Non-motorized Transport Modes Research Articles

Activity-based and agent-based transport model of Melbourne: an open multi-modal transport simulation model for Greater Melbourne

Activity- and agent-based models for simulating transport systems have attracted significant attention in recent years. However, building these types of models at a city-wide level and including motorized (i.e. cars and public transport) and non-motorized (i.e. walk and bicycle) modes of transport is a complicated and involved task. This paper presents an open workflow for creating large-scale multi-modal agent-based transport simulation models. The workflow brings together a number of external tools, for example, an activity-based demand generation tool and a road network generation tool, and a set of tools developed for the agent-based model parameter estimation, calibration, and simulation post-processing. We used this workflow to create an activity- and agent-based model for Melbourne and compared the output of the simulation model with observations from the real world in terms of mode share, road volume, travel time, and travel distance. Through these comparisons, we showed that our model is suitable for studying mode choice and road usage behavior of travelers. The calibrated model could be used to test road network change interventions. In addition, a similar workflow can be applied for building simulation models for other cities or could be expanded to include more complicated travel behaviors.

Smart Urban Systems Planning for Active Mobility and Sustainability

This paper bridges a crucial gap in urban transportation systems planning by exploring the integration of Active Mobility (AM) into Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), an area previously overlooked. Despite the significant benefits of walking and cycling for sustainable urban development, ITS have predominantly favored motorized traffic, neglecting AM’s potential to enhance urban sustainability and the quality of life. Based on recent advancements in Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), a Smart Active Mobility development framework model is proposed, aimed at improving accessibility, connectivity, and social inclusion for people using non-motorized transport modes. The proposed model introduces a novel framework for embedding AM into urban planning, underlining its essential role in developing smart, sustainable cities. The findings reveal that implementing such a model can lead to substantial improvements in urban mobility, promoting a shift towards more inclusive, environmentally friendly, and health-promoting mobility solutions. The study underscores the imperative for urban planners and policymakers to adopt this model, highlighting the necessity of integrating AM into urban planning for a sustainable, healthy, and economically viable future.

Factors Influence Hanoians’ Choice of Non-Motorized Transport Mode to Access Bus Stations

Factors Influence Hanoians’ Choice of Non-Motorized Transport Mode to Access Bus Stations

THE INFLUENCE OF TRAVEL MODE CHOICE ON SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING - A CASE STUDY

The correlation between mobility and subjective well-being (SWB) has received much attention lately. Previous researchers have studied the effect of health parameters or SWB on transport mode; however, there is a lack of study on the influence of travel mode choice (TMC) for daily activities on SWB. Besides, the prediction of TMC is critical for transport planning. Therefore, the current study aims to study the TMC and its influence on overall SWB. Data from 732 individuals and 191 households are collected using random sampling techniques, which represents 0.029% of the total population. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for descriptive statistics, whereas R software was used for the multilevel linear regression analysis. The model estimation results show a significant correlation among the variables (p < 0.05, R2 > 0.20). Besides, those who are exposed to public transport and tend to use non-motorized transport modes engage in more physical activities than those who use a private vehicle, which has a negative impact on SWB. The outcome of current research helps policymakers build policies to achieve a sustainable transportation system.

Pedestrian behaviour analysis at intersection in Vijayawada for road user safety and infrastructure design

Pedestrian behaviour analysis is crucial for improving safety, urban planning, public health, and transportation infrastructure planning to establish a pedestrian-friendly zone and enhance people’s overall quality of life in urban contexts. Micro-level infrastructure improvements, such as better lighting, crosswalks, and sidewalks, are essential for communities to be sustainable and walkable. Safe and practical infrastructure encourages active mobility and reduces dependency on energy-intensive modes of transportation. Giving pedestrian safety as a priority in urban construction enhances the environmental significance of sustainable cities. Safe pedestrian environments encourage walking and other non-motorized modes of transportation, which lessens the pollution and emissions that come from driving. In the majority of developing countries, such as India, rapid urbanization, an increase in the number of vehicles, and a lack of adherence to traffic regulations by both automobiles and pedestrians contribute to a significant problem at junctions. The objective of this paper is to investigate how pedestrians behave at three junctions in Vijayawada say the Moghalrajpuram intersection, high school road junction, and kanuru junction (Andhra Pradesh, India). Approximately 69% of people in the study area prefer to cross in a perpendicular manner. At Kanuru, oblique crossing speeds range from 1.88 to 3.08 m/sec, whereas perpendicular crossing speeds range from 1.88 to 2.09 m/sec. Oblique crossing speeds at the High School Road intersection range from 3.35 to 3.49 m/sec, and perpendicular crossing speeds range from 2.00 to 2.45 m/sec. Oblique crossing speeds at Moghalrajpuram junction range from 1.05 to 1.61 m/sec, while perpendicular crossing speeds range from 1.76 to 2.50 m/sec for all the genders and age groups. At every intersection, pedestrian flow variables like crossing patterns, crossing speeds in relation to demographics like age and gender, total pedestrian counts, waiting times, and directions are analysed.

