Impact of Multitasking on Transport Mode Choice in Autonomous Vehicle Age

An Analysis of Transportation Mode Choice in Bitung City Using Structural Equation Modeling

Transportation is the foundation of daily life and is vital to a region's economic and social development. Transportation is a crucial aspect of human life, facilitating connections between locations. Mode choice is a critical consideration in transportation planning, influenced by cost, travel time, and comfort factors. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of travelers in Bitung City Regency and the factors influencing their choice of transportation modes in 2024. The research involved distributing an online questionnaire to 200 respondents and gathering data on various latent variables, including Travel Cost, Travel Time, Vehicle Condition, and Comfort Level. The analysis used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SPSS and AMOS software. The study revealed a significant gender disparity among the respondents, with men dominating the demographics at 60%. Most respondents were from the 26–35-year age group (40%), had a private status (35%), and had completed high school or vocational school (35%). Motorbikes were the most common regarding vehicle ownership, with 60% of respondents owning one. The SEM analysis revealed significant factors influencing transportation mode choice. Travel Time (WT) had a negative effect on Comfort Level (TK) and Vehicle Condition (KK), with t-values of -0.684 and -0.895, respectively, indicating that longer travel times reduce comfort and vehicle satisfaction. Vehicle Condition (KK) significantly influenced the preference for Online Transport (TO) and Conventional Ojek (OK) with t-values of 0.597 and 0.278, respectively. Comfort Level (TK) significantly impacted the preference for Public Transport (TU), Conventional Ojek (OK), and Online Transport (TO) with t-values of 0.728, 0.530, and 0.301, respectively. The findings of this research have practical implications, suggesting that enhancing travel time efficiency, vehicle conditions, and overall comfort can significantly influence mode choice preferences. These insights can engage and interest transportation planners, policymakers, and researchers, guiding future transportation planning and policymaking in Bitung City Regency.

The Effect of Access to Waterbodies and Parks on Walking and Cycling in Urban Areas

This pilot study investigated whether good and bad access to waterbodies and parks have different impacts on walking and cycling in neighborhoods in urban areas. Focusing on Paris, France, the neighborhoods were classified based on their access to the two natural environments through GIS analysis. Active mobility, past behavior, trip purpose, and subjective evaluation were collected through an online survey. The subjective evaluation included infrastructure satisfaction and the perception of transport mode choice, urban area aesthetic level, safety, health, and preference for active mobility over car use. Descriptive analyses, Mann–Whitney tests, and Fisher’s exact tests were conducted to compare between two access groups and between cycling and walking. Active mobility was mainly performed for utilitarian purposes. Weekly cycling frequency was found to be lower than walking. Access to natural environments mainly impacts walking. Contrary to general belief, cycling frequency is higher in neighborhoods with bad access to waterbodies than in ones with good access. Contrary to expectations, this study found little significant effect on active mobility in the accessibility to both natural environments. This study also highlights the influence of dominant active mobility purposes in urban areas with respect to access to natural environments, and provides a subjective evaluation for active mobility.

Analysis of the Choice of Transportation Modes from Lhokseumawe City to Medan City Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process Method

Inter-provincial movement activities from Lhokseumawe to Medan are busy travel routes because land routes connect many cities. Minibusses and buses serve transportation needs across these cities. Travelers choose minibusses because of their convenience, fast travel time, and comfort. The bus mode also offers smooth and comfortable travel, making it a popular choice among travelers on the Lhokseumawe to Medan route. This research aims to determine the characteristics and percentage of transportation mode choices by travelers. The approach used is the analytical hierarchy process method. The results of the analysis showed that the percentage of travelers interested in choosing a particular mode resulted in 42% of passengers choosing the Hiace Minibus, 24% selecting the Sempati Star Bus, 20% choosing the Putra Pelangi Bus, and 14% selecting the Kurnia Bus. The criteria that influence the choice of transportation mode are convenience with a percentage of 22%, time with a percentage of 19%, comfort with a percentage of 16%, cost with a percentage of 15%, headway and safety with a percentage of 14%.

Anti-coronas and germophobic neurotics: rationalising choices to use or not use public transport during the pandemic

The paper adds to the growing literature that considers how COVID-19 has impacted on public transport. It reports on a focus group study in Denmark with both users and non-users of public transport during the pandemic. Focus group participants were asked to talk about and explain their everyday transport mode choices. Whereas the study was based on the assumption that ‘fear of transmission’ would have come to represent a readymade rationalisation resource for people to use to justify if they do not want to use public transport, the participants consistently resisted to rationalise their mode choice-decisions with reference to ‘fear of contagion’. The paper considers if this resistance can be understood as an example of a tension between more governmental and biopolitical governance strategies and more disciplinary governance strategies in liberal societies during the pandemic. It offers a detailed analysis of how participants pre-empt the relevance of risk of contagion for their travel decisions in focus group interaction, and it concludes suggesting its findings indicate a little-explored domain: It appears as if passengers cannot admit to ‘fear of contagion’ without risking appearing incapable of governing themselves in line with liberal governmentalities, thus potentially subjecting themselves to more disciplinary interventions.

Involving Infrastructure as a Latent Variable in Active Transportation Mode Choice: The Case Study of Baghdad City

Infrastructural developments have been implemented with the objective of promoting active transportation as a sustainable transportation mode, including the construction of cycling and walking routes and the improvement of existing infrastructure. The impact of this factor on ridership has been a subject of research, and the incorporation of this variable into mode choice models has also been contemplated. Nevertheless, road users’ perception regarding the utilization of these infrastructures has yet to be investigated. Accordingly, this research aims to examine the role of infrastructure provision for walking and cycling as a Latent Variable (LV) in the transport mode choice of high school students in Baghdad City, where this subject has not been previously addressed. A self-designed questionnaire was employed to collect the requisite data. The Integrated Choice and Latent Variable (ICLV) models have been designed and the results demonstrate that the time and cost of trips have a significant impact on the choice of transportation mode. Furthermore, the provision of walking and cycling infrastructure has a notable effect on the choice of walking and cycling for transport. The sub-models indicate that the provision of cycling fences and pedestrian bridges are the most significant variables. Consequently, it is recommended that these results be considered in the provision and improvement of cycling and walking infrastructures to promote active transportation.