Sustainable Travel Modes Research Articles

Intention for Car Use Reduction: Applying a Stage-Based Model.

This study investigates which variables drive intention to reduce car use by modelling a stage of change construct with mechanisms in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Norm Activation Model (NAM). Web questionnaires (n = 794) were collected via 11 workplaces. The socio-demographics, work commute, stage of change, attitudes to sustainable travel modes, social norms, perceived behavioral control, and personal norm were assessed. An initial descriptive analysis revealed that 19% of the employees saw no reason to reduce their car use; 35% would like to reduce their car use but felt it was impossible; 12% were thinking about reducing their car use but were unsure of how or when to do this; 12% had an aim to reduce current car use, and knew which journeys to replace and which modes to use; and 23% try to use modes other than a car for most journeys, and will maintain or reduce their already low car use in the coming months. A series of Ordered Logit Models showed that socio-demographic variables did not explain the stage of change. Instead, personal norms, instrumental and affective attitudes, and perceived behavioral control toward sustainable travel modes were all significant and explained 43% of the variance in stage of change. Furthermore, it was found that the significant relationships were not linear in nature. The analysis also showed an indirect effect of social norms on the stage of change through personal norms. Implications are discussed regarding the design of interventions aimed at influencing a sustainable work commute.

Disentangling the effects of the built environment on car ownership: A multi-level analysis of Chinese cities

Reducing the reliance on car-based transportation is a common goal of academics and policy makers, one element of which is car-ownership. This paper contributes to our understanding of the links between socio-economic attributes, the built environment and car ownership. Based on a sample of 3480 individuals across China in 2012, this study examines the impacts of the built environment at both neighborhood and city levels on car ownership and its moderating effects on household income. The results indicate that built environment elements at both levels affect car ownership significantly, and while some elements mitigate the effects of household income on car ownership, others strengthen them. Thus, urban transportation policy should focus on the built environment at both the neighborhood and city levels and promote compact development for the sake of restraining car ownership and encouraging more sustainable modes of travel. Moreover, policy should not ignore the interaction effects between individual socio-economic attributes and the built environment, as their directions are heterogeneous.

Analyzing Travel Behavior by Using GPS-Based Activity Spaces and Opportunity Indicators

ABSTRACTAn activity space is a spatial expression of individual spatial behavior that can play a role in visualizing and analyzing travel behavior. In this article, we use the data of a two-day tracking experiment to explore whether accessibility to opportunities as represented through activity spaces associate with different travel characteristics, including willingness to consider more sustainable modes of transport. Simultaneously, we draw attention to the question of how to represent activity spaces. Using data of 95 respondents, we introduce point-of-interest data as an indicator to represent the accessibility to opportunities within individual activity spaces and we analyze their relationship to the respondents’ self-reported willingness to consider more sustainable modes of travel. The results indicate that there is an association between higher scores on the activity space opportunity indicators and the willingness to consider more sustainable modes of transport. Overall, the study shows the potential of using accessibility indicators derived from GPS-based activity spaces to gain insight into travel behavior.

Health Co-Benefits of Policies to Mitigate Climate Change in the Transport Sector: Systematic Review

Background Theory, common sense and modelling studies suggest that some interventions to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transport sector can, in addition to the long term benefits from stabilising the global climate, have substantial short term benefits for population health. Policies that encourage active modes of transportation, for example, may increase population physical activity or decrease air pollution exposure. This can reduce the population burden of a number of conditions including some cancers, diabetes, heart disease and dementia. We reviewed the evidence on whether policies that decrease transport sector GHG emissions have a measurable effect on health determinants, population health and/or health inequalities under ‘real world’ conditions. Methods Design: Systematic review. Data sources: We included published and unpublished reports, identified from searching 12 electronic databases, reference lists, existing reviews, websites and contacting experts in the field. Eligibility: Observational or experimental studies with a control group and time series studies were included. Studies were included if they examined a ‘real life’ intervention/policy/natural experiment in the transport sector, and measured health behaviours or outcomes, and calculated GHG emission change. Results We included 22 studies of 11 interventions in four countries. Most studies were of quasi-experimental design and published in the grey literature. Eight were interventions of personalised travel planning, two involved legislative changes (one to enable a congestion charge in Stockholm, one a ‘cash-out’ of employee parking benefits), and one was a multifaceted intervention in three towns to promote sustainable modes of travel. Studies were focused on land transport only and almost exclusively on policies that try to change individual behaviour. There was little assessment of how these interventions could impact on health inequalities. All studies reported decreases in GHG emissions as a result of their interventions; however methods to assess emission changes varied in robustness. Health benefits reported from the studies included modest increases in physical activity (for example an average increase of two to three minutes a day walking for transport purposes) and reductions in mortality from air pollution. Study quality, with one exception, was poor. Conclusions Research quality urgently needs to improve, as does the breadth of the types of interventions studied. There are exciting opportunities for innovative study designs and methodologies to answer research questions in this important area. The need for public health practitioners to work more closely with the transport sector is paramount.