Application of the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory Method to Assess Factors Influencing the Development of Cycling Infrastructure in Cities

Sustainable development and environmental considerations have resulted in many cities around the world recognising the importance of non-motorised modes of transport. Problems related to the proper development and maintenance of cycling infrastructure have already been the subject of various studies. However, they have mainly dealt with the identification of factors influencing the development of cycle paths and the optimisation of the design of safe and comfortable cycle routes. The influence of individual factors on each other and on the development of cycling infrastructure has not been studied. The research aims of this article are to identify which factors influence the development of bicycle infrastructure, their role and interdependence, and their prioritisation. It also looks at whether there are differences between the opinions of bicycle users and experts professionally involved in the development of bicycle paths in assessing the importance of the factors indicated. As a result of the study, eight factors influencing the development of bicycle infrastructure were identified. Based on the opinions of cyclists and experts, the nature of each factor was analysed. Taking into account the complex relationships between the factors, the key factors contributing to the development of bicycle infrastructure were shown: (1) the planning of bicycle paths, taking into account the separation of individual paths and their continuity, consistency, and length; (2) legal regulations promoting cycling in terms of transportation policy; (3) the elimination of obstacles; and (4) the design of bicycle paths, taking into account the safety, space management, terrain, and attractiveness of the surroundings. The results for both groups of respondents were compared. They indicate that both groups of respondents reported the same factors as the most important, with the only differences being in the order of the importance of the factors. The academic value of this work lies in showing the usability of the underrated original version of DEMATEL methodology in the considered area for key factors. The practical significance of this paper is the provision of a rather simple, yet reliable, tool for addressing the complexity of interrelated issues that make the development of urban infrastructure a cumbersome task.

What do pedestrians consider when choosing a route? The role of safety, security, and attractiveness perceptions and the built environment during day and night walking

Increasing the use of non-motorized modes of transport, such as walking, is a worldwide objective aimed at improving the sustainability of cities. However, pedestrians may not choose to walk if the infrastructure fails to meet their needs or if they hold unfavourable perceptions regarding the built environment (BE). The current study aims to identify the significance of route attributes and perceptions of attractiveness, safety, and security at the route level, which influence pedestrians' preferences for last-mile route choices. A cross-sectional design was employed, utilizing a questionnaire comprising a stated preference (SP) experiment and a perception survey. The study considered theory-informed attributes influencing pedestrian route choice preferences, including: (1) individual-level determinants, (2) physical-level determinants, and (3) time of day. Two separate models were developed, considering the time of day, to examine the differences in trade-offs within pedestrians' route choice preferences between day and night. The results revealed that both the BE and perceptions of the BE play a crucial role in determining pedestrian route choice behaviour. Pedestrians showed a preference for routes fully encompassed by mixed or residential land uses during the daytime. The presence of vacant land along the walking route significantly decreased the likelihood of choosing a route at night. Generally, pedestrians favoured shorter walking times, lower posted speed limits, and comfortable walkway grades in their routes. Female pedestrians tended to avoid routes that were not well-lit and pleasant at night. Lowering roadway speed limits emerged as a strategy to encourage walking in suburban areas. The findings of this study hold the potential to play an essential role in the development of effective policy initiatives targeted at pedestrians in cities.

Emerging trends for urban freight transport-The potential for sustainable micromobility.

