Policy implications of work-trip mode choice using econometric modeling

Transportation agencies seek comprehensive policies and planning to overcome urban congestion and manage transportation demand with due cognizance of traveler behavior. This research develops a travel behavioral model for work-trip mode using revealed and stated choice data collected through a survey questionnaire in the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The multinomial logit model specification is found best suited to develop a modal-split model and estimate travelers' perceived expectation utility functions. The model is used to calculate elasticities and demand response to the policies of improvement in transit/bus rapid transit (BRT) and implement congestion pricing on major arterials of an urban road network. Travel demand is found elastic with respect to congestion pricing and out-of-vehicle travel time. It is concluded that improvement in transit services by introducing BRT alone does not induce a major change in the share proportion of automobile demand; however, congestion pricing has a significant effect on the reduction of automobile demand. Furthermore, the combination of two policies induces more modal-split than does congestion pricing alone. This research highlights traffic congestion pricing as one of the means of traffic demand management by demonstrating its contribution to improving urban traffic congestion