Mode Choice Modeling of Graduate Level Engineering Students of Kathmandu Valley

Abstract

A large part of trips in Kathmandu valley is occupied by educational trips, whose magnitude is bound to increase as the average time spent studying is increasing. The commutes of graduate-level engineering students follow a similar trend and thus will increase the demand for means of transportation, creating load to the suffering transportation system, and therefore proper planning interventions are needed. This study forms mixed logit models with the help of the ‘R-Studio’ statistical package to analyze these trips. Models consist of revealed preference (RP) models to understand the current mode preference, and stated preference (SP) models to determine the modal shifts when different alternative modes of bus rapid transit (BRT) and metro trains are introduced, these SP choices were formed by the analysis of alternative transportation in different urban metropolises and consist of four options “Bus1”, a luxurious but costly BRT, “Bus2” normal BRT, “Metro1” a comfortable but costly metro, and lastly “Metro2” normal metro all concerning the existing public transportation modes. Data required to form these models were collected by performing RP and SP surveys. For the RP part the use of personal mode of transport was found to be increased by transport trip distance and vehicle ownership and decreased by number of siblings. Similarly, the use of public transport was found to be increased by trip distance, walking being the base criteria for both cases. For the SP part, trip distance was found to increase and footpath availability was found to decrease the use of “Bus1”, trip distance was found to increase the use of “Bus2” mode, Journey time and trip distance were found to increase and gender was found to decrease the use of “Metro1” and finally trip distance was found to increase the use of “Metro2”, walking being the base condition in all cases. The study recommends planning interventions for management of motorized means in long distance trips, improvement of walking condition in short distance trips and development of gender friendly infrastructure for existing transportation modes. For the purposed alternative means of transport metro is seen as the best preferred option for the study group therefore further analysis of this mode is suggested.