Active transportation referring to non-motorized modes of transport is promoted and popularized both in practice and in the scientific literature, while their use for urban freight transport has been largely neglected. Thus the main scope of the paper is to indicate the development potential of micromobility use in urban freight transport and to check its influence on urban sustainability. The authors have hypothesized that active means of transport, with a focus on micromobility, have great development potential in freight transportation in cities. The implemented methods for analyzing the relationship between users' characteristics, micromobility, and its impact on urban sustainable development, were logit and probit modelling. The authors' system includes an analysis of factors connected with the topics of sustainability and micromobilty, that have met an essential scientific gap that this paper addresses. Logistic (logit) regression is used mainly for binary, ordinal, and multi-level outcomes to find the probability of success (i.e. occurrence of some event). Probit regression, however, is primarily used in binary response models and assumes the normal distribution of data. The main finding of the article has led the authors to the statement that active means of transport, including micromobility have great development potential in freight transportation in cities. Knowledge of the acceptance of micromobility solutions is essential for municipal authorities in shaping the development of urban transport systems. Thus proper strategies and actions need to be prioritized to leverage the sustainability-related co-benefits of active transport.

Simulation of urban non-motorized traffic: A agent-based modeling approach based on big data of bike sharing and social force model

Encouraging cycling, one of the urban non-motorized transport modes, has been well recognized as an environment-friendly way that alleviates urban traffic congestions and solves the first/last mile issue. However, concerns about the efficiency and safety of urban cycling have been widely made by urban planners due to the unclear right-of-way and discontinuous non-motorized corridor for cycling. This study uses the dynamic location data of the Meituan Bike (formerly Mobike) in the Hi-tech Park area of Shenzhen to analyze the spatial-temporal variations of bikeshare use, aiming at identifying the traffic corridors of cycling. Combined with agent-based modeling technique and social force model, this research proposes a new approach of simulating the urban non-motorized traffic, and hence provides valuable insights for building bicycle lanes for cycling corridors. The results show that (1) the usage of bike sharing during weekdays is 2.5 times that on weekdays, and the cycling corridors are usually the main and secondary roads that are in the vicinity of the metro stations; (2) adding bicycle lanes can reduce the traffic density of the non-motorized volume by 6% in an overall, and save the travel time of cyclists and pedestrians by 6.4% and 3.7%, respectively.

Developing approaches and strategies to promote increased active mobility in urban city neighbourhood

With the world’s population expanding quickly, cities must deal with problems such as traffic jams, air pollution, car accidents, and urban sprawl. Walking and cycling are non-motorized modes of transport that require little infrastructure and don’t utilize any fossil fuel energy. In comparison to motorized modes, they are easily adaptable and inexpensive to maintain for both users and governments. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to identify strategies for greater active mobility through non-motorized modes of transport. Through a document study, methods that can be utilized as incentives to improve walkability and bikeability in the Elgeseter neighbourhood of the City of Trondheim, Norway have been identified. The analysis addresses following research question: “What may persuade Elgeseter district commuters or travellers to modify their behaviour toward more walking and biking?” This study reveals five topics of interest: Identifying existing difficulties in the district, Evaluation of current pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle links, as well as meeting places and open spaces, and identification of opportunities to improve them, How to outline planning concepts, Methods and design recommendations for enhancing walking and micro transportation, as well as The importance of accessibility, safety, and comfort in attracting people to active mobility. The main argument is that a multi-dimensional approach is required to persuade more people to choose environmentally friendly, sustainable modes of transportation as a lifestyle choice, and function better than compulsion. The research presented in this paper contributes to our understanding of the factors that influence commuters’ decision to engage in active mobility in their urban city neighbourhood.

The role of walking and cycling in sustainable city transformation – Belgrade SUMP case study

Traffic as one of the main drivers of urban life require a modern approach to solve the existing problems instead of the traditional focus on individualities. In order to treat the identified difficulties, cities have started to develop Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs), which focuses on mobility as a whole. Belgrade is one of the cities that received its first SUMP in 2020. In this document, special emphasis is placed on the influence of non-motorized users, as the main drivers of active mobility. The goal of this paper is to present the strategic measures aimed at improving the existing situation for non-motorized transportation modes in the city, which are presented in Belgrade SUMP. The activities presented here can be used as an adequate basis for the problems that Belgrade is currently facing, in order to enhance the quality of the urban environment for all its citizens.

