Road–Rail Intermodal Travel Mode Choice Behavior Considering Attitude Factors

Boqing Wang, Jiajun Li and Fan Jiang ()
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Boqing Wang: School of Transportation, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Jiajun Li: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Urban ITS, Southeast University, 2 Southeast University Road, Nanjing 211189, China
Fan Jiang: Key Laboratory of Transport Industry of Comprehensive Transportation Theory (Nanjing Modern Multimodal Transportation Laboratory), Ministry of Transport, Nanjing 211135, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 14, 1-19

Abstract: Road–rail intermodal transportation (RRIT) leverages the advantages of multiple transport modes and is crucial for addressing the current issue of imbalanced development in the transportation sector. However, passengers’ behavior in choosing RRIT remains unclear, and it is necessary to optimize travel service quality through analyzing RRIT choice behavior based on user perceptions. This study designed a stated preference experiment that included both direct and multi-modal travel options. A hybrid choice model considering attitude variables was constructed, and four latent attitude variables—convenience, economy, comfort, and riskiness—were extracted to analyze their impact on intercity travel mode choice behavior under conditions of ticket booking uncertainty. The results revealed that the ticket booking success rate is a critical factor in travelers’ decision-making. Passengers tend to choose travel options with higher ticket booking success rates, even if it entails a slight increase in the ticket prices for the high-speed rail to high-speed rail transfer option. The attitude variables significantly influence intercity travel mode choice behavior, with travelers generally exhibiting a preference for risk avoidance in their travel options. Moreover, there are differences among various groups of travelers in their preferences and demands for the convenience, economy, and comfort aspects of travel options. These research findings can enhance our understanding of the key factors influencing the selection of RRIT services, thereby supporting RRIT designers and planners in improving service quality and facilitating the future growth of RRIT.

Keywords: road–rail intermodal transportation (RRIT); choice behavior; attitude latent variable; hybrid choice model (HCM) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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