Not All Transfers Are Created Equal: Toward a Framework Relating Transfer Connectivity to Travel Behavior

Walking from origins to transit stops, transferring between transit lines, and walking from transit stops to destinations all add to the burden of transit travel, sometimes to a very large degree. Transfers in particular can be stressful and/or time-consuming for travelers, discouraging transit use. As such, transit facilities that reduce the burdens of walking, waiting, and transferring can substantially increase transit system effectiveness and use. In this paper, we argue that both transit planning research and practice frequently lack a clear conceptual framework relating transit transfers with what we know about travel behavior. Therefore, we draw on the concepts of transfer penalties and value of time in the literature to develop a framework that situates transfer penalties within the total travel generalized costs of a transit trip. For example, value of time is important in relating actual time of waiting and walking to perceived time. We also draw on research to classify factors most important to users’ perspectives and travel behavior – transfer costs, time scheduling, and five transfer facility attributes: 1) access, 2) connection and reliability, 3) information, 4) amenities, and 5) security and safety. Using this framework, we seek to explicitly relate improvements of transfer facilities with components of transfer penalties and changes in travel behavior (through a reduction in transfer penalties). We conclude that the employment of such a framework can help practitioners better apply the most effective improvements to transit stops and transfer facilities.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Iseki, Hiroyuki
  • Taylor, Brian D
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 86th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2007-1-21 to 2007-1-25
• Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 23p
• Monograph Title: TRB 86th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers CD-ROM

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accessibility; Connectivity; Public transit; Reliability; Transfer points; Transfers; Transit operating agencies; Travel behavior; Trip purpose
• Subject Areas: Finance; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01047617
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 07-1905
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 8 2007 6:36PM