Pollution Free Cities: What is Important for Getting People out of their Cars?

Friday, November 23, 2012

What is Important for Getting People out of their Cars?

USEmobility Survey of Users who have changed their Mobility-Mix (12 page pdf, USEmobility, Nov. 6, 2012)
Also discussed here: Half of travellers are willing to change(Allianz pro Schiene Nov. 6, 2012)
And here: (4.5 min video, USEmobility, Jan. 2, 2012)

And here: When it comes to choosing their means of transport . . .(World Streets, Nov. 13, 2012)

Today we review a report that surveyed 5 European countries to find out who makes the switch from one mode of travel to another. Surprisingly, the home of European car manufacturers and fast roads, Germany, was at the top in terms of people who have recently changed their choices or are willing to. This was not driven by such factors as travel comfort, cleanliness and, most of all, reliability or punctuality (not that these are unimportant) but rather by such things as reachability of bus stops, costs and how long a journey takes. Also that sector of the population that is growing fastest in Europe as well as in North America, our seniors, show more flexibility in choosing between their car or public transit to make trips.

Key Quotes:

“Almost 50 percent of those surveyed in six European countries say that they have changed their own mobility mix in the last few years"

"We now know that half of all travellers are not simply committed to using their cars or public transport for ever more.. We also know which factors play a role when people switch from the car to public transport and vice versa"

"The so-called swing-users..are increasingly using multiple modes for their journeys, with two thirds of travellers choosing a mix of different modes for their daily journeys, whereas one third changed to one single transport mode… already half of all people belong to the group of swing users”

“Older people often own a car but nevertheless show greater flexibility when deciding for or against public transport, depending on the situation."

“the cause for shifts in the mobility-mix is characterised by changes in users' personal and private circumstances. Over half of participants stated that personal reasons were the motivation for their reorientation. Such changes in life circumstances relevant to the choice of transport mode do happen frequently. On average, almost three such relevant changes occurred within the last five years”