Citation

Brown GR. Transp. Res. Rec. 1974; 499: 34-46.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1974, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

Current interest in public transit to alleviate the urban transportation problem requires more research about the effects on urban structure of new modes. The purpose of this paper is to examine one aspect of this: the internal relationships between the socioeconomic characteristics of commuters and the transportation service characteristics they value in their mode choice to work. Specifically, the study is concerned with (a) the correlation of selected socioecenomic factors of individuals with their choice of travel attributes and (b) the effect of socioeconomic factors in causing car drivers to shift mode. Canonical correlation analysis illustrates that each modal group using a transportation corridor has unique socioeconomic characteristics and that these are related to the attributes of the transportation system. Car drivers are less dependent on system attributes than bus riders, and therefore planned changes in the system (such as the introduction of rapid transit) will have less effect on this group than on bus users in terms of use of the system. There is also some indication that changes in bus frequency would have an effect on car ownership in a given corridor. Statistical tests, using discriminant analysis, on a subsample of automobile drivers indicates that the socioeconomic characteristics of an individual probably exert an influence on his tendency to shift mode and on his sensitivity to specific transportation service level changes in the system. In particular it was found that as income levels increase the tendency to shift mode decreases. The findings of the study have implications for mode split planning, travel demand modeling, and urban structure.

Language: en