Analysis of user cost and service trade-offs in transit and paratransit services
The Xenia Model Transit Service served as a test of several alternative transit services operated in a small city setting. Research was designed to test a new method for assessing user tradeoffs in costs and service based on attitudinal methods. Termed direct response assessment, the methods were developed in psychology and have been extended to application in utility assessment. A tradeoff survey was administered as part of a home interview survey. Data from the tradeoff survey were used to develop separate equations for each sample respondent to explain and describe their tradeoffs over transit fare, travel time, walk distance, type of service, and headway. An aggregate equation was also developed, assuming that all respondents shared common tradeoffs. These equations were employed to retrospectively predict changes in transit system patronage since system inception in 1974. Both sets of models performed well, producing forecasts that were in the same direction and range of experience, although magnitudes were somewhat different. Coefficients of the individual tradeoff equations were then analyzed to see if they could be predicted on the basis of interpersonal characteristics of the respondents. Results indicated that differences in coefficients could be attributed to some differences in individuals such as income and auto ownership. Overall results were promising for policy evaluation and forecasting.
- Research Organization:
- Urban Mass Transportation Administration, Washington, DC (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5486688
- Report Number(s):
- UMTA-MA-06-0049-79-10
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
ATTITUDES
CHARGES
URBAN AREAS
AUTOMOBILES
BEHAVIOR
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
EQUATIONS
EVALUATED DATA
FORECASTING
GRAPHS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INCOME
NUMERICAL DATA
OHIO
RAILWAYS
STATISTICS
TABLES
TAXICABS
TRANSPORT
DATA
DATA FORMS
GREAT LAKES REGION
INFORMATION
MATHEMATICS
NORTH AMERICA
POPULATIONS
USA
VEHICLES
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320202 - Energy Conservation
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291000 - Energy Planning & Policy- Conservation