Metro Users Research Articles

Roles of Psychological Resistance to Change Factors and Heterogeneity in Car Stickiness and Transit Loyalty in Mode Shift Behavior: A Hybrid Choice Approach

To support the scientific policy making and planning for promoting the share rate of sustainable public transit in urban areas of large metropolises, this study analyzes the influences of psychological resistance to change factors on commuters’ mode shift behavior while some external changes happen in the transport supplies. The heterogeneities in the car users’ stickiness to car and the metro users’ loyalty to metro are examined to support individual-specific travel behavior prediction. Web-scripted efficient experimental stated preference surveys including four commuting modes and three key factors are generated, and face-to-face interviews are conducted to collect reliable behavioral data. A hybrid choice approach, simultaneously considering the latent variables and quantitative level-of-service variables of different options, is employed for analysis. The results indicate that psychological resistance to change factors (routine seeking, cognitive rigidity, and emotion reaction) have significant and substantial influences on car users’ inclination to previously used commuting mode (i.e., car) in mode shift behavior. Car users with stronger routine seeking, stronger cognitive rigidity, and less emotion reaction show more predilection to car. Car users’ income level, gender, marital status, commuting distance, commuting time, license type, and flexible work time are found to partially explain the heterogeneity in car stickiness. In-vehicle crowding of public transit is a much more crucial factor for attracting car users to shift to public transit as compared to cost and travel time. Metro users with stronger routine seeking and less emotion reaction present a stronger inclination to metro in mode shift behavior. The influences of psychological resistance to change factors on metro users’ mode shift behavior are comparatively smaller than the influences of these factors on car users’ behavior. Metro users’ age, education level, commuting distance, commuting time, occupation, and flexible work time are identified to be associated with predilections for metro.

The underlying effect of public transport reliability on users’ satisfaction

Service reliability has an important impact on the satisfaction stated by public transport users with the service they receive. The main source of unreliability is found in headway variance, which also affects waiting times and distributes passengers unevenly across vehicles. However, it is still unclear how headway irregularity, with its impact in waiting, crowdedness and reliability, affect travellers’ service satisfaction. Different stated preference studies have identified non-linear impacts produced by overcrowding. However, none of these studies is directly related to users’ satisfaction evaluation. In this study, we investigate the existence of this non-linearity in users’ satisfaction caused by both the crowding level and the number of denied boardings through a post-service satisfaction survey of bus and metro users. An Ordered Logit Model was estimated, accounting for sample heteroscedasticity and preference heterogeneity. Overall, there is a significant and negative perception of the bus mode, keeping all other attributes equal. For users under 35 years old, comfort experienced almost always plays an important role in service satisfaction, while for those over 35 years old women are significantly more sensitive to this attribute. Most important, crowding has a negative and non-linear impact on how passengers evaluate their travel satisfaction. Using a Likert-type scale, this curve is convex. This relationship between crowding and satisfaction might bias service planning and delivery if performance indicators associated to service are not properly weighted by the number of passengers served. Improving level of service indicators in this direction might provide public transport agencies a clearer and more accurate perception of the actual users’ experience.

Understanding factors influencing public transport passengers\u2019 pre-travel information-seeking behaviour

This paper investigates factors influencing public transport passengers’ pre-travel information-seeking behaviours in a British urban environment. Public transport traveller surveys were conducted to better understand the journey stages at which information was sought and the information sources used. A multivariate explanatory model of pre-travel information-seeking behaviour was developed using binomial logistic regression. Explanatory factors considered include socio-demographics, trip context, frequency of public transport use, information sources used, and smartphone ownership and use. Findings suggest that travel behaviour (5 + trips weekly, and < 1 trip weekly), socio-demographics (unemployment/unknown employment), trip context (journey planning stages, mode of transport), and preferred information sources (Internet site, word-of-mouth, visits to travel shop/centre/library) were significant predictors of pre-travel information-seeking behaviours among surveyed travellers. While the final model found that bus users are significantly associated with the use of Internet sites as a source of pre-travel information, rail users rely significantly on a multiplicity of sources comprising Internet sites, word-of-mouth, and visits to a travel shop/centre/library. The final model suggests that metro (light rail) users tend not to seek pre-travel information. The odds of seeking pre-travel public transport information are 2.512 times greater for respondents who reported < 1 trip per week as opposed to those who reported 5 + trips per week. These findings are relevant for passenger information strategies deployed by operators and authorities and can be used to caution against a “one size fits all” strategy for travel information service provision. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Influence of microscale environmental factors on perceived walk accessibility to metro stations

