Modelling Public Transport Potential in Relation to Area Characteristics

Abstract

The process of mode choice comprises different aspects. In this paper, models are developed linking area origin- and destination characteristics with reasons why people don't choose to take the bus to determine public transport (PT) potential. The need for this kind of research lies in the fact that PT providers need insights into PT potential to optimize their services. In order to know what characteristics to use, a brief overview of a literature is presented. This part focuses on area characteristics but also includes choice theories describing the process underlying mode choice behaviour. Hereafter, the ROVBECO research, for which the data used in this study was collected, is described. The independent variables for the models can be categorized into origin- (dwelling type and family status), destination- (employment size and building density) and travel mode (mode choice and speed) related characteristics. Two models determine the dependent variables: First, the mentioning of reas