Modal demand: A user perception model

THIS PAPER ANALYZES THREE DIFFERENT METHODS FOR SPECIFYING THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS IN AN INTRAURBAN BEHAVIORAL MODAL SPLIT MODEL. THE PROCEDURES INVESTIGATED INCLUDE A NULL CASE WHERE NO SYSTEM INFORMATION IS USED, DIRECT COMPARISONS OF INTERMODAL TRAVEL TIMES, AND A METHODOLOGY EMPLOYING USER PERCEPTIONS OF THE MODAL CHARACTERISTICS. THE LATTER APPROACH IS AN INNOVATION WHICH IS DERIVED FROM UTILITY THEORY AND SYNTHESIZES ORIGIN-DESTINATION DATA AND ATTITUDINAL SURVEY INFORMATION. THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT THE MODAL CHOICE DECISION MODEL IMPROVES AS THE SOPHISTICATION IN METHOD FOR REPRESENTING THE SYSTEM ATTRIBUTES INCREASES. A THEORY OF MODAL CHOICE BEHAVIOR IS FORMULATED IN VIEW OF USER PERCEPTIONS OF PREFERRED STANDARDS FOR TRANSIT SERVICE. /AUTHOR/