Despite the successful implementation of metros in densely populated Indian cities, only scant attention has been paid by government officials, planners and researchers to improving pedestrian accessibility to metro stations. The present study attempts to explore the impact of various microscale built environmental factors on pedestrian satisfaction with regard to access to metro stations, gathering comprehension into design strategies and policy interventions that can improve pedestrian access. Personal interviews were conducted among metro users living in the vicinity of metro stations in Delhi, India. Information was collected on individual, household and trip characteristics and attitude of people on various environmental factors affecting pedestrian access to the metro. The database collected was analyzed by developing structural equation models. It has been found that four latent constructs affect the perception of pedestrian access to metro stations: safety and security; comfort and convenience; mobility and infrastructure, and traffic factors. Among all the latent constructs, safety and security is the most influential factor regarding pedestrian access, suggesting that it should be explicitly considered as the main factor for understanding the pedestrian access to metro stations. The findings of the study not only call on researchers to explore an inclusive set of environmental and psychological factors affecting pedestrian accessibility to metro stations, but also to understand various aspects of people’s satisfaction in using pedestrian facilities, and in addition for the planners to endorse various design perspectives that will generate a more acceptable and satisfactory pedestrian environment around the metro stations.

Effect of Walkability on Users Choice of “Walking” the Last Mile to Transit Stations: A Case of Delhi Metro

&lt;em&gt;There is growing recognition of the importance of Last Mile Connectivity (LMC) to mass transit systems. In the context of Delhi, albeit a shift can be seen in the provisioning of LMC, and despite previous studies indicating that more than 50% of metro rail users walk to and/or from metro stations, yet the seriousness with which pedestrian environment is woven into transit planning is lacking.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;The paper is based on an empirical study conducted by the author, of approximately 800 samples of metro users surveyed across seven stations of Delhi Metro, representing different station typologies, ridership and locational contexts. The paper focuses on the “walk” choice of users across a variety of factors related to their socio-economic strata, trip characteristics and station context. A parallel study is conducted to audit the pedestrian environment within one kilometre distance around each station. The paper further attempts to investigate whether pedestrian environment affects user choice of opting for “walk” as the last mile choice. It also ranks the performance of the case stations in terms of various attributes of walkability.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;In conclusion, the paper contends that overall walkability environment offered to transit commuters is crucial in the share of walk trips for last mile commute and the distance commuters are willing to walk. It recommends that walking as LMC choice needs to be promoted through enhanced user experience in absence of which a significant amount of last mile travel will happen through unsustainable mechanised modes.&lt;/em&gt;

The Dynamic Optimization of the Departure Times of Metro Users during Rush Hour in an Agent-Based Simulation: A Case Study in Shenzhen, China

As serious traffic problems have increased throughout the world, various types of studies, especially traffic simulations, have been conducted to investigate this issue. Activity-based traffic simulation models, such as MATSim (Multi-Agent Transport Simulation), are intended to identify optimal combinations of activities in time and space. It is also necessary to examine commuting-based traffic simulations. Such simulations focus on optimizing travel times by adjusting departure times, travel modes or travel routes to present travel suggestions to the public. This paper examines the optimal departure times of metro users during rush hour using a newly developed simulation tool. A strategy for identifying relatively optimal departure times is identified. This study examines 103,637 person agents (passengers) in Shenzhen, China, and reports their average departure time, travel time and travel utility, as well as the numbers of person agents who are late and miss metro trips in every iteration. The results demonstrate that as the number of iterations increases, the average travel time of these person agents decreases by approximately 4 min. Moreover, the latest average departure time with no risk of being late when going to work is approximately 8:04, and the earliest average departure time with no risk of missing metro trips when getting off work is approximately 17:50.

Impact of Metro-Embedded Data Centers on Metropolitan Network Design and Traffic Profile

Traditional data centers (DCs) that are located in distant areas usually lack flexibility and also have long service latency for metro users. On the other hand, the recently introduced and implemented metro-embedded data center (ME-DC) architecture, based on micro-data centers (mDCs), delivers more flexible services with less access latency. Hierarchical software-defined network control is employed to virtualize and holistically coordinate the distributed mDCs and metro network slices into a reconfigurable virtual data center. Such an approach improves the overall resource mobility and access to the service; however, the impact on the metro network traffic profile induced by user/mDC and inter-mDC connections due to the dispersion of mDCs has not been evaluated. In this paper, we develop a mixed integer linear programming model that optimizes the total DC traffic, taking into consideration the intra-, inter-, and external DC communications. Furthermore, we numerically assess the changes in the metro network traffic induced by ME-DC architecture, considering different types of DCs and their corresponding traffic profile. Simulation shows that the distribution of the mDCs has a beneficial effect, leading to a fourfold reduction in the total traffic load.

