Understanding Underlying Constraints Affecting Decision-Making by Morning Car Commuters

Abstract

In New Zealand as elsewhere, there is an increasing interest in alleviating congestion on the road transport network to improve economic productivity, reduce pollution, and to use the transport network more effectively. Governments enact various policies to encourage car drivers to change their behaviour, but often find that the full impact is not reached. We propose that car drivers have constraints influencing their mode choice for the morning peak period trip. A stated preference experiment conducted in the three largest New Zealand urban areas identifies these constraints and their impact on a series of policy initiatives designed to influence car driver behaviour.