Exploring the Influence of Attitudes to Walking and Cycling on Commute Mode Choice Using a Hybrid Choice Model

Transport-related problems, such as automobile dependence, traffic congestion, and greenhouse emissions, lead to a great burden on the environment. In developing countries like China, in order to improve the air quality, promoting sustainable travel modes to reduce the automobile usage is gradually recognized as an emerging national concern. Though there are many studies related to the physically active modes (e.g., walking and cycling), the research on the influence of attitudes to active modes on travel behavior is limited, especially in China. To fill up this gap, this paper focuses on examining the impact of attitudes to walking and cycling on commute mode choice. Using the survey data collected in China cities, an integrated discrete choice model and the structural equation model are proposed. By applying the hybrid choice model, not only the role of the latent attitude played in travel mode choice, but also the indirect effects of social factors on travel mode choice are obtained. The comparison indicates that the hybrid choice model outperforms the traditional model. This study is expected to provide a better understanding for urban planners on the influential factors of green travel modes.

Enhancing sustainable mobility through a multimodal platform: would travellers pay for it?

Building a multimodal information platform constitutes a disruptive innovation, which can enhance the use of sustainable travel modes and reduce the negative externalities of car use. This eco-innovation will change the structures of the market and induce changes in behaviour. From a web-based survey conducted in the Plateau de Saclay - an area located 20 km south of Paris, very affected by congestion - travellers' willingness to pay (WTP) for such a platform was investigated. In particular, a multinomial logit with unobserved heterogeneity in general WTP was estimated to determine marginal WTP for the potential services that could be provided by the platform. The results show that the price of access to the information platform and its various services is an important variable but cannot be considered the only determinant of the intention to use it. We present a new research model of user acceptance of an eco-innovation. Based on a use behaviour analysis, we highlight several aspects to consider such as the facilitating conditions and moderator variables, the performance expectancy of the platform measured in spheres of activity and travel time, effort expectancy and social influence.

Encouraging sustainable modal shift—An evaluation of the Portsmouth Big Green Commuter Challenge

This paper describes the impact of the Portsmouth “Big Green Commuter Challenge” (BGCC) event, organised by Portsmouth City Council (PCC) in order to reduce carbon and nitrogen oxide emissions from transport within the city. In total, over 900 people and 33 organisations took part in the 2011 event. This is an example of a “Smarter Choice” measure designed to encourage travel behavioural change to more sustainable modes of transport. A literature review and evaluation of previous “Smarter Choices” measures has been carried out to give some context to the BGCC. An introduction to the city of Portsmouth is presented, in particular its efforts to reduce road traffic and emissions from the city centre area. The event encouraged a modal shift to more sustainable modes of travel, resulting in estimated reductions in CO2 and NOx emissions per mile. However, a number of further recommendations have been made to enable future similar events to have a greater impact on road traffic and emissions.

English

In order to increase efficiency and sustainability, it is of crucial importance to have an in depth understanding and investigation of travellers’ behaviour, preferences, attitudes and choices. In this context, this paper investigates car-sharing as a mode for travel for work trips in Tabuk city for both male and female travellers. Tabuk is one of the regional capitals situated in north-western Saudi Arabia, which has recently generated enormous intra- and inter-city transportation demand due its rapid economic growth and due to recent oil and gas based growth economy in recent years. Investigation of the characteristics of trip makers which impact on the decision of selecting car-sharing as a mode of travel is presented for each of the males and females. In this context, this paper investigates the feasibility of car sharing schemes in Saudi Arabia and the impacts of gender on the use of this mode of travel for work trips in Tabuk city. The analysis presented in the paper provide an addition to practice and academic work in the area of investigations of choices of modes of travel and factors which contribute to it in Saudi Arabia (SA). In addition, SA is a developing country with unique cultural and traffic characteristics, to encourage further enhancement and utilization of this mode. Further investigations in these areas are still needed. Key words: Car sharing, travel behaviour, sustainable travel modes, Saudi Arabia.