The study to estimate the floating population in Seoul, Korea.

Traffic-related pollutants have been reported to increase the morbidity of respiratory diseases. In order to apply management policies related to motor vehicles, studies of the floating population living in cities are important. The rate of metro rail transit system use by passengers residing in Seoul is about 54% of total public transportation use. Through the rate of metro use, the people-flow ratios in each administrative area were calculated. By applying a people-flow ratio based on the official census count, the floating population in 25 regions was calculated. The reduced level of deaths among the floating population in 14 regions having the roadside monitoring station was calculated as assuming a 20% reduction of mobile emission based on the policy. The hourly floating population size was calculated by applying the hourly population ratio to the regional population size as specified in the official census count. The number of people moving from 5 a.m. to next day 1 a.m. could not be precisely calculated when the population size was applied, but no issue was observed that would trigger a sizable shift in the rate of population change. The three patterns of increase, decrease, and no change of population in work hours were analyzed. When the concentration of particulate matter less than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter was reduced by 20%, the number of excess deaths varied according to the difference of the floating population. The effective establishment of directions to manage the pollutants in cities should be carried out by considering the floating population. Although the number of people using the metro system is only an estimate, this disadvantage was supplemented by calculating inflow and outflow ratio of metro users per time in the total floating population in each region. Especially, 54% of metro usage in public transport causes high reliability in application.

Urban transport carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by commuters in rapidly developing Cities: The comparative study of Beijing and Xi’an in China

To understand the changing relationships between commuting CO2 emissions (CCE), travel behavior and urban forms, this paper provides a comparative study between the typical Chinese cities of Beijing (more developed) and Xi’an (rapidly developing). Further, the effects of metro services on reducing CCE were explored, and comparative analysis on CCE between the inner sprawling suburbs and outer suburbs was conducted. It was found that: (i) the increases in CCE are several times larger than the increases in urban size, population, and economic developments; (ii) metro services reducing CCE near metro stations is not statistically significant, maybe because the proportions of car users near the metro stations are similar to the two cities’ average levels, which is caused by their higher household income and the longer travel time using the metro; (iii) in Beijing, there are smallest CCE in the outer suburbs due to job-housing balances, short distance and large percentage of non-motorized mode uses while largest CCE in the inner sprawl suburbs due to car trips with long distance. These findings indicate that to cope with the rapidly increasing CCE, more attention should be paid to developing strong industry and real-estate simultaneously; the improvement in the feeder bus and public bicycle systems should also be reinforced to reduce the total travel time of metro users; and satellite cities with job-housing balance are greatly needed. The implications will benefit efforts to reduce CCE and mitigate global climate change, and they also provide empirical evidence and reference values for other global cities.

Modeling metro users' travel behavior in Tehran: Frequency of Use

Transit-oriented development (TOD), as a sustainable supporting strategy, emphasizes the improvement of public transportation coverage and quality, land use density and diversity of around public transportation stations and priority of walking and cycling at station areas. Traffic, environmental and economic problems arising from high growth of personal car, inappropriate distribution of land use, and car-orientation of metropolitan area, necessitate adoption of TOD. In recent years, more researches on urban development and transportation have focused on this strategy. This research considering metro stations as base for development, aims to model metro users' travel behavior and decision-making procedures. In this regard, research question is: what are the parameters or factors affecting in the frequency of travel by metro in half-mile radius from stations. The radius was determine based on TOD definitions and 5 minute walking time to metro stations. A questionnaire was designed in three sections that including travel features by metro, attitudes toward metro, economic and social characteristics of respondents. Ten stations were selected based on their geographic dispersion in Tehran and a sample of 450 respondents was determined. The questionnaires were surveyed face to face in (half-mile) vicinity of metro stations. Based on a refined sample on 400 questionnaires ordered discrete choice models were considered. Results of descriptive statistics show that 38.5 percent of the sample used metro more than 4 times per week. Trip purpose for 45.7 percent of metro users is work. Access mode to the metro stations for nearly half of the users (47.6 percent) is bus. Results of ordered logit models show a number of significant variables including: habit of using the metro, waiting time in station, trip purpose (working, shopping and recreation), personal car access mode to the metro station, walking access mode to the metro station and being a housewife.

