Modeling the Switch Tendency for Cyclists and Non-cyclists by Using Market Segmentation Approach

This paper applies attitudinal based market segmentation method to study travelers' switch tendency to use bicycle by conducting a special investigation of bicycle in Nanjing, China. Structural equation model (SEM) is used to identify the correlation between willingness to cycle and several daily travel attitudes, including both positive and negative evaluation on bicycle. Attitude variables are extracted from almost thirty indicators reported by respondents. Only those attitudes that have significant effects on willingness to cycle are chosen to perform market segmentation. As stated modal choices reported by respondents do have impacts on their attitudes and willingness to cycle, SEMs are developed for both cyclists and non-cyclists separately. Consequently, respondents are clustered into eight segments. Each segment represents a unique combination of modal switch tendency and attitudes, indicating that similar tendencies can be caused by different sets of attitudes. It implies that different segments need to be served in different ways to optimize the effects of policies to encourage cycling. Switch tendency analysis of each segment is given based on the score of attitude variables, household income and automobile availability, and then policy implications that best serve the potential bicycle users are discussed. The policies mainly aim to reduce the number of cyclists who have high tendency to use other modes, and increase the possibility to cycle for non-cyclists group with moderate and high switch tendency.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ABE90 Transportation in the Developing Countries.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Yu, Miao
  • Ye, Mao
  • Yang, Chen
  • Gong, Linfeng
  • Hu, Qizhou
  • Fan, Wei (David)
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2015-1-11 to 2015-1-15
• Date: 2015

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 18p
• Monograph Title: TRB 94th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Bicycle travel; Cyclists; Market segmented groups; Mode choice; Structural equation modeling; Travelers
• Geographic Terms: Nanjing (China)
• Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01555438
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 15-2636
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 27 2015 10:03AM