An Empirical Framework to Quantify the Individual Traffic Congestion Cost for Private Motorized Vehicle Users

Abstract

Traffic congestion negatively affects the economy, human well-being, safety, and environment in both developed and developing countries. In the past, numerous studies have been undertaken to assess congestion costs. This research focuses on quantifying the individual costs incurred due to traffic congestion and the effects of socio-demographic characteristics on the individual congestion of private motorized vehicle users in the context of an urban metropolitan (Lahore) in Pakistan. Further, the study has also proposed individual traffic congestion cost (ITCC) analytics to estimate the costs related to traffic congestion. Also, statistical tests, such as the ANOVA and T-test, have been employed to determine the impact of socio-demographic characteristics on individual congestion costs. The primary data was collected from the target population by filling out a questionnaire in the study area. With a confidence level of 95% and a sampling error of 6%, this study used a sample size of 282 participants. The study findings showed that the ITCC for the respondents ranged from 17.29 rupees per day to 1136.88 rupees per day. The ANOVA and the t-test indicate that all socio-demographic variables affect the calculation of ITCC. Furthermore, this research showed that car-owning respondents faced higher individual congestion costs than motorbike-owning respondents. The anticipated contribution of this study will aid private motorized vehicle users in estimating their individual congestion costs and managing their expenses. In addition, it will encourage individuals to modify their travel habits to make more efficient use of transportation for their daily tasks.