Binary Logistic Model for Estimation of Mode Shift into Delhi Metro

This paper aims to study the public transport mode choice behaviour of commuters in Delhi so that appropriate strategies to incentivize the use of public transport can be developed. We examine the efficacy of a multivariate statistical modelling approach to predict the probability of non-metro commuters to shift to the Delhi metro. We also analyse the reasons for this shift from private motor vehicles (PMVs) and buses. Data is collected through a survey of the metro commuters over various metro lines. A binomial logistic regression model is formulated to predict whether existing metro users have shifted from buses or are new additions to public transport shifting from PMVs. The model is validated well through several methods. The model analysis reveals that 57% of the metro users have shifted from buses and 28.8% from PMVs. The shift is more amongst females than males.

Estimation of a Negative Binomial Regression Model for Train Service Choice by Metro Users

Estimation of a Negative Binomial Regression Model for Train Service Choice by Metro Users

Valuation of sitting and standing in metro trains using revealed preferences

The estimation of differences in the value of in-vehicle time sitting and standing is usually made with stated choice (SC) data, partly due to the lack of revealed preference data. In this paper, we use the observed behaviour of a subset of metro users in Singapore, who are willing to travel a longer time (into the opposite direction or backwards) to secure a seat for the actual trip in the direction towards their destination. We use smart card transactions to estimate the share of users who are willing to travel in the opposite direction during the first part of their trip and the average train occupancy per section to estimate differences in the valuation of travel time sitting and standing – translated into a standing multiplier or standing premium, which is analogous to the crowding multiplier that is usually found in the crowding valuation literature. We find that the standing multiplier is between 1.18 and 1.24 with the current crowding levels in the morning peak and can be as much as 1.55 with a density of 3 standing passengers per square metre. The results are compared to previous SC studies from other countries. The values found here are an indication of a standing premium that can be used to assess the social benefit of increasing the seat capacity of a public transport system and of applying peak spreading strategies.

Analysis of the Factors Influencing the Use of Public Buses in Delhi

AbstractMany people use public bus transport to commute to work in Delhi. The mode share of the bus trip has reduced from 60% in 2001 to 41% today. Only 3% of this population shifted to the Delhi metro (57% of metro users are cannibalized from buses); hence, it is clear that there is a drastic increase in the use of private vehicles in Delhi. If a high share of bus trips has to be retained in the future, specific policy interventions may be required based on the needs and perceptions of commuters. In this study, a survey of existing bus commuters is conducted, and their profile and perceptions are recorded. It is clear that vehicle ownership has a positive correlation with household income. Responses also reveal with a strong statistical significance that crowding is an attribute that inhibits people from using public buses, and buses are perceived to be relatively safer and more secure by male commuters than their female counterparts.

An Integrated Model to Evaluate the Level-of-Service of Urban Rail Transfer Facilities in Consistent with User Perception

A comprehensive assessment method of the individual level-of-service (LOS) evaluation criteria (i.e., the mobility convenience, information provision, comfort, amenities, and safety and security) of an urban railway station, which is a public transportation facility in the selected area, was developed by surveying the facility status and the behavior of transfer pedestrians. The proposed method was established by analyzing the relationship between various quantitative factors, such as facility characteristics and usage scale of urban rail transfer stations, and qualitative service level represented by the perceived LOS of metro users. Analysis results showed that the consistency between of the assessed LOS score and the perceived LOS of actual facility users ranged from a minimum of 76.8% to a maximum of 93.4% depending on the assessment criteria, whereas the consistency derived from the comprehensive assessment was 93.7%, which made it possible to verify the accuracy and objectivity of the proposed LOS assessment method.

Development of Metro Congestion Information System for a Mobile Device

The necessity of shifting the policy focus from supply-side initiatives such as physical-capacity expansion to demand-side initiatives including ease of congestion is newly rising as a compelling method of improving the general ride quality of the metro users. In an effort to catch up with such shifting trend, a system schematic that will update the congestion status of the metro lines via mobile devices is suggested through this study, along with the development of a smartphone application to realize this service idea. The developed smartphone application allows the metro passengers to identify the congested area of each station platform and to receive information on the congestion level of each train and car. Through such assistance, the metro congestion information system can improve the overall convenience of the metro passengers by helping them identify the congestion level across the metro lines.

