Exploring the Relationship between Transport Interventions, Mode Choice, and Travel Perception: An Empirical Study in Beijing, China

• Main Authors: Aihua Fan, Xumei Chen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-06-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: information intervention; public transport service improvement; mode choice; travel perception; process model
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/12/4258

Transport interventions help to facilitate the sustainable travel behavior. The effects of transport interventions on travel choices have been addressed extensively. However, little research has been devoted to the influence of transport interventions and travel choice on travel perception. This study aimed to investigate the relationship among the three aspects. Two intervention measures, information intervention and public transport service improvement, were selected. Intervention experiments were designed to collect mode choice and corresponding travel perception in different experiment stages. Process models of information intervention and public transport service improvement were proposed. The results show that information intervention only had a minor effect on mode choice and had no direct effect on travel perception. Public transport service improvement in in-vehicle time and comfort enhanced public transport use dramatically. Comfort improvement also had positive effects on travel perception. Walking had positive and public transport trips had negative effects on travel perception. For travelers who had a high evaluation of car trips, the probability of green mode use would decrease. Travelers who gave high marks to trips by green mode would have a higher probability to keep traveling by green mode. This study contributes to facilitating public transport use and enhancing positive perception during traveling.