Using odometer readings to assess VKT changes associated with a voluntary travel behaviour change program

Rita Seethaler and Geoff Rose

Transport Policy, 2009, vol. 16, issue 6, 325-334

Abstract: In order to detect changes in daily average vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT) induced by a large-scale TravelSmart intervention in Melbourne, a panel of households was asked to complete before and after surveys, which included week-long odometer readings. In contrast to results reported from previous TravelSmart applications, the Melbourne program did not induce a statistically significant change in the average daily VKT when measured 1 year after the intervention. Multiple regressions revealed that the variability in change in VKT was better explained by socio-demographic variables than by the TravelSmart treatment. The change in VKT was also found to be strongly negatively correlated with the average daily vehicle kilometres recorded in the before survey--indicating the possibility of the 'regression-to-the-mean' effect well known in the road safety literature. The conditions under which the regression-to-the-mean effect may create the illusion of a positive TravelSmart program impact on the reduction in daily average VKT are examined. It is concluded that, in the context of voluntary travel behaviour change evaluations, greater attention should be paid to instrument reactivity arising from the impact of the before travel survey on TravelSmart uptake and/or on change in VKT, and to regression-to-the-mean effects.

Keywords: TravelSmart; Evaluation; Vehicle; kilometres; Odometer; reading; Panel; survey; Sample; size; Instrument; reactivity; Regression-to-the-mean; effect; Response; bias (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967-070X(09)00106-1
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:trapol:v:16:y:2009:i:6:p:325-334

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/supportfaq.cws_home/regional
https://shop.elsevie ... _01_ooc_1&version=01

Access Statistics for this article

Transport Policy is currently edited by Y. Hayashi

More articles in Transport Policy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().