Exploring the Nonlinear and Threshold Effects of Travel Distance on the Travel Mode Choice across Different Groups: An Empirical Study of Guiyang, China

Mingwei He, Jianbo Li, Zhuangbin Shi (), Yang Liu, Chunyan Shuai and Jie Liu
Additional contact information
Mingwei He: Faculty of Transportation Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Jingming South Road 727, Kunming 650500, China
Jianbo Li: Faculty of Transportation Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Jingming South Road 727, Kunming 650500, China
Zhuangbin Shi: Faculty of Transportation Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Jingming South Road 727, Kunming 650500, China
Yang Liu: Faculty of Transportation Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Jingming South Road 727, Kunming 650500, China
Chunyan Shuai: Faculty of Transportation Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Jingming South Road 727, Kunming 650500, China
Jie Liu: Faculty of Transportation Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Jingming South Road 727, Kunming 650500, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-23

Abstract: Examining how travel distance is associated with travel mode choice is essential for understanding traveler travel patterns and the potential mechanisms of behavioral changes. Although existing studies have explored the effect of travel distance on travel mode choice, most overlook their non-linear relationship and the heterogeneity between groups. In this study, the correlation between travel distance and travel mode choice is explored by applying the random forest model based on resident travel survey data in Guiyang, China. The results show that travel distance is far more important than other determinants for understanding the mechanism of travel mode choice. Travel distance contributes to 42.28% of explanation power for predicting travel mode choice and even 63.24% for walking. Significant nonlinear associations and threshold effects are found between travel distance and travel mode choice, and such nonlinear associations vary significantly across different socioeconomic groups. Policymakers are recommended to understand the group heterogeneity of travel mode choice behavior and to make targeted interventions for different groups with different travel distances. These results can provide beneficial guidance for optimizing the spatial layout of transportation infrastructure and improving the operational efficiency of low-carbon transportation systems.

Keywords: travel distance; nonlinear effect; group heterogeneity; mode choice behavior; random forest (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/16045/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/16045/ (text/html)

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:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:23:p:16045-:d:989619

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().