Impact of Ride-Hailing Services on Transportation Mode Choices: Evidence from Traffic and Transit Ridership

The rise of technology-enabled ride-hailing services has affected individuals’ transportation-related decisions. The impact of these ride-hailing services likely varies across traveler segments that differ in their usage of various modes of transportation. In this paper, we develop and leverage a framework that allows us to examine the impact of ride-hailing services on the transportation mode choice for three traveler segments: drivers (who primarily use a personal automobile to travel), riders (who primarily use public transit to travel), and walkers (who primarily use non-motorized modes of transport). We first develop a framework outlining how the behavior of different traveler segments would be impacted by the introduction of ride-hailing services and show how this affects traffic congestion and public transportation ridership. To test the framework, we compiled a rich dataset, combining data on public transportation ridership, traffic congestion, and individual transportation mode choice. Employing a difference-in-differences methodology, we show that the Uber entry in a market enabled those who were walkers and riders prior to the entry of Uber to travel more conveniently, leading to an increase in traffic congestion, and induced those who were drivers to substitute their use of private automobiles with a combination of Uber and public transit. We introduced urban compactness to assess the heterogeneous impact of ride-hailing services for cities that differ in their distribution of traveler segments. We found that Uber entry increases traffic congestion and reduces public transit demand more in cities with higher levels of urban compactness, i.e., where the proportion of riders and walkers is higher than that of drivers. This work provides a holistic framework to understand the mechanism underlying the impact of ride-hailing services on public transit and traffic congestion. Urban planners and policy makers can leverage our framework, methodology, and empirical results to guide city planning decisions that have implications for sustainability.

Gender Differences in Travel Behavior, for Daily Trips in Kathmandu Valley

Kathmandu valley is the main center for economic activities and with it travel demand has increased drastically in the Valley in the recent years, along with rapid growth in population. This paper brings into highlight, the role of gender on urban mobility, for daily trips, by assessing the gender differences in travel behavior of workers and students, in commuting their work and educational trips respectively. Household survey was carried out in different parts of the study area, using random sampling. Data was analyzed to associate gender with travel mode choice and trip length. The statistical analysis of the travel data shows that there is a significant level of association between gender and the way, they travel. The modal share and trip length varies significantly between men and women, more prominently for work trips. For educational trips, the variation is observed comparatively, to a lesser extent. For work trips, men are using more of the private vehicles and relying less on public transport and non-motorized means of travel, as compared to women. It is also revealed that that males are commuting longer trip distances as compared to females. From the findings, recommendations for gender equality in urban transport and promotion of sustainable urban mobility, emphasizing the use of public transport and non-motorized modes of transport.

Modelling of pre and post Covid-19’s impact on employee’s mode choice behavior

Public transportation is one of the most affected systems by the pandemic. The utilization of public transit during the pandemic made the people feel unsafe. So, the use of private transportation modes for daily mobility has increased. This study aims to understand the COVID-19 impact on the employee's mode choice. The survey methodology adopted in this study is a web-based survey in which questionnaires are distributed via various social media platforms and collected respondents' opinions. After collecting the responses, statistical analysis of socio-demographic characteristics, mode choice preferences, and factors affecting the mode choice were performed. From the results, it is observed that there is a mode shift from public transportation to private transportation to avoid the spread of COVID-19, and also there is a marginal increase in non-motorized transportation modes post COVID-19. The finding indicates the factors related to the spread of the infection, are the most important factors to consider when choosing a mode of transportation following COVID-19. Multinomial logistic regression and artificial neural network models were developed to analyze the mode choice of travelers pre and post COVID-19.

Pedestrian safety at urban intersections: lighting conditions is the question

Sustainable and livable cities and non-motorized transportation modes are being increasingly promoted around the world. A considerable number of studies have investigated various factors associated with the severity of pedestrian crashes. However, little attention has been paid to the particular impacts of lighting conditions. This paper aims to differentiate between different lighting conditions based on solar altitude by developing separate Generalized Ordered Probit (GOP) models for the four distinct lighting conditions (i.e. daylight, twilight, dark, and lighted) analysing pedestrian injury severity at urban intersections. The models are tested using a set of log-likelihood ratio tests, which show there are key differences in the significance of the estimates, magnitude, and even the direction of the effects of explanatory variables, in which such differences may not be revealed by calibrating one aggregate model. Notably, built environments, age, gender of both pedestrian and driver, and speed limits were found to have different impacts on the severity of the crash.

