Transit users are considered insensitive to fare changes. Therefore, reducing fares is often viewed as ineffective for increasing ridership. However, removing fares has led to markedly different outcomes in practice. Fare-free transit (FFT) policies have resulted in substantial increases in ridership among the agencies that implemented them. This contrast between expected behavior and actual FFT outcomes suggests a gap between theoretical fare elasticities and the actual sensitivity of transit users in the FFT context. This study examines sensitivity to fare and service changes among FFT users, using 2024 survey data from five U.S. transit agencies. Four cumulative linked mixed models are applied, one for each of fare, in-vehicle time, waiting time, and walking time. Results reveal that riders are far more responsive to fare reinstatement than previously thought, with a 7.6 times greater likelihood of decreasing ridership per dollar increased in fare. Riders also respond more strongly to fare reinstatement than to travel time increases: a 1 reinstated fare was perceived equally as a 20-min increase in travel time, while a2 fare was perceived on par with an additional 35-min travel time. This research also examines the potential impacts of reinstating fares after operating fare-free for a while, and indicates that it could cause sharp ridership declines: 50
Transformative parking policies aim to address transport and land-use issues in urban neighbourhoods, yet concerns over public acceptability often limit their implementation. To identify barriers and entry points for implementation, this study examines who supports transforming on-street parking by segmenting the population based on psychological factors associated with policy acceptability. Using survey data from N = 1,186 residents in two German cities, we find that policy-specific beliefs, transport norms and perceptions of parking-related problems are the strongest predictors of acceptability. Psychographic segmentation via k-means clustering reveals four distinct parking policy profiles: Car-Independent Change Supporters, Car-Independent Moderates, Problem-Focused Sceptics and Car-Dependent Status-Quo Supporters. Acceptability is highest among Change Supporters and declines across the other groups. The segments also differ systematically in their socio-demographics, spatial contexts, travel behaviour and transport attitudes. Building on these profiles, we discuss implications for staged implementation strategies that initially prioritise receptive segments and broadly supported policies, while highlighting the need to address car dependency, perceived unfairness, and disproportionate burdens on vulnerable groups through complementary measures.
As autonomous vehicles gradually enter the commercialization stage, understanding consumers’ usage intentions has become a key concern. Previous research has primarily focused on the independent effects of positive and negative affective valence on usage intentions, overlooking the importance of their combined influence. This study constructs a model based on the valence framework, comprehensively examining the combined impact of consumers’ positive and negative affective valence on usage intentions and delving into the potential influence of personal innovativeness. Through a survey of 323 residents in the Yizhuang Demonstration Zone in China, this research reveals that the perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment of positive valence positively influence attitudes, while the time risk, performance risk, physical risk, and financial risk of negative valence have negative impacts on attitudes. Attitude significantly influences usage intentions, and personal innovativeness positively moderates the relationship between attitude and usage intentions.
With the increasing frequency of natural hazards worldwide, developing effective evacuation strategies is crucial to reducing their adverse impacts. This study examines the determinants of evacuation mode choice in the event of an imminent volcanic eruption in Auckland, New Zealand, using data from a stated preference survey. Key influencing factors, including socio-demographics, risk perception, evacuation timing, and destination choice, are analysed using logistic regression and machine learning models (Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Probabilistic Neural Network, and Classification and Regression Tree). The results identify vehicle ownership, evacuation timing, and route/destination preferences as critical determinants. Among the models, Random Forest demonstrates the highest predictive accuracy, outperforming logistic regression. The findings provide valuable insights for emergency planners and policymakers to design more resilient and adaptive evacuation strategies.
Pedestrian safety perception significantly influences their route choice decisions, especially among those who rely solely on walking due to financial constraints. These pedestrians, often referred as captive pedestrians, are widely seen in many low- and middle-income countries. Despite their prevalence, little is known about how safety perceptions influence their route choice decisions. This study investigates the influence of safety perceptions on the route choice decisions of captive pedestrians in New Delhi, India. Using intercept surveys, respondents were classified as captive or choice pedestrians and their safety perceptions assessed across 21 walking and crossing scenarios. While both groups showed similar perceptions for most scenarios, significant differences were seen with respect to preference for company while walking, presence of hawkers, and footpath buffers to avoid carriageway spillovers. Differences were also observed across gender and age groups. To understand how these perceptions influence route choice, route data was collected from captive pedestrians. Using reported and alternative routes (modelled on ArcGIS), a route choice model was estimated. Results show that route length, presence of footpaths, and green buffers significantly influenced their choices. These findings highlight the distinct safety concerns and preferences of captive pedestrians, underlining the need for targeted infrastructure designs that address their distinct safety concerns and boost route selection.
