Model for Person and Household Mobility Attributes

Individual mobility attributes have a strong impact on travel choices. In most applied models the only individual mobility attribute addressed is household car ownership. The new generation of activity-based models will be significantly expanded to include a wider range of mobility attributes, such as possession of a driver’s license, employer-provided transportation for commuting, car available from work or business, employer-provided or subsidized parking, and transit pass holding. The paper outlines a general framework for inclusion of individual mobility attributes in travel models and statistically explores two of them—household car ownership and person transit pass holding—on the basis of the London Area Travel Survey conducted in 2001. A joint choice model for both mobility attributes is estimated, and the corresponding behavioral insights are discussed. Among the key findings, a strong interdependence between mobility attributes such as car ownership, transit pass holding, and employer-provided transportation benefits can be mentioned. The paper also discusses the practical benefits of including mobility attributes in travel models for testing different policy scenarios