Impact of Urban Spatial Transformation on the Mobility of Commuters with Different Transportation Modes in China: Evidence from Kunming 2011–2016

Many emerging economies, including China, are undergoing rapid and large-scale urban spatial transformation. Thus, the daily mobility of transportation-disadvantaged groups, especially non-car users, has received increased attention, as these people may experience significant restrictions in their daily activities. Such restrictions raise issues with respect to transport-related social exclusion, which are detrimental to the sustainability of urban transportation systems. Activity participation and time use have been used to measure the spatial barriers and inequalities that travelers face in their daily lives. However, limited research has been conducted on how the daily mobility of different transportation modes has evolved over a longer period relative to urban development. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the activity participation and time use of car travelers in comparison with other transportation mode groups in Kunming from 2011 to 2016, a period of rapid growth in motorization. A three-layer activity structure was used to characterize the hierarchy of activity requirements. Propensity score matching was used to compare the mobility of commuters across different urban periods and transportation modes while controlling several confounding factors. Three conclusions were drawn from the results of the study: First, changes in urban form and transportation system cause residential suburbanization and a considerable increase in private-car and public transportation at the expense of non-motorized transportation modes. Second, the degree of impact of urban space transformation on personal mobility is ranked in descending order of public transit, cycling and walking, e-bike, and cars. Third, the traffic disadvantage of non-car users is obvious, and the mobility gap of commuters with different travel modes tends to widen over time. We discuss the consequences of transport-related social exclusion and highlight directions for future sustainable transportation planning research.

The first-and-last-mile of public transportation: A study of access and egress travel characteristics of Dhaka’s suburban commuters

A growing body of research has addressed the multimodality of public transport, but relatively few studies have investigated the first-and-last-mile travel behavior—especially in the context of developing countries. In this study, we surveyed public transport commuters who live in Dhaka’s suburban areas and regularly commute to the main city. We find that the majority of the respondents use non-motorized modes of transportation (NMTs); however, the shares of motorized forms of transportation (MTs) such as human-haulers and buses are higher for egress compared to access. The choice of modes, both for the access and egress stages, are examined using multinomial logit (MNL) and nested logit (NL) models. The results show that rail travelers are more likely to choose MTs for egress compared to bus travelers. This is mainly because of longer distances between rail stations and trip destinations at the activity end. Among other factors, travelers’ income, and gender, as well as mode-specific attributes such as waiting time, travel time, travel cost, degree of seating comfort, and availability of the modes are found significant. Female commuters are more likely to choose rickshaw over other modes, while lower-income commuters show a higher tendency to choose paratransit and bus transportation when other variables are controlled. Finally, the paper discusses the implications of the findings for the improvement of first-and-last-mile connectivity of Dhaka’s public transportation system.

Understanding Gender, Income and Travel Behavior in Casablanca City – Morocco

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to extend the research on gendered differences in travel behavior in developing countries by analyzing travel behavior variability within as well as across gender and income groups in the case of Casablanca city. Methods: Data from the 2018 Casablanca Travel Survey show that overall, women are less mobile than men, make fewer work-related trips and more household maintenance trips, but these differences are heterogeneously distributed across income groups. With the increase in income, women tend to carry out more trips than men; the inverse is observed for the middle- and low-income categories. Results: While for the lowest income groups, walking is the most predominant mode for both men and women, we notice that the private car has the highest modal share within the highest income groups as with the increase in household income, both genders avoid non-motorized transport modes. The particular status of women in some households as breadwinners and reproducers as well as the socio-cultural context of the city shape their mobility and the choice of their activities. Conclusion: Hence, these findings suggest, from a policy perspective, that the public transit system along with spatial planning strategies need to be improved to help overcome women's mobility constraints, especially when they belong to low-income households so they can fully access the city amenities and opportunities. On the other hand, transport policies need to be not only gender-sensitive but also “vulnerable groups” sensitive as mobility impediments are similarly experienced by males and females in some contexts.