Access–egress and other travel characteristics of metro users in Delhi and its satellite cities

We present details of access–egress as well as other travel characteristics of metro users in Delhi, and its satellite cities. For this study, we conducted an on-board survey of metro commuters (n=1112) in 2011. Survey respondents reported use of seven different modes to access metro stations, with 55% using non-motorized modes. The alternative modes reported by the respondents indicate that, in the absence of metro, a majority of commuters will use bus, and up to 40% will use private motorized modes. Up to 18% of the respondents may not have made the trips if metro was not available, indicating a significant proportion of induced trips. We used multinomial logistic regression models to understand the factors associated with the choice of access–egress modes, as well as alternative mode, for the current trip. Trip length, vehicle ownership, location of metro station (classified as administrative units within Delhi, and neighbouring cities), and population density around metro station have statistically significant associations with the choice of access/egress modes. Alternative modes of metro trips are found to be dependent on trip length and vehicle ownership. We found that up to 88% of metro trips have an interconnectivity ratio with the range of 0.2 to 0.5, with 0.4 as the mean, corroborating the results of [13] for a European setting. The results indicate that this ratio may be universally applicable, thus making it a robust parameter to assess, or forecast, ridership of public transportation systems.

도시철도 환승시설의 안전 및 편의성 향상을 위한 통로 폭 산정에 관한 연구

최근 도시철도 역사 및 환승시설의 이용객 수용을 위한 규모가 미흡하여 극심한 혼잡상황이 반복됨에 따라 이용객의 불편이 증가하고 있으며, 비상상황 발생 시 이용객의 군집이동에 의한 대규모 사고가 예측되고 있다. 이에 환승시설 개선에 가장 효율적인 환승통로 폭에 대하여 개선안을 제시하고자 설계지침의 환승통로 폭 산정식과 보행 서비스 수준(LOS)의 이론적 근거를 검토하고 환승통로 모의실험과 5개 역사 현장조사를 실시하였다. 보행환경 모의실험 결과 LOS E등급은 평균보행속도를 내기 어려우며 충돌을 피하기 위한 움직임이 빈번함을 알 수 있었고, 피난상황인 경우 대규모 참사가 발생할 수 있으므로 환승통로의 LOS는 D등급으로 상향이 필요하다. 또한 LOS D, E등급에서 밀도 값의 범위가 큼으로 인하여 최대 및 최소 밀도로 산정되는 환승통로 폭의 차이가 최대 약 80%로 나타났다. 도출된 결과로부터 설계지침의 통로 폭 산정 시 사용되는 설계요소에 대한 개선안을 제시하였다. Congested situation owing to lack of metro station facility capacity has greatly intensified and repeated recently. Therefore, metro users suffer much inconvenience and large accidents due to the group walking in an emergency scare have been predicted and concerned. To suggest improved calculation method of transfer facilities PW (the width of passageway), the PW formula in the Design Guidelines and the theoretical basis of LOS (Level of Service) are reviewed. Also, the simulation of pedestrian environment and field survey for five stations are conducted. It is observed that LOS E showed the difficulty going to the average walking speed and the movement frequently to avoid the collision from the simulation results, thus LOS E offered by the guidelines needed the upward to LOS D in preparation for a large-scale disaster. It is found that the difference between the widths which is calculated based on the maximum and the minimum density of the same LOS grade is up to about 80% because the range of density values in the LOS D and LOS E is so great. Based on the results, the appropriate design factors used in calculation of the PW are provided.

A behavioural comparison of route choice on metro networks: Time, transfers, crowding, topology and socio-demographics

Understanding travellers’ behaviour is key element in transportation planning. This article presents a route choice model for metro networks that considers different time components as well as variables related to the transferring experience, train crowding, network topology and socio-demographic characteristics. The route choice model is applied to the London Underground and Santiago Metro networks, to make a comparison of the decision making process of the users on both cities. As all the variables are statistically significant, it is possible to affirm that public transport users take into account a wide variety of elements when choosing routes. While in London the travellers prefer to spend time walking, in Santiago is preferable to spend time waiting. Santiago Metro users are more willing to travel in crowded trains than London Underground users. Both user groups have a similar dispreference to transfers after controlling for the time spent on transfer, but different attitudes to ascending and descending transfers. Topological factors presented on a distorted Metro map are more important than actual topology to passengers’ route choice decisions.

The Role of Cycle Rickshaws in Urban Transport

Cycle rickshaws continue to play an important role in meeting the mobility demands in South Asian cities. Current transport policies, however, do not support their use. Rickshaws are viewed as a cause of congestion and a profession in which rickshaw owners exploit poor people. This article presents data from published studies to argue against those views. Data from Delhi metro users suggests that as cities expand their public transport services, rickshaws will continue as an important feeder mode in the future. Recent studies also suggest that if separate lanes are created for non-motorized vehicles (which can be used by bicycles as well), then rickshaws and motorized vehicles will experience less congestion and non-motorized vehicles will be exposed to lower traffic crash risk. This article advocates the collection of relevant data concerning rickshaw trips and the number of rickshaws in future travel surveys and that appropriate infrastructures should be designed to facilitate their movement.