Sustainable travel modes in Saudi Arabia: is there a potential for formal car-sharing scheme?

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the actual demand on formal car-sharing scheme in Saudi Arabia as a means of public modes of transport in order to assess the potential future of this mode in Saudi Arabia as a policy measure.Design/methodology/approach– In this context, this paper investigates the potential feasibility of introducing formal car-sharing scheme as a means of public modes of transport in Tabuk city. Investigation of the characteristics of trip makers, which impact on the decision of selecting the currently available informal car-sharing as a mode of travel, is presented. The paper investigates the factors which affect the decisions of car-sharing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia using the household survey data. Discrete choice modelling techniques have been adopted in this research to investigate behaviour and attitudes to car-sharing and the binary logit model has been utilised.Findings– From the results, in the case of Tabuk, the main factor in selection of the transport mode is the social role, and specifically the role inside the family. Results showed that about 49 per cent of total respondents drive to work, while about 20 per cent reported that they use car-sharing. About 8 per cent of respondents reported that they use a private driver, while other 8 per cent reported that they use a contracted driver.Originality/value– Investigation of the potential of introducing formal car-sharing scheme in Saudi Arabia as a means of public modes of transport in Saudi Arabia which is a more sustainable mode of transport.

Gender Differences in School and Work Commuting Mode Through the Life Cycle: Exploring Trends in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, 1986 to 2011

Reducing auto dependence and increasing the use of active and sustainable modes of transportation for school and work travel are necessary for alleviating traffic congestion issues that are typical in today’s North American cities and regions. While there is a growing interest in increasing the use of active and sustainable modes of travel for commuter trips in transportation planning, less attention has been paid in practice to gender differences in travel demand. This descriptive study explores gender differences in active transportation, public transit, and automobile use through the life cycle to assess temporal changes in gendered transport over the past 25 years in the greater Toronto and Hamilton area, Canada. Findings suggest that female children and youths are driven to school more frequently than males; however, males drive more than females during the years of labor force participation. Differences between female and male automobile use increase with age, but the gender gap has declined since the mid-1980s. Factors such as having one vehicle per household, more than six household members, and living and working in the city of Toronto are shown to associate with the largest differences in driving between full-time employed women and men. Distances between home and work have increased, particularly for women, and the percentage of women with a driver’s license has increased. Although driving remains higher for men than women during the part of the life course that includes labor force participation, the gender gap in active transportation, public transit, and automobile use appears to be lower today than in the mid-1980s.

The value-belief-norm theory, personal norms and sustainable travel mode choice in urban areas

To examine determinants of environmentally significant transport behaviour could contribute to the development of efforts aimed to influence people's travel mode choice in a sustainable manner. Travel mode choices are especially interesting in urban areas where sustainable public transportation is available. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the value-belief-norm theory can explain reported travel mode change in the Norwegian urban population. The results are based on a self-completion questionnaire survey carried out among representative samples in six urban areas in Norway (n = 1043). Using structural equation modelling, values and beliefs explained 58 per cent of the variance in personal norms. Three groups of transport mode users were identified: Frequent users of public transportation, frequent users of a car, and a group of people frequently walking or using bicycle. Both personal norms and situational factors were found to be significant predictors of reported travel mode choice.

SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE CAR PREFERENCE IN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: THE CASE OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC

The present study examined the socio-psychological factors (personality dimensions, motives for car use, and materialistic values) that influence car preference in undergraduate students (N = 383). Preferences for particular car types, properties, and brands were studied. The data indicated only a slight correspondence between the personality dimensions of the Big-Five model and car preference. However, individual motives for car use and materialistic values predict preferences for certain car types and even more for car brands. The results demonstrated a clearly defined group of individuals who prefer cars with high performance. These individuals prefer German cars of “prestigious” brands, such as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. For these individuals, affective motives, as well as materialistic values are important cues for car use and preference. These findings are discussed in terms of more sustainable modes of travel and campaigns to promote sustainable travel modes. The potential value shift from cars as objects that represent personal freedom and identity to more recent mobile technologies, which might play the same role in the younger generation, is discussed.

