ROLE OF WAITING TIME, COMFORT, AND CONVENIENCE IN MODAL CHOICE FOR WORK TRIP

This paper is concerned with the development and use of a policy-oriented, disaggregated behavioral choice model for transportation planning problems and emphasizes the impacts of changes in travel comfort, convenience, and waiting times. The econometric method chosen was logit analysis, and, in that the logit model can be derived from demand or choice, we can interpret logit coefficients as trade-off values. The model is based on survey data for commuters' work trips in the Stockholm metropolitan area in 1968 and 1971. It contains choice variables, socioeconomic variables, and transportation policy variables. The most important choice variable is "the use of car for work," which supposedly restricts the possibility for public transit use. The socioeconomic variable is income. The Transportation policy variables are travel time, travel cost, and the chance of getting a seat. A dummy variable technique is applied to the binary-choice approach so that stratification of the choice situation for different types of transit modes within the same model is possible. This allows for differences among the various transit modes in relation to comfort. The survey data are subdivided into two income groups to test the hypothesis that the value of time and comfort depends on the level of income. Results from our research are of particular interest when suggested changes in public transportation are compared with each other or with the do-nothing alternative.