CAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE CAR?

Public transport is often perceived to be a poor alternative for car use. This paper describes who may be open to use public transport more often, and how people might be persuaded to use it. A computerised questionnaire study was conducted among 1,803 Dutch respondents in May 2001. Results revealed...

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Main Author: Linda STEG
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2003-01-01
Series:IATSS Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0386111214601412
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author Linda STEG
author_facet Linda STEG
author_sort Linda STEG
collection DOAJ
description Public transport is often perceived to be a poor alternative for car use. This paper describes who may be open to use public transport more often, and how people might be persuaded to use it. A computerised questionnaire study was conducted among 1,803 Dutch respondents in May 2001. Results revealed that especially fervent car users disliked public transport. For them, the car outperformed public transport not only because of its instrumental function, but also because the car represents cultural and psychological values, e.g. the car is a symbol of freedom and independence, a status symbol and driving is pleasurable. So, for fervent car users, car use is connected with various important values in modern society. Infrequent car users judged less positively about the car and less negatively about public transport. Consequently, they may be open to use public transport more regularly. In contrast, many efforts are needed to stimulate fervent car users to travel by public transport, because in their view, public transport cannot compete with their private car. In this case, policies should be aimed at reducing the functional, psychological and cultural values of private cars, as well as increasing the performance of public transport and other (more) environmentally sound modes of transport on these aspects.
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spelling doaj.art-7133e95726334dcab7e03a8ab5e2a8542022-12-22T00:02:26ZengElsevierIATSS Research0386-11122003-01-01272273510.1016/S0386-1112(14)60141-2CAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE CAR?Linda STEGPublic transport is often perceived to be a poor alternative for car use. This paper describes who may be open to use public transport more often, and how people might be persuaded to use it. A computerised questionnaire study was conducted among 1,803 Dutch respondents in May 2001. Results revealed that especially fervent car users disliked public transport. For them, the car outperformed public transport not only because of its instrumental function, but also because the car represents cultural and psychological values, e.g. the car is a symbol of freedom and independence, a status symbol and driving is pleasurable. So, for fervent car users, car use is connected with various important values in modern society. Infrequent car users judged less positively about the car and less negatively about public transport. Consequently, they may be open to use public transport more regularly. In contrast, many efforts are needed to stimulate fervent car users to travel by public transport, because in their view, public transport cannot compete with their private car. In this case, policies should be aimed at reducing the functional, psychological and cultural values of private cars, as well as increasing the performance of public transport and other (more) environmentally sound modes of transport on these aspects.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0386111214601412Public transportCarAttractivenessPsychological factorsPolicies
spellingShingle Linda STEG
CAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE CAR?
IATSS Research
Public transport
Car
Attractiveness
Psychological factors
Policies
title CAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE CAR?
title_full CAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE CAR?
title_fullStr CAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE CAR?
title_full_unstemmed CAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE CAR?
title_short CAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMPETE WITH THE PRIVATE CAR?
title_sort can public transport compete with the private car
topic Public transport
Car
Attractiveness
Psychological factors
Policies
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0386111214601412
work_keys_str_mv AT lindasteg canpublictransportcompetewiththeprivatecar