THE ECONOMICS OF ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION MODES: AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE TWIN CITIES

This report presents a model of travel behavior for the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area using the 1990 Travel Behavior Inventory. The model incorporates mode choice and the number of trips individuals take. Using the estimation results, the authors report estimates for mode share price elasticities and find that they are quite low. Two pricing policy simulations are performed and the results verify that there is low mode choice responsiveness to price changes. These results imply that large price changes are necessary to induce people to reduce their vehicle use either by switching modes or reducing the number of trips they take. Using the mode choice model, the authors also derive values of travel time for different subpopulations in the Twin Cities Metro Area. They find that individuals living in the suburbs have higher values of travel time for work trips than those living in the urban areas, and males have higher values of travel time for work trips than females. The value of travel time for non-work trips is essentially zero. Mode choices for non-work trips are more flexible than mode choices for work trips, and individuals place a high value on travel time for work trips while they do not for non-work trips.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by the Regional Transit Board.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

  Center for Transportation Studies, 511 Washington Avenue, SE
  Minneapolis, MN  United States  55455-0375
• Authors:
  • Kanninen, B J
  • Mohn, C
• Publication Date: 1994-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 39 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Economic analysis; Economics; Gender; Modal diversion; Mode choice; Pricing; Simulation; Suburbs; Travel behavior; Travel modes; Travel time; Trip generation; Trip purpose; Urban areas; Work trips
• Uncontrolled Terms: Nonwork trips; Trip rate
• Geographic Terms: Minneapolis (Minnesota); Saint Paul (Minnesota)
• Old TRIS Terms: Alternative transportation; Travel modes
• Subject Areas: Economics; Highways; Society; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00724556
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 9 1996 12:00AM