Electronic ticketing systems as a mechanism for travel behaviour change? Evidence from Sydney’s Opal card

Smartcard and other forms of electronic ticketing have become integral to modern public transport systems. While aggregate ridership figures have generally been positive, little is known about the drivers behind these changes because of a lack of travel information on individuals before and after implementation of such systems. The current paper presents analysis from a naturalistic travel behaviour study of inner-city Sydney residents that coincided with the phased introduction of the Opal smartcard system. Using a differences-in-differences methodology, results indicate significant reductions in car use of around 10 min/day with commensurate increases in train use and incidental walking. This trend holds across income groups and is more pronounced for older residents. Results add further weight to the merits of simplifying ticket purchasing as part of a package of policy measures designed to increase public transport usage.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2017.03.004
• Record URL:
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856416304748
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/09658564
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Ellison, Richard B
  • Ellison, Adrian B
  • Greaves, Stephen P
  • Sampaio, Breno
• Publication Date: 2017-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 80-93
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice
  • Volume: 99
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0965-8564
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09658564

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automatic data collection systems; Before and after studies; Fare collection; Modal shift; Policy; Public transit; Ridership; Smart cards; Ticketing; Travel behavior
• Identifier Terms: Opal card
• Uncontrolled Terms: Electronic ticketing
• Geographic Terms: Sydney (Australia)
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01635683
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 25 2017 1:56PM