Examining the changes in car ownership levels in the Greater Dublin Area between 2006 and 2011

The aim of this study was to examine the changing nature of car ownership in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) and to determine the characteristics of households most likely to have changed their car ownership levels between 2006 and 2011. The analysis was carried out using the census data from 2006 and 2011. A multinomial logistic regression model in tandem with geographic information system (GIS) visualisation was used to examine the impact of a set of individual, household and transport characteristics on average car ownership levels. The findings demonstrate that the age of individuals, the year their household was constructed, residential density and the mode of travel to work had an impact on the change in car ownership levels over the study period. Rail availability had significant influence where there was a decrease in average car ownership levels. However, the impact of bus transport on car ownership levels was less apparent. The study was set against the background of the worst economic recession in the history of the Irish state and the impact this had on the findings cannot be ignored. Nonetheless, by identifying households likely to have changed their car ownership over the study period the findings may assist policymakers in the future as they attempt to create transport initiatives which will encourage more sustainable travel modes.

Promoting sustainable travel modes for commute tours: A comparison of the effects of home and work locations and employer-provided incentives

ABSTRACTBy using data from the 2011 Oregon Household Activity Survey, conducted in the Portland, OR, metropolitan area, the authors conduct tour-based analyses of commute mode choice and apply them to evaluate and compare the effects of three sets of variables: the built environment at home, the built environment at workplace, and employer-provided financial incentives. The analysis results suggested that compared to the built environment at home, the built environment at workplace showed more additional explanatory power, illustrating the importance of including work-location-related variables in the models that simulate commute mode choice and trip chaining. Furthermore, we found that employer-provided financial incentives, in particular, parking fees at workplaces and the provision of subsidized transit passes, could also be very efficient policy levers to encourage commuters to use more sustainable commute modes, especially public transit. While the model results clearly show that the effects of many variables vary by tour complexity, we did not find strong evidence to the hypothesis that trip chaining creates a barrier to shifting commuters' travel mode from auto to nonauto modes.

Chasing Sustainability

One of the solutions suggested for mitigating the detrimental effect of motor vehicles on society is to implement transit-oriented development (TOD). This type of development is intended to reduce automobile use and urban sprawl as well as to provide communities with more socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable neighborhoods that offer a variety of mobility choices. This study attempted to find out whether new residents adopted more sustainable modes of transportation after their relocation to a TOD. The analysis determined which factors influenced travel mode switching decisions by specifying a multilevel multinomial logistic regression model. Data for the analysis were drawn from a travel behavior survey conducted on residents in seven North American TODs in 2013. The results showed that newcomers adopted more sustainable travel modes for amenities and leisure trips after they relocated to a TOD but that they were less likely to do so for work and shopping trips. To encourage more sustainable travel modes, the study findings suggested that transit incentives coupled with workplace parking charges needed to be considered. Factors that were found to increase the probability that new TOD residents would switch to a more sustainable mode of transportation included their awareness of the environmental impact of each travel mode, the ease with which it was possible to walk through the neighborhood and to various destinations, and the proximity to transit stops. However, larger household size, homeownership, and the addition of a new car had negative impacts. The findings provided new insights into TOD planning and its link to travel behavior; these insights could benefit planners, engineers, and policy makers who have adopted the TOD approach to development with the goal of mitigating car usage.

The influence of attitudes on Transit-Oriented Development: An explorative analysis

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), where compact, mixed-use neighbourhoods are being realized around existing or new public transit stops, is a promising tool to restrict urban sprawl and stimulate sustainable travel modes. However, TODs are not always as easy to implement at every location. In high-density city centres a TOD is relatively easy to implement, since density and diversity are already high and most residents have a positive stance toward car alternatives due to self-selection processes. In more low-density suburbs, however, the situation is more difficult. There is not only the problem of adapting the built environment, but also the problem that most initial residents have a preference for car use, since they chose their neighbourhood based on the physical characteristics of the initial neighbourhood. In this viewpoint we will look at how travel-related attitudes and residential self-selection can affect the success rate of TODs in three different situations. It seems that taking into account attitudes is especially important for the realization of TODs in low-density neighbourhoods.