Exploring the Factors Influencing Parental Choices on School Trips

Within the last decades, the examination and definition of factors affecting the mode choice decision on school trips has gained much of attention, as the completion of such trips represent a vast percentage of total travel demand. Key players of the decision process are students' parents, deciding how their children will complete everyday trips from their residence to the school unit and vice versa. The current study examines the factors affecting parents' travel mode choice for school trips of both primary and high school students in Thessaloniki city, Greece. Data collected is based on a questionnaire survey in which, 512 parents participated, stating their perception regarding the use of several transport modes for school trips and the motives behind specific adopted travel behavioural aspects. Three main topics are examined and analysed related to the parents' attitudes and their travel habits in the choice of motorized and non-motorized transport modes, the parents' perception regarding the built environment safety, and the parents' perception regarding specific parameters which appear to motivate them in the mode choice decision process. For the research analysis, a number of statistical methods and techniques are deployed, starting with descriptive statistical and Pearson's correlation analysis and proceeding with the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The results verify initial thoughts for critical factors which appear to affect parents' choices regarding their children’s school trips while they also gives an initial picture of parents' experiences regarding the school travel mode choice, in an urban environment of a typical Greek city.

Electric motor scooter sharing: the potential of ESS in regard to sustainable mobility and city development and the derivation of policy recommendations

Electric motor scooter sharing (ESS) services have been popping up in numerous European cities throughout the last few years. Their marketing targets a young demographic, the sharing service is advertised as both fun and sustainable. Electric motor scooters can indeed be a sustainable mode of transport, for instance, when they contribute to (locally) emission-free transportation depending on the underlying electricity mix (see Weiss et al. 2012). And as we know from former studies, the availability of a city wide sharing system and its usage can decrease the will to buy a private vehicle (see the study from Firnkorn and Müller 2015). Thus, sharing systems got the potential to support multimodal mobility behavior. Besides, when shared, ESS provide relatively space efficient mobility. To evaluate the potential as a sustainable mobility solution, the analysis of mode shift effects created by such a service are a key aspect. Do electric scooter trips mostly replace trips formerly taken by cars with internal combustion engines (ICE)? Or do they replace other trips and possibly create additional traffic? This leads to the main research questions of the paper:•    How does ESS contribute to sustainable urban transportation?•    Which policy regulations or governance solutions are needed to further strengenth the advantages and counterbalance the weaknesses of such a sharing service?The paper does focus on an ESS service run within Munich/Germany. It is based on three types of data: Firstly, automatically collected data concerning customers’ renting behavior allows conclusions on the average customer trip numbers, frequency and lenghts (1). Secondly, a customer survey of the same ESS provides insights on the customers’ trip patterns and mode shift behavior. Besides, it highlights their motivation to use shared electric motor scooters. Via descriptive statistics, the datasets is analyzed using uni- and bivariate approaches. The results are completed by the third type of data consisting of interviews with ESS users on user experiences. (2)The paper features the main results of this study, addressing both ESS strenghts and challenges. On the one hand, it becomes clear to which extent ESS contributes to improving urban mobility, e. g. by replacing trips formerly taken by ICE vehicles and by furthering multimodality (like electrically assisted micromobility options). Furthermore it shows how ESS can improve the image of electric mobility. On the other hand, the paper addresses challenging mode shifts: Which role does the replacement of trips formerly taken by public transport or non-motorized modes of transportation play? And how relevant are trips taken to simply cruise around, thus creating traffic that would have not existed without ESS?Based on the results of the survey and in reflection with city planners, policy recommendations were derivated. Which approaches, instruments or frameworks have to be developed to optimize the sustainable potential of ESS and to minimize risks? The paper concludes with a set of recommendations and push and pull categories in different fields of action such as infrastructural planning, financial instruments, marketing and communication.(1) The data includes almost 490,000 trips.(2) The data was collected as part of the CIVITAS ECCENTRIC research project.The qualitative results refer to the users and their motivations, whereas the analysis of the quantitative data set focuses on substitution effects, the sustainability of ESS on the mobilities system with the aim to make overarching policy recommendations. https://civitas.eu/about The qualitative data was analysed and published in September 2021. https://journals.qucosa.de/jmv/article/view/71