Modeling the Propensity to Use a Sustainable Mode in the Context of a Program of Voluntary Change in Travel Behavior

This paper proposes a modeling approach for evaluating the effect of a personalized travel plan on a sustainable mode choice. A panel binary probit was estimated by using the approach of composite marginal-likelihood estimation. The formulation modeled the choice of using a light rail service (versus that of not using it) by means of daily individual panel observations collected in the context of a program of voluntary travel behavior change (VTBC) before and after the provision of a personalized travel plan. In this regard, a VTBC program was a policy measure that used communication and information to encourage individuals to use more sustainable travel modes. In this study, the VTBC program was implemented by providing car users with personalized information about how to introduce the light rail service into their travel patterns.

What does it mean to be a driver and what does it mean to own a car

The present article deals with young drivers' motives, opinions, and attitudes in relation to their driving and owning a car. In an online questionnaire, the respondents were asked to answer two questions: What does it mean to you to be a driver? and What does it mean to you to own a car?. A total of 1,477 respondents, 958 males and 519 females, aged 18-25, participated in the survey. The resulting data were analyzed using a qualitative data processing method, thematic analysis. For the purposes of the analysis, the sample was broken down into four different groups according to gender and age (18-19, 20-21, 22-23, and 24-25 years). The study results show that young drivers may generally be divided into two main groups. While the first group defines its attitude to driving and owning a car as emotional, the other may be characterized as being associated with drivers whose attitudes are mostly rational and who perceive both their driving and owning a car as a means of achieving other goals. A more detailed categorization is then used to identify seven types of relationships young drivers have with driving and their cars. Finally, the practical implications of the results are presented, particularly with regard to the reduction of CO2 emissions through increasing the rate of sustainable modes of travel, the reduction of young drivers' accident rate by addressing their risk-taking driving behavior, and their training and education. Language: en

Travel mode and physical activity at Sydney University.

How staff and students travel to university can impact their physical activity level. An online survey of physical activity and travel behaviour was conducted in early November 2012 to inform planning of physical activity and active travel promotion programs at the University of Sydney, Australia as part of the “Sit Less, Move More” sub-committee of the Healthy University Initiative, and as baseline data for evaluation. There were 3,737 useable responses, 60% of which were from students. Four out of five respondents travelled to the University on the day of interest (Tuesday, November 30, 2012). The most frequently used travel modes were train (32%), car as driver (22%), bus (17%), walking (17%) and cycling (6%). Staff were twice as likely to drive as students, and also slightly more likely to use active transport, defined as walking and cycling (26% versus 22%). Overall, 41% of respondents were sufficiently active (defined by meeting physical activity recommendations of 150 min per week). Participants were more likely to meet physical activity recommendations if they travelled actively to the University. With a high proportion of respondents using active travel modes or public transport already, increasing the physical activity levels and increasing the use of sustainable travel modes would mean a mode shift from public transport to walking and cycling for students is needed and a mode shift from driving to public transport or active travel for University staff. Strategies to achieve this are discussed.

Do Residents of Smart Growth Neighborhoods in Los Angeles, California, Travel “Smarter”?

With the individual trip diary from the recent 2009 National Household Travel Survey, a study was done on the effect of neighborhood-level smart growth patterns and socioeconomic diversity on commute mode choice, daily work travel mode choice, and nonwork travel mode choice for individuals living in neighborhoods in the Los Angeles, California, metropolitan statistical area. Model results consistently showed that nonauto transportation infrastructure diversity and quality were the most important aspects of smart growth patterns that affected the choice of nonauto travel modes. Moreover, housing mix in a neighborhood increased the likelihood of choosing walking and cycling for daily work trips and daily nonwork trips. The socioeconomic diversity of a neighborhood reduced the likelihood of choosing walking and cycling for daily nonwork trips. The remaining two factors—residential density and mixed use—insignificantly affected travel mode choice. Overall, people living in smart growth neighborhoods in Los Angeles do travel smarter, in that they use environmentally more sustainable (bus and train) and healthier (walking and